California Hit and Run Epidemic
On Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California flowers and crosses are placed along the side of the road, maintained by survivors of those killed on a busy stretch where bicyclists share it with cars and trucks moving 60 miles per hour. On that same road at the Sunset Beach Post Office is a hand-written letter (shown in photo) asking for help in finding the person who knocked down local resident Kathy Gallagher. Here’s the story about what happened to her…>
- According to Los Angeles Police Department approx. 20,000 hit-and-run crashes ranging from fender benders to fatalities are recorded each year.
- 4,000 hit & runs in Los Angeles each year end in injury, and approx. 100 people are killed.
- In L.A. an incredible 50% of crashes are hit-and-runs (11% of vehicle collisions are hit-and-runs nationally.)
A report examining the underlying psychology behind hit-and-runs found several factors come into play:
1. A slightly antisocial personality or disposition is greatly amplified by the presence of alcohol
2. After split-second cost-benefit analyses, most hit & run drivers decide that the benefits of fleeing the scene outweigh those of sticking around.
