Section 64Alef of the Traffic Ordinance provides that a person driving a vehicle involved in an accident in which a person was injured, who should have known that a person was injured or might have been injured, and did not stop at the scene of the accident in order to ascertain its results and summon help, commits a serious criminal offense.
What is the offense of hit and run?
Section 64A of the Traffic Ordinance provides that a person driving a vehicle involved in an accident in which a person was injured, and who should have known that a person was injured or might have been injured, and did not stop at the scene of the accident to ascertain its results and summon help, commits a serious criminal offense. The scale of punishment depends on the circumstances: failure to stop at the scene of the accident carries up to 3 years of imprisonment, while abandoning an injured person without providing assistance, especially when serious injury or death was caused, rises to up to 14 years of imprisonment. This is one of the most serious offenses in traffic law.
Why is this offense so serious?
The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that the offense of abandonment violates a basic moral value: the duty not to leave an injured person by the roadside. The abandoning driver prevents assistance that could save lives and makes it harder for the enforcement authorities to clarify the circumstances of the accident. Therefore, the punishment is severe even when the driver is not at all at fault for the accident itself: responsibility for abandonment stands on its own.
Critical point: the mental element
The central question in hit-and-run cases is awareness: did the driver know, or should the driver have known, that a person was injured? A driver who in good faith believed that he hit an object, an animal, or that nothing happened, does not satisfy the elements of the offense. Awareness is proven through the circumstances: the force of the impact, the field of vision, and the driver's conduct after the event. This is precisely where the legal battle takes place, and a version given in interrogation without preparation may decide the case.
What should you do if you were involved in an accident and left?
Do not go to the police and do not give a statement before urgent legal advice. The manner of your appearance, its timing, and the content of the statement will directly affect the classification of the offense and the punishment. Proper handling in the first hours can change the entire picture.
Legal representation in hit-and-run cases
Israel Arama, formerly of the Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office, represents drivers in hit-and-run cases and serious road accidents. Familiarity with how the prosecution proves the mental element is the key to an effective defense. Contact us immediately for an initial consultation with no obligation.
What is the offense of hit and run?
Section 64A of the Traffic Ordinance provides that a person driving a vehicle involved in an accident in which a person was injured, and who should have known that a person was injured or might have been injured, and did not stop at the scene of the accident to ascertain its results and summon help, commits a serious criminal offense. The scale of punishment depends on the circumstances: failure to stop at the scene of the accident carries up to 3 years of imprisonment, while abandoning an injured person without providing assistance, especially when serious injury or death was caused, rises to up to 14 years of imprisonment. This is one of the most serious offenses in traffic law.
Why is this offense so serious?
The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that the offense of abandonment violates a basic moral value: the duty not to leave an injured person by the roadside. The abandoning driver prevents assistance that could save lives and makes it harder for the enforcement authorities to clarify the circumstances of the accident. Therefore, the punishment is severe even when the driver is not at all at fault for the accident itself: responsibility for abandonment stands on its own.
Critical point: the mental element — what is important to know?
The central question in hit-and-run cases is awareness: did the driver know, or should the driver have known, that a person was injured? A driver who in good faith believed that he hit an object, an animal, or that nothing happened, does not satisfy the elements of the offense. Awareness is proven through the circumstances: the force of the impact, the field of vision, and the driver's conduct after the event. This is precisely where the legal battle takes place, and a version given in interrogation without preparation may decide the case.
What should you do if you were involved in an accident and left?
Do not go to the police and do not give a statement before urgent legal advice. The manner of your appearance, its timing, and the content of the statement will directly affect the classification of the offense and the punishment. Proper handling in the first hours can change the entire picture.
This information is for initial orientation about the service and contact process. It is not individual legal advice.
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