Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Written By: Benjamin Goldman, Esq.
In New York, an allegation of leaving the scene of an accident is serious. At the minimum, it is a costly traffic ticket and at the maximum it is a felony. CDL motorists lose their commercial driving privileges upon any conviction of leaving the scene of an accident. The level of the charges mostly depends on the type of damage and the extent of the damage. Leaving the scene of an accident is divided into three basic categories. Below are some notes for each category. For more detailed information you can click and visit the page dedicated to the violation.
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Where the accident resulted solely in
property damage
- Any damage is included, even minimal.
- Fault is not relevant.
- Damage to your own car is not included.
- Damage to a guardrail or a tree is included.
- Your car must have been in the accident. Being at fault or in the vicinity does not mean you have to stop.
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Where the accident resulted in the
injury to an animal
- Only involves specific animals.
- Fault is not relevant.
- Your car must have been in the accident. Being at fault or in the vicinity does not mean you have to stop.
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Where the accident resulted in injury to a
person.
- Any injury, even minimal.
- Fault is not relevant.
- Your car must have been in the accident. Being at fault or in the vicinity does not mean you have to stop.
If you were charged with leaving the scene of an accident, no matter if you were charged as a traffic violation or a criminal offense, you should take the charges seriously. The Benjamin Goldman Law Office has helped many motorists with such tickets and will be glad to review your case. We are a traffic ticket defense firm that operates across New York State. Our firm takes on cases in Central New York, Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes, New York City, Catskill Mountains, Western New York, Long Island, North Country, Capital District, Southern Tier region. The Benjamin Goldman Law Office provides all motorists with a free consultation.