On a foggy Saturday in January there were dozens of collisions in Edmonton, and at least 19 were classified by police as hit and run.

Drivers who flee the scene of a collision are a persistent irritant for traffic investigators who are only ever able to solve a fraction of reported cases, says Sgt. Eric Duff, who heads the Edmonton police hit-and-run unit.

“If you see a hit and run, be a good witness,” said Duff, urging bystanders to record as much information about the other vehicle and details about the collision as they can to share with the owner, even if it’s just on a note tucked under their windshield wiper.

There were 7,085 reports of a failure to remain at the scene of a collision made to Edmonton police in 2016, but without good witnesses, only 383 cases were referred to constables for investigation.

Duff also urged people to stop and share information after a collision, even if they believe they were not at fault.

Take responsibility

“It’s your responsibility to take responsibility for a collision, whether you’ve caused it or not, it doesn’t matter. You still have to stop and exchange information,” Duff said.

Duff said the majority of hit and run reports come in from parking lot fender benders and scrapes.

For example, St. Albert RCMP released a statement earlier this month that they were investigating a collision where a male driving a pickup truck backed into an SUV in the parking lot of a nail salon on St. Albert Trail.

Some hit and run collisions are more sinister — often motivated by avoiding the cost of paying for the damage they caused or getting caught driving without insurance or with a suspended license, among other illegal offences — where the at-fault driver may speak with the victim but avoid giving their information before fleeing the scene.

In these situations, Duff said smartphones can be a driver’s best friend, and encourages anyone who witnesses or has been involved in a collision to take as many photos of the vehicle, the driver, and any documents they may provide as possible before they have a chance to leave.

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” said Duff.

Victims of hit and runs are often left frustrated, while the inevitable insurance claims raise premiums for everyone.

“People just don’t care about the people they hurt, the days they ruin, or the costs they cause if they think they can get away with it,” said Patrick Nguyen, a 24-year-old university student, who had parked his car near his Parkdale home one November morning only to return to find his front bumper smashed that afternoon.

The only clue left behind by the other driver was a skid mark on the road leading away from the broken plastic strewn in front of the crumpled driver’s side headlight of Nguyen’s 2008 Toyota Sienna, the emblem knocked from the grill.

Nguyen said this is the second time he’s been the victim of a hit and run.

Making claims

“Driving can be such a pain because in the end, you’re entrusting your safety and your wallet with the people around you, many of whom may be bad people. It gives me a general feeling of helplessness. It also makes me feel worse for those that don’t have good insurance and have to pay for every cent out of their own pocket. That could ruin an entire year,” said Nguyen.

Whoever hit Nguyen’s vehicle caused nearly $9,000 worth of damage, an expense that, if not covered through Nguyen’s insurance, would have been difficult for the young student to afford.

Without someone to assume liability for a hit and run collision like Nguyen’s, insurers are the ones left paying for the other driver’s mistake without the ability to recoup their loss.

“That goes to our loss experience, the claims paid amounts annually, which at the end of the day always reflects on what type of rate we have to collect and it affects the general public’s premiums,” said Norine Parker, director of claims for Alberta Motor Association.

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