Government hit and run driver statistics described as "shocking"

Zero tolerance" for hit and run drivers called for.  - 21st October 2007

Brake the road safety charity has described recent hit and run incident statistics by the government as "shocking".

This is in response to figures which show that hit and run deaths have continued to rise over the last ten years.

Brake has called on the government to adopt a "zero tolerance" approach to reducing the number of road casualties in the UK

The governments data on accidents between 1997 and 2006 states that a hit and run driver is responsible for more than one in ten personal injury road accidents.

Brake's head of campaigns Cathy Keeler said "Although hit and run cases feature daily in the media, it's jaw-dropping to have statistics confirm that so many drivers show such a callous disregard for people they have left dying or injured in their wake." More than a fifth of all fatalities caused by hit and runs occurred between midnight and 4:00am GMT, and half took place between 9:00am and 6:00pm GMT.

Many hit and run incidents are caused by uninsured drivers or ones who are under the influence of drink or drugs.

If you have been unlucky enough to be involved in a hit and run accident and would like to know if you are entitled to claim compensation visit our hit and run information page.