A recent hit-and-run on 26th Street and Fifth Avenue North in Great Falls is underscoring the challenges drivers face when the other party in a crash doesn’t stick around—and the crucial role of insurance coverage in such situations.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
Zachary Long of Great Falls described the moment he got the call from his 17-year-old daughter after a white vehicle struck her car and sped away. “My daughter, she calls me because I was in Helena at the time, she's like, what do I do? I was like, call the cops,” said Long.
The teen safely pulled over, only then realizing the full damage, including a flat tire.
“My daughter didn’t realize what had happened. And she had, you know, she drove over and pulled down the safe spot, pull over and realized that there was damage to the car and we had a flat tire,” Long explained.
Before she could trade information with the other driver, they vanished. Acting quickly, the family called the police, detailed what happened, and reached out for help online.
“My wife, being super proactive as she is, she posted something online. And then shortly after we started getting pictures, videos, things of that nature that were coming in and showing us the information,” Long said. Despite neighbors’ efforts, the vehicle remains unidentified.
With the police report on file, the family turned to their insurance for help—a critical move as one in eight drivers in Montana is uninsured, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Tauna Locatelli, owner of Advantage Insurance in Great Falls, offered this advice: “Before the accident, you want to check your medical payment limit. That is what pays for you and the passengers in your vehicle. If you are injured due to an auto accident and it's regardless of fault.”
Having the right coverage—including uninsured motorist and medical payments—is essential, but it’s also vital to know the specifics of your policy.
“When I loan my vehicle, I loan my insurance. So, if my sister's in town visiting, and I give her the keys to the car and give her permission, we're good to go and she should be a covered permissive operator. However, if they're a driver in the household, they need to be listed on the deck sheet to have the coverage,” Locatelli noted.
Insurance experts recommend regularly reviewing your policy and talking with your provider to understand exactly what is—and isn’t—covered should you find yourself in a similar situation.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) offer the following advice for what to do if you are involved in a collision:
1. Call the police
If the damage is minor or no one is injured, the police might not come to the crash scene. However, your auto insurance policy may require you to notify the police of any hit-and-run accident. If that’s the case, be sure to file a police report, whether at the scene, by phone, or at the police station
2. Put it in writing
Pull over to a safe place and write down as much information about the other driver and the collision as you can remember. Some or all of the other driver’s license plate would be great. But even the other car’s make, model, and color can help, along with the direction it was headed and any damage the car might have sustained.
3. Use your camera
Take pictures of your car and the area in which the crash occurred if it is safe to do so. Time-stamped photos of the road and weather conditions, as well as traffic flow, can assist with your claim.
4. Talk to witnesses
Ask them to describe what they saw, and write down their testimony, their names, and their contact information so that your claims adjuster can get in touch with them if necessary.
5. Report the collision accurately to your insurer
Intentionally misrepresenting facts about an accident could lead to a suspicion of fraud. Insurance companies can easily recognize whether a vehicle came into contact with another vehicle and whether it was in motion when it sustained damage.
In many cases, either the victim, a witness, or a surveillance camera can supply enough information for the police to find the fleeing driver. If a hit-and-run driver is caught, he or she could face serious penalties: fines of up to $10,000 and prison time, depending on the severity of the damage or injuries caused by the crash.
6. Don’t chase the other car
You might be tempted to try to get the license plate number for your claim, but that could result in unsafe driving and worsen the situation. Remember: As long as you have the appropriate coverage, your insurance company should assist in repairing your car.
