Hit and Run Accident in Tampa: What to Do

Call 911 as soon as the other driver flees. Give the dispatcher everything you can remember: the direction the vehicle went, the make, model, color, and any part of the license plate number. Even a partial plate can help law enforcement narrow the search. If you remember anything about the driver's appearance, report that too.

A police report is the foundation of your hit-and-run claim. Without one, your insurance company may question whether the accident happened the way you describe. In Tampa, you can file a report with the Tampa Police Department (non-emergency: 813-231-6130) if the crash happened within city limits, or with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (non-emergency: 813-247-8200) if it happened in unincorporated Hillsborough County. For highway crashes, the Florida Highway Patrol handles reports.

Florida law requires all drivers to stop after any crash involving injury, death, or property damage (Fla. Stat. 316.061 and 316.062). Drivers must provide their name, address, vehicle registration, and insurance information. Failing to stop after a crash with injuries is a felony under Fla. Stat. 316.027: a third-degree felony for non-serious injuries (up to 5 years in prison), a second-degree felony for serious bodily injury, and a first-degree felony if someone dies (up to 30 years, with a mandatory minimum 4-year sentence under the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act). The driver's license is revoked for at least 3 years in all injury/death cases. These severe penalties give law enforcement strong motivation to investigate.

Witnesses are your best chance of identifying the driver. If anyone saw the crash, get their name, phone number, and a brief statement of what they observed. Ask nearby pedestrians, other drivers who stopped, and anyone at adjacent businesses. A witness who caught the license plate number or a clear description of the vehicle can be the difference between identifying the driver and filing an uninsured motorist claim.

Surveillance cameras are everywhere in Tampa. Gas stations, convenience stores, banks, restaurants, apartment complexes, and private homes with doorbell cameras (Ring, Nest, etc.) may have captured the fleeing vehicle. Walk the area immediately after the crash and note every camera you see. Ask business owners if they have footage — many will cooperate if you ask within 24-48 hours, but footage is often overwritten on short cycles. Your attorney can issue preservation letters or subpoenas to secure footage.

FDOT operates traffic management cameras on Tampa-area highways and major intersections. Red-light cameras and toll cameras (SunPass, E-PASS) may have captured the vehicle. If the hit and run occurred on a highway, submit a public records request to FDOT District 7 for traffic camera footage. Include the exact location, date, time, and direction of travel. The Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office also access their own traffic camera networks during investigations.

This is the most important insurance concept for hit-and-run victims. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for your injuries and damages when the at-fault driver either has no insurance or cannot be identified — which is exactly what happens in a hit and run where the driver is never found. UM coverage effectively steps into the shoes of the missing driver's liability policy.

Florida does not require UM coverage, but your insurer must offer it to you when you purchase your policy. If you declined UM coverage, you signed a written waiver. Many Florida drivers carry UM coverage without realizing it. Check your declarations page or call your insurance agent. If you have UM coverage, it applies to hit-and-run crashes where the other driver is unidentified.

Filing a UM claim is different from filing against another driver's insurance. You are filing against your own insurer. Your insurance company has a legal duty to act in good faith, but they are still trying to minimize what they pay. Document everything: medical records, bills, lost wages, photos of injuries and vehicle damage. If your UM insurer denies your claim or offers an unreasonably low settlement, you may have a bad-faith insurance claim in addition to the underlying injury claim.

Florida's Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage applies to hit-and-run crashes just like any other accident. Under Fla. Stat. 627.736, your PIP pays 80% of your reasonable and necessary medical expenses up to $10,000, regardless of who caused the accident or whether the other driver is identified. You must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident or you lose PIP benefits entirely.

PIP is your first line of coverage after a hit and run. It pays quickly and does not require you to prove fault. But $10,000 in coverage does not go far with serious injuries. For damages beyond PIP — including pain and suffering — you need to meet Florida's serious injury threshold (Fla. Stat. 627.737) and either identify the at-fault driver or use your UM coverage.

If the hit-and-run driver is later identified and has liability insurance, you can file a claim against their policy instead of (or in addition to) your UM coverage. Law enforcement identifies hit-and-run drivers more often than victims expect — through surveillance footage, witness tips, vehicle debris matching, and paint transfer analysis. Even if you file a UM claim initially, the investigation may still lead to the driver.

Florida follows modified comparative negligence under Fla. Stat. 768.81, as amended by HB 837 in 2023. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. If 50% or less at fault, your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.

In a hit-and-run case, comparative fault is rarely a significant issue. The driver who fled the scene committed a crime — leaving the scene is itself strong evidence of fault. If they are never identified, the question of their fault is moot for a UM claim. If they are later found, the fact that they fled makes it very difficult for them to argue that you were primarily at fault.

The one scenario where comparative fault matters more is a hit and run involving a pedestrian or cyclist. The insurance company may argue the pedestrian was jaywalking or the cyclist was riding against traffic. Even so, the driver's decision to flee demonstrates consciousness of guilt and undermines any comparative fault argument. Preserve all evidence of the crash location — crosswalks, traffic signals, bike lanes, and sight lines.

Sometimes drivers leave an accident scene without realizing a collision occurred — a minor sideswipe in traffic, a parking lot bump where no damage was visible. If you receive a call from law enforcement saying you left the scene of an accident, take it seriously. Cooperate with the investigation, but consult an attorney before giving a detailed statement.

Florida Stat. 316.062 requires you to stop after any crash involving property damage. The penalties for leaving the scene of a property-damage-only crash are a second-degree misdemeanor (up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine). For crashes involving injuries, the penalties escalate dramatically. If you genuinely did not know a collision occurred, that lack of knowledge is a defense — but it must be proven.

If you are contacted about being the at-fault driver in a hit and run, do not discuss the incident with the other driver's insurance company or attorney without consulting your own attorney first. Anything you say can be used against you in both the criminal investigation and the civil claim.

Florida's statute of limitations for personal injury is 2 years from the date of the accident under Fla. Stat. 95.11, as amended by HB 837 in 2023. This applies whether the hit-and-run driver is identified or not. If you are pursuing a UM claim against your own insurer, the 2-year deadline still applies. If the driver is identified late — say, 18 months after the crash — you have very little time to build and file a case against them.

Report the hit and run immediately and begin your insurance claim process right away. Even if you hope the driver will be identified, do not wait. Start the UM claim, document your injuries, and preserve all evidence. If the driver is identified later, you can adjust your legal strategy. If they are not, your UM claim is already in progress.

For minors injured in a hit and run, the statute of limitations is tolled until the child turns 18, after which the standard limitations period applies. A parent or guardian should still file the insurance claim and police report immediately to preserve evidence and ensure coverage.

Were you the victim of a hit and run in Tampa? 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 potential claim — including how your UM coverage applies, what evidence to preserve, and whether connecting with a Tampa personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

A hit and run is one of the most frustrating experiences an accident victim can face. The person who hurt you drove away. But Florida law and your own insurance policy provide paths to compensation even when the driver is never found. Start with the Injury Claim Check — it is free, confidential, and takes about 60 seconds.