Even if you are only involved in a minor fender bender, you should not exit the accident scene without first exchanging information with the other involved driver(s) and calling law enforcement. A failure to do so may be considered an illegal act in the state of New Jersey. Specifically, you may be accused of and charged with reckless driving or worse later on. With that being said, please continue reading to learn whether a hit-and-run is considered a reckless driving charge and how an experienced Morristown traffic violation lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC can defend you.
Is a hit-and-run considered reckless driving in the state of New Jersey?
Yes, a hit-and-run may be charged as reckless driving in the state of New Jersey. This is the case if you fled the scene of your car accident after leaving the other involved driver(s) with damages to their vehicle and other property. So, if the New Jersey criminal judge finds your behavior particularly egregious, they may order you a jail sentence of up to 60 days; a fine of up to $200; and up to five points on your driving record. And if this is your second reckless driving offense, these penalties may heighten to a jail sentence of up to 90 days; a fine of up to $500; and again up to five points on your driving record.
What are the penalties for a misdemeanor or felony hit-and-run?
Arguably, being charged with reckless driving after a hit-and-run may be considered getting off easy. This is because, if certain circumstances apply, your hit-and-run can easily constitute a misdemeanor or felony offense.
For one, a hit-and-run may come with misdemeanor penalties if you leave the involved driver(s) with bodily injuries in addition to severe property damages. These penalties may consist of a prison sentence of up to 180 days; a fine of anywhere between $2,500 to $5,000; and up to one year of a driver’s license suspension. Secondly, though, this may be upgraded to a felony if your involvement in the accident led to the death(s) of the driver(s). These consequences are namely a prison sentence of up to five years; a fine of anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000; and a potentially permanent driver’s license revocation.
Last but not least, if the New Jersey criminal judge has reason to believe you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of your hit-and-run accident, they may charge you with an aggravated assault or assault by auto offense. Again, the consequences for this may depend on whether you left the involved driver(s) with property damages, bodily injuries, or death.
This blog is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to criminal laws in the state of New Jersey. So for more information, please reach out to a skilled Morristown criminal defense lawyer from Graves Andrews, LLC today.
