Heavy traffic moves along Interstate 4 on the Orlando-Tampa route in Florida heading towards Tampa on October 11, 2024. The death toll from Hurricane Milton rose to at least 16 on Friday, officials in Florida said, as residents began the painful process of piecing their lives and homes back together. Nearly 2.5 million households and businesses were still without power, and some areas in the path cut through the Sunshine State by the monster storm from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean remained flooded. (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA / AFP) (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)

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A study reveals that Florida has the ninth-highest percentage of fatal hit-and-run crashes in the United States.

A Connecticut law firm analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration between 2019 and 2023.

California ranked first, and Nevada ranked second. 

Florida came in ninth, reporting 1,260 hit-and-run fatalities out of 16,000 total fatal crashes between 2019 and 2023. 

It’s the law to stay at the scene and call for help if you’re involved in a crash.

According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, drivers could face up to 60 days in prison and a second-degree misdemeanor if they flee the scene. 

If there’s a fatality, it’s a first-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of four years in prison. 

Maine recorded the lowest percentage of hit-and-run fatalities in the country, with only 0.6 percent of fatal crashes in the state involving a driver who fled the scene.

A spokesperson with Law Offices of James A. Welcome says the pattern suggests that factors such as population density, traffic volume, and urbanization may influence the likelihood of drivers fleeing the scene.