Can You Go to Jail for a Hit and Run in New Jersey?
Posted November 21st, 2024.
Categories: Blog.
After being involved in an accident each driver has certain responsibilities. Neglecting these responsibilities is against the law. Being charged with a hit and run can lead to life-altering consequences including fines, jail time, license suspension, and more. Work with a New Jersey criminal defense attorney during your case for skilled representation and legal advice.
What Are New Jersey’s Laws Regarding Hit and Runs?
New Jersey drivers have various legal obligations that they agree to by holding a license and driving on public roads. Under NJ law, a driver who is knowingly involved in an accident that results in property damage, injury, or death must complete the following requirements.
- Immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident
- Give their name and address to the other involved drivers, present law enforcement, or witnesses to the accident
- Produce their driver’s license and registration of their vehicle upon request from the other involved drivers, present law enforcement, or witnesses to the accident
- Render reasonable assistance to a person injured in the accident, including carrying or transporting them to a hospital or doctor or calling for medical assistance
- Report the accident to the local police, when the owner of the damaged property is not present or no driver involved is in a condition to receive the information
These laws are put in place to protect drivers who are involved in accidents from taking on the burden of the entire cost on their own. It also ensures that if an individual is injured or incapacitated, another person will be present to call for help or offer assistance, preventing unnecessary deaths or further injuries.
When a driver disregards their obligations and flees the scene of the accident before fulfilling their requirements, they can be charged with a hit and run. The associated consequences can be harsh.
Can You Face Jail Time for a Hit and Run in NJ?
Charges for a hit and run will be accompanied by a variety of penalties, one of which is jail time. Though not every individual guilty of fleeing the scene will serve time in jail, it is a real possibility and the chances of facing a sentence are higher when the accident is more severe.
Below are the general guidelines for hit and run penalties depending on the severity of the accident.
Property damage only:
- Fines of $200 to $400
- Up to 30 days in jail
- Suspension of license for 30 days
- 2 points on the driver’s license
Injury or death:
- Fines of $2,500 to $5,000
- Up to 180 days in jail
- Suspension of license for 1 year
- 8 points on the driver’s license
Injury or death (third-degree indictable crime):
- Fines of up to $15,000
- 3 to 5 years in prison
- Suspension of license for 1 year
- 8 points on the driver’s license
As shown above, the penalties for a hit and run can be severe. Speak with a skilled attorney at the Law Offices of Mark S. Guralnick to discuss your case and begin building a strong defensive strategy today.
