The aim of the campaign is to remind road users who have caused a traffic accident of their legal obligations. This also includes reporting to the police if, for example, someone else's vehicle has been damaged by a "parking bump".
Raising awareness among potential witnesses is another key aim of the campaign. A large number of hit-and-run accidents could only be cleared up by alert witnesses. This helps the injured party to claim financial compensation from the person who caused the damage.
Last year, we had to record over 1,500 hit-and-run accidents between Voßwinkel and Züschen.
The motivation of the fugitives is varied. Fear of punishment, avoiding inconvenience, alcohol/drug consumption or the loss of the no-claims bonus are probably the most common motives.
It is also not possible to determine the group of people involved in accidents who flee. Our experience shows that the phenomenon of hit-and-run accidents cuts across all social classes.
In most cases, the hit-and-run is only noticed when the injured party returns to their car. For the police, this means that there are few to no investigative leads. A clearance rate of just under 41% in 2017 indicates the difficult work of our investigators.
The clearance rate for hit-and-run accidents in which people were injured is different. The police identified 43 perpetrators in 60 of these hit-and-runs last year. This corresponds to a figure of around 72 percent.
On 28 November, District Administrator Dr. Schneider presented the prevention campaign and the associated posters to the local press at the launch event in Arnsberg. A 31-year-old victim of a hit-and-run accident spoke about her experiences. An insurance expert was also able to answer questions about settling claims.
In total, our authority distributed almost 160 posters and information materials in the large parking lots of the shopping centers, the parking garages and underground car parks as well as the Park & Ride parking lots in the Sauerland region.
In addition, countless information sheets will be distributed and displayed at our stations. Witnesses to hit-and-run accidents are asked to write down notes about the accident on the information sheets.
The campaign will be supported by our authority for a year. Further campaigns and events will therefore follow!
On the right-hand side you will find a leaflet to print out!