Repeat after me – there is never a situation where it is acceptable for a driver to leave the scene of a crash. Not even if you think that someone else will stop to help. Not even if you think that the people in the other vehicle are okay. Not even if you have been drinking and you are concerned that you will be charged with driving under the influence.
Kansas law clearly states that drivers must stop after being involved in an accident. Sections 8-1602 and 8-1603 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated require drivers to stop if they are involved in any accident involving death, personal injury, or damage to a vehicle or other property and remain at the scene of the accident until they have provided identifying information to the driver of the other vehicle (if they are in a condition to receive such information) and/or the police officer who is investigating the accident. Penalties for failing to stop include, depending upon the extent of the injuries or damage caused by the accident, misdemeanor or felony charges and revocation of driving privileges. Simply stated, if you drive while you are intoxicated and you fail to stop after being involved in an accident, DUI charges could be the least of your worries.
A recent case in Sedgwick County illustrates what can happen when a driver fails to remain at the scene of an accident. A man driving a commercial vehicle struck and killed a bicyclist. He left the scene of the accident, parked the commercial vehicle at his workplace, and took his own vehicle home. The man was convicted of second-degree reckless murder in addition to a misdemeanor DUI charge, and he has been sentenced to eleven years in prison. He had also been charged with failing to stop at the scene of a fatal accident, but those charges were dropped in exchange for his no-contest pleas to the reckless murder and DUI charges.
Aside from the legal reasons for not leaving the scene after you get into an accident, there are also safety concerns. Whether you feel like you were injured in the accident or not, you may have sustained injuries that you cannot yet feel. Some of these injuries could be very serious, like head trauma. If you know that you are hurt, go to the hospital where you can get treated right away. If you do not think that you are hurt, it is still a good idea to go to the hospital or your doctor’s office as soon as possible to get checked for injuries that you might not be able to feel.
If you are charged with a DUI as the result of an accident, having a Kansas DUI Defense Attorney on your side can help you to focus on recovering from any injuries that you might have sustained. Your attorney will help you navigate every stage of your Kansas DUI case, and will help you to pursue the best possible result. To learn more about how we can help you, call (316) 264-1548.