Miami Private InvestigationsA hit-and-run leaves you with damage, sometimes injuries, and an empty space where the other driver should be. In Miami-Dade, with dense traffic, busy parking lots and plenty of cameras, many of these drivers can be identified, but only if someone moves quickly. Business security systems overwrite footage, witnesses forget details, and the damaged car gets repaired. This guide covers what Florida law says about leaving the scene, what you should do right away, and how a licensed investigator works to find the driver for your attorney, your insurer and the police.
What Florida law says about leaving the scene
Florida requires every driver involved in a crash to stop and remain at the scene until they have exchanged information and, where needed, rendered aid. The penalties depend on what happened:
- Property damage only: leaving the scene of a crash that damages a vehicle or other property that is driven or attended by a person is a misdemeanor of the second degree (s. 316.061, F.S.).
- Injury: willfully leaving the scene of a crash that injures someone is a felony of the third degree (s. 316.027(2)(a), F.S.).
- Serious bodily injury: a felony of the second degree (s. 316.027(2)(b)).
- Death: a felony of the first degree with a mandatory minimum of four years in prison (s. 316.027(2)(c)).
Section 316.027 applies to crashes “on public or private property,” so a crash in a shopping center lot is covered. The statute also directs courts to order restitution to the victim unless there are clear and compelling reasons not to, and a driver convicted under it loses their license for at least three years.
What to do right away
- Get medical help and call 911. A police report is the foundation for everything that follows, including your insurance claim.
- Write down everything you remember as soon as you can: color, make, body style, damage, partial plate, direction of travel, and anything distinctive such as a roof rack, dealer frame or bumper sticker.
- Photograph the scene and your vehicle, including paint transfer and any broken parts the other car left behind. A piece of a grille or mirror housing can point to a make and model.
- Find witnesses before they leave. Get names and phone numbers, not just a description of the person who helped.
- Look up and around for cameras. Note every business, gas station, condo building, doorbell camera and traffic pole near the scene.
- Call your insurer and ask what coverage applies. Uninsured motorist coverage may respond when the at-fault driver is never identified, depending on your policy terms, so read the policy and ask your attorney.
Why camera footage is the race against the clock
Most private security systems record over themselves automatically, sometimes within days. A gas station or restaurant manager may be willing to help, but the footage you need can be gone before anyone asks. Some cameras you see on traffic poles are live monitoring feeds that are not recorded at all, while government agencies that do keep recordings handle requests under Florida’s public records law and their own retention rules. The practical lesson: identify the cameras and ask for the footage in the first few days, and have your attorney send preservation letters where the stakes justify it.
Our surveillance video retrieval service exists for exactly this. An investigator canvasses the route, identifies which cameras actually covered the roadway, approaches the owners, documents how the footage was obtained, and keeps a clean chain of custody so it can be used later.
How crash reports work in Florida
Crash reports that reveal personal information about the parties are confidential for 60 days after the report is filed, but they may be made available immediately to the parties involved, their legal representatives and their insurers, among others (s. 316.066, F.S.). As the victim, you or your attorney can get your report and the case number right away. Stay in touch with the investigating officer and pass along anything new you learn, such as a witness or a video clip.
How an investigator finds the driver
A hit-and-run investigation usually combines several lines of work:
- Video canvass along the route before and after the crash, not only at the scene. A camera a few blocks away may have caught the plate even if the crash itself was off-screen.
- Witness location and interviews. People who stopped and then left can often be found from partial information. See our witness location service.
- Vehicle identification from parts left behind, paint color and damage patterns, which can narrow the search to a make, model and year range.
- Repair shop and neighborhood canvass for a vehicle with matching fresh damage, done lawfully and in public places.
- Records research. Motor vehicle records are restricted by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, but the law permits their use in connection with court proceedings, including “investigation in anticipation of litigation,” and by licensed private investigative agencies for permitted purposes (18 U.S.C. § 2721(b)(4) and (b)(8)). A licensed agency uses those records only within those limits.
Everything is gathered so it can be handed to the police, your insurer and your attorney. When the case involves injuries, our personal injury investigations support the attorney building the claim.
What not to do
Do not confront a driver you think is responsible, follow them, or post accusations with a plate number on social media. You could identify the wrong person, escalate a dangerous situation, or create problems for the criminal case and your civil claim. Give what you find to the police and your attorney and let them act on it.
When to bring in an investigator
The best time is within the first few days, while footage still exists and witnesses remember what they saw. If you have an attorney, we work through them; if you do not, we can document what is still available and you can decide on next steps. Insurers and claims professionals also use our claim investigation services when a hit-and-run claim needs to be verified.