Log in

Opinion

It’s time to address Arizona’s hit-and-run crash epidemic

Stronger deterrence needed to thwart those who might leave scene

OPINION — A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers a fresh warning for Arizonans about hit-and-run crashes. The latest available national data in the report shows that hit-and-run accounted for more than 919,000 police-reported crashes, nearly 243,000 injuries and 2,872 deaths in 2023.

On June 7 in Phoenix, a toddler died after being hit by a vehicle. The suspect was arrested after stopping and then jumping into another vehicle.

In 2024, (latest data available) Arizona recorded 16,136 hit-and-run crashes, 4,202 injuries and 86 deaths. There were 488 more hit-and-runs in Arizona in 2024 than there were in 2023. Drivers are still leaving Arizona crash scenes by the thousands every year.

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers starting at $5 for your first month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

Please log in to continue

Log in