21 hit-and-run fatalities in Indianapolis in 2022 exceed 2021 total

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The number of fatalities from hit-and-runs in 2022 already exceeds the total for 2021.

This year so far has had 21 fatal hit-and-runs, while 2021 had 20 for the entire year.

Officer William Young with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Monday, “We have had a significant number of hit-and-runs here in the city, and our accident investigators continue to investigate those.”

IMPD has found no definitive reason for the increase in hit-and-runs. “It could be because of the last two years we didn’t have as many people traveling as we do now due to the pandemic,” Young said.

In 2021, over 7,300 total hit-and-runs involves pedestrians, bicyclist, motorcyclist and other vehicles.

In 2022 so far, the city has seen over 6,000 cases, which means it is on track to have more than last year.

“If you’re involved in a property damage accident or a personal injury accident that results in serious bodily injury or a fatality, it’s your responsibility to stay on the scene, call 911 when it’s safe to do so, and wait for those arriving officers and fire and EMS,” Young said.

Of the 21 deaths this year, 16 of them involved pedestrians, and three involved bicyclists; the rest involved other types of vehicles

“If you strike a pedestrian, sometimes you can be the factor of us being able to get there quickly or EMS getting there to be able to save that person or get them to a hospital,” Young said.

The IMPD officer said, of the thousands of hit-and-run cases, every one is not assigned an investigator. IMPD solves 55% of the cases on average.

“Our detectives are using every tool we have in the bag, whether that be license plate readers or camera footage, to actually track those drivers down and hold them accountable for their actions,” Young said. “I’ve said it before, driving is not a right it’s a privilege.”