Tax Collector warns drivers not to leave a crash scene

If you are involved in a crash, do not leave the scene. Call 911 and remain at the scene until help arrives.

The message is simple, but it is being echoed by state agencies throughout Florida during Hit and Run Awareness Week.

“Anytime you are involved in or witness a crash, just stay put,” said Tax Collector, Dennis W. Hollingsworth, CFC, tag, title, and driver license agent for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in St. Johns County. “This is especially important if someone is injured.”

Penalties for leaving the scene of an accident have increased in Florida, as of July 2014, including:

– If a crash involves serious bodily injury, it is considered a second degree felony.

– Mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of four years for a driver convicted of leaving the scene resulting in someone’s death.

– Leaving the scene offenses are now ranked if the victim is a vulnerable road user — such as a pedestrian or bicyclist.