Hit and Run Accident in Kansas City: What to Do Next

The first thing to do after a hit and run in Kansas City is call 911. Do not chase the other driver — it is dangerous and you could be injured further or cause another crash. Stay at the scene, turn on your hazard lights, and move to a safe location if possible. Emergency dispatch will send Kansas City Police Department (for city streets) or Missouri State Highway Patrol (for highways and interstates).

While waiting for police, write down everything you remember about the other vehicle: make, model, color, any part of the license plate number, the direction it fled, and any identifying features (damage, bumper stickers, missing parts). Do this immediately — memory fades within minutes. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and phone numbers. Witnesses often notice details that you missed in the chaos of the crash.

Photograph the scene from multiple angles. Capture your vehicle's damage, any debris left by the other vehicle (a broken mirror, paint transfer, bumper fragments), skid marks, and road conditions. Debris is especially important — it can identify the fleeing vehicle's make, model, and year. A broken headlight lens or a piece of trim with a part number can be traced to a specific vehicle type, and sometimes to a specific vehicle through body shop records.

When the officer arrives, provide a detailed account of what happened. Include the direction the other vehicle fled, any description of the driver or vehicle, and the names of any witnesses. The police report is essential for two reasons: it triggers a criminal investigation that may identify the driver, and it is required by most insurance companies to process your uninsured motorist claim.

KCPD investigates hit-and-run crashes as potential felonies under RSMo § 577.060. Detectives may canvass the area for surveillance cameras, run partial plate numbers through databases, check license plate reader (LPR) records from KCPD and highway patrol cameras, and examine vehicle debris to narrow down the make and model. The more information you provide at the scene, the better the chances of identification.

If you were unable to call police at the scene — for example, if you were injured and transported by ambulance — file a report as soon as you are able. Contact KCPD non-emergency at (816) 234-5111 or visit a police station. For crashes on interstates, contact Missouri State Highway Patrol. Do not wait weeks to file — the sooner the report is filed, the sooner detectives can pull surveillance footage before it is overwritten.

When the other driver flees and cannot be identified, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage steps in to cover your injuries and damages. Missouri law requires every auto insurance policy to include UM coverage unless you specifically rejected it in writing (RSMo § 379.203). UM coverage pays for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages — the same categories of compensation you would seek from the at-fault driver's insurance.

Filing a UM claim is different from filing a claim against the other driver's insurer. You are filing against your own insurance company, but this is an adversarial process. Your insurer's goal is to minimize the payout. They may argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim, that you had pre-existing conditions, or that you were partially at fault for the crash. Treat the UM claim seriously — document your injuries, keep all medical records, and consider consulting an attorney before giving a recorded statement to your own insurer.

If you rejected UM coverage in writing when you purchased your policy, you lose this protection. You can still sue the hit-and-run driver directly if they are ever identified, but collecting a judgment from an unidentified driver is obviously impossible. Check your policy declarations page to confirm whether you have UM and UIM (underinsured motorist) coverage and what your limits are.

Surveillance cameras are the single most effective tool for identifying hit-and-run drivers. Kansas City has an expanding network of traffic cameras, red-light cameras, and business security cameras. After your crash, identify any cameras that may have captured the other vehicle — gas stations, convenience stores, parking lots, ATMs, and residential doorbell cameras (like Ring or Nest) near the crash scene.

Act fast. Most surveillance systems record on a loop and overwrite footage within 7 to 30 days. If you wait too long, the footage will be gone. Visit nearby businesses within 48 hours and ask them to save their footage. If they refuse, your attorney can send a preservation letter or subpoena the footage. Kansas City also has license plate reader (LPR) cameras operated by KCPD that capture plate numbers — if you have even a partial plate, detectives can cross-reference LPR data.

Physical evidence from the other vehicle is also valuable. Paint transfer on your vehicle can be analyzed to determine the make, model, year, and color of the other vehicle. Broken plastic parts often have manufacturer codes stamped on them. Collect and preserve any debris you find at the scene. Photograph paint transfer on your vehicle before it is repaired. Your attorney or a private investigator may also canvas area body shops — hit-and-run drivers often seek repairs within days of the crash.

Adrenaline masks pain after a crash. You may feel fine at the scene but develop symptoms hours or days later — headaches, neck pain, back pain, dizziness, numbness, or abdominal pain. These can indicate serious injuries including concussion, whiplash, herniated discs, or internal bleeding. Get medical attention within 24 hours of a hit-and-run crash.

For serious injuries, University Health Truman Medical Center at Hospital Hill is a Level I trauma center in Kansas City — the highest designation for adult trauma care. Saint Luke's Hospital on Wornall Road is also Level I. Children's Mercy Hospital handles pediatric emergencies. For non-life-threatening injuries, visit an emergency room or urgent care.

Tell the doctor exactly what happened — that you were hit by a driver who fled the scene and describe the speed and type of impact. Be thorough in describing all symptoms. Medical records created immediately after the accident are powerful evidence for your insurance claim. A gap between the accident and your first medical visit gives the insurance company an argument that your injuries were not caused by the crash or were not serious.

If KCPD identifies the hit-and-run driver, the criminal and civil cases proceed on parallel tracks. The driver faces criminal charges under RSMo § 577.060 — a Class D felony for leaving the scene of an injury accident (up to 7 years in prison) or a Class B felony if someone died (5 to 15 years). The criminal case is handled by the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office.

Separately, you can file a civil personal injury claim against the identified driver to recover compensation beyond what your UM coverage provides. If the driver has liability insurance, their insurer pays the claim. If they are uninsured (as many hit-and-run drivers are), you can pursue a judgment against them personally, though collecting may be difficult. Your UM coverage remains available as a backstop.

Missouri follows pure comparative fault (RSMo § 537.765). Even if the other driver's attorney argues you were partially at fault, your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage but never eliminated. In hit-and-run cases, the driver who fled typically bears overwhelming fault — the act of fleeing itself demonstrates consciousness of guilt and makes favorable settlement negotiations more likely.

Want to understand your options after a hit and run in Kansas City? Get your free Injury Claim Check. You will answer a few questions about your accident and injuries, and we will provide a personalized report covering your UM coverage options, whether you have potential claims against an identified driver, and how Missouri's pure comparative fault rule affects your recovery — and connect you with a Kansas City-area personal injury attorney experienced in hit-and-run cases.

Hit-and-run crashes are frustrating because someone who hurt you chose to run. Missouri treats this as a felony for good reason. While the criminal investigation works to find the driver, you have your own path to recovery through your UM coverage. But your insurer is not on your side in this process — they will try to minimize what they pay. Start with the Injury Claim Check. It is free, confidential, and takes less time than waiting on hold with your insurance company.