Hit-and-Run Accidents: How to Recover

Thousands of pedestrians are hit as they cross streets, stroll along sidewalks or exit public transportation every year. Tens of thousands of motorists are injured in serious accidents, whether they’re with other cars, semi-trucks or other moving vehicles. The worst part? Sometimes the guilty party doesn’t have the human decency to stick around and make sure that their victim is okay.

Hit-and-run accidents are a serious problem in America, and researchers have spent a significant amount of time trying to figure out what makes these dangerous time bombs tick.

How Humans are Wired

Most of us have built-in compassion and empathy for others. If we hurt someone, we want to make it better – even if the person is a complete stranger. Because we’re wired this way, it’s shocking to us when someone leaves the scene of an accident after injuring someone.

What Kind of Person Hurts Someone and Takes Off?

Dr. Paul Clements, a Drexel University professor, says that people who hit-and-run lack good moral judgment.

“Mostly what you’re looking at is (sic) people who blame others for their behaviors. [They feel] that it was an accident, and they either blame the person for getting in their way or [the victim] should have been paying better attention,” says Dr. Clements.

Reframing Your Experience to Recover from a Hit-and-Run Accident

Aside from the physical injuries you’ve sustained, you may be dealing with a significant amount of mental anguish after a hit-and-run accident.

Most psychologists are big advocates of reframing, a process in which you take a negative experience and put a positive spin on it. If you were injured in a hit-and-run accident, it’s hard to see the positives – but with a little effort (okay, a lot of effort) you may be able to look at things with a different perspective.

First, know that the action wasn’t directed toward you personally. The person who hit you was simply selfish, panicked or ignorant; he or she put his or her interests before yours. You may have learned that you’re stronger and more resilient than you thought you were prior to the accident, and you may be able to appreciate your own senses of compassion and empathy more once you’ve seen how callous some people can be.

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