If a driver hit you and left the scene in Illinois, call 911, get medical care and report the crash to police. Illinois law requires a driver in a crash that injures someone to stop and remain at the scene until required information has been given and reasonable aid has been rendered (625 ILCS 5/11-401 and 11-403). Illinois auto liability policies must include uninsured motorist coverage, including for hit-and-run vehicles (215 ILCS 5/143a). Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Call Stavros Law Offices at (847) 520-4810 for a free consultation.
General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run
- Get to safety and call 911. Report that the other driver left. Give the dispatcher everything you remember: vehicle color, make, direction of travel and any part of the license plate.
- Get medical care. Have injuries checked even if you feel able to walk away. Some injuries show up later, and records made soon after the crash help document them.
- Write it down right away. Note the time, place, the vehicle, the driver and what happened, before details fade.
- Photograph everything: the scene, debris, paint marks, vehicle parts left behind, skid marks, your injuries and any damage to your car or bicycle.
- Find witnesses and cameras. Ask people nearby for names and numbers, and look for doorbell cameras, business cameras and traffic cameras. Many systems record over old video, so ask quickly.
- Get the police report number and the name of the responding agency.
- Notify your own insurer promptly, and tell them you may be making an uninsured motorist claim.
Our car accident checklist and Car Accident Resource Center cover these steps in more detail. Do not post about the crash online and do not confront anyone you think was the driver. Call police instead.
The Police Report
When a crash involves injury or death and no officer is present, Illinois law requires the driver to give notice to police by the fastest available means (625 ILCS 5/11-407). As the person hurt, you should still report the crash yourself. A police report documents that the crash happened, what you told officers, and details about the missing vehicle. How and where you obtain a copy varies by the agency that investigated, so ask the officer or the agency's records unit.
What the Driver Was Required to Do
Illinois law requires the driver of any vehicle involved in a crash that results in personal injury or death to stop immediately at the scene, or as close as possible, and remain until the driver has met the requirements of Section 11-403 (625 ILCS 5/11-401(a)). Section 11-403 requires the driver to give name, address, vehicle registration and owner information, show a driver's license on request, and render reasonable assistance to anyone injured, including arranging transport to a hospital if treatment is apparent or if the injured person asks. Failing to stop after a crash with injury is a Class 4 felony under 11-401(c), and the Secretary of State revokes the driving privilege of anyone convicted (11-401(e)).
The criminal case against a driver who left is brought by prosecutors. Your civil claim for your injuries is separate and does not depend on a criminal conviction.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Hit-and-Run Crashes
Under 215 ILCS 5/143a, an Illinois auto liability policy generally must include coverage for insured persons who are legally entitled to recover damages for bodily injury from owners or operators of uninsured and hit-and-run motor vehicles. That coverage is part of your own policy, so the claim is made against your own insurer. A few points to keep in mind:
- Policy conditions vary. Many policies set notice conditions for hit-and-run claims, such as prompt police notice or reporting within a stated time. Read the policy that applies to you.
- Who is covered depends on the policy. Passengers, household members, and in some cases pedestrians or bicyclists may be insured persons under a policy. Check every policy in your household.
- You still have to prove your claim. You must show the other driver was at fault and what your damages are, even though the other driver is unknown.
- Arbitration. UM policies must provide that disputes about coverage and the amount of damages go to arbitration, so your policy's wording controls how a dispute is resolved (215 ILCS 5/143a).
- Vehicle damage. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage is separate, and the statute says there is no liability under it if the at-fault vehicle's owner or operator cannot be identified. Your collision coverage, if you have it, may be the route for your vehicle.
See our full guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and dealing with insurance after a crash.
Finding the Driver
Police investigate hit-and-run crashes, and tips, camera footage, vehicle parts and plate fragments can help identify the vehicle. If the driver is found and has liability insurance, a claim can be made against that driver and insurer, in addition to or instead of a claim under your own policy, depending on the facts. We cannot promise that a driver will be found. If the driver is never identified, your uninsured motorist coverage may still be available, subject to your policy.
Fault and Shared Responsibility
Illinois uses modified comparative fault: a person more than 50% at fault is barred from recovering damages, and otherwise damages are reduced by that person's share of fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). A missing driver does not remove that question, and your insurer can raise it in a UM claim. See comparative fault in Illinois.
Deadlines After a Hit-and-Run
The general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit is two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202), with exceptions. Claims under your own insurance policy depend on the contract, so notice and filing conditions may differ and can be shorter or have their own requirements. Do not assume the two-year rule is the only deadline. Our guide to Illinois personal injury deadlines explains more. If someone died in a hit-and-run, see wrongful death in Illinois.
Related Pages
Hit while walking or biking? See pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents. For other crash types, see car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents and our personal injury overview.
Our county pages explain where injury cases are filed: Cook County, Lake County, DuPage County, Kane County and McHenry County.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first after a hit-and-run in Illinois?
Get to safety, call 911, get medical care, and give police every detail you remember about the vehicle and driver. Photograph the scene, look for witnesses and cameras, get the police report number, and notify your own insurer promptly.
Will my insurance cover a hit-and-run?
Illinois auto liability policies must include uninsured motorist coverage, including for hit-and-run vehicles (215 ILCS 5/143a). That coverage applies to insured persons under the policy, subject to its terms and conditions. Read your policy and report promptly.
Is leaving the scene of an injury crash a crime in Illinois?
Yes. A driver in a crash involving personal injury or death must stop and remain at the scene until the duties in 625 ILCS 5/11-403 are met. Failing to do so is a Class 4 felony (625 ILCS 5/11-401). Your civil injury claim is separate from any criminal case.
What if the police never find the driver?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may still apply to a hit-and-run vehicle, subject to your policy. You will still need to show the other driver was at fault and document your damages.
Can a pedestrian or bicyclist use uninsured motorist coverage after a hit-and-run?
It depends on the policy. Whether a pedestrian or bicyclist is an insured person depends on the wording of the policy, including policies covering household members. We review every policy that may apply.
How long do I have to file a claim after a hit-and-run?
A personal injury lawsuit is generally due within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Claims under your own policy follow the policy's notice and filing conditions, which can differ. Do not wait to find out.
Talk to Our Team
Stavros Law Offices is one team handling criminal defense and DUI, personal injury and civil litigation. We review hit-and-run injury claims for clients in our service area from our Wheeling office. Call (847) 520-4810 or request a free consultation online. Our bilingual staff can assist. Se habla español.
Stavros Law Offices
433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 520-4810
Monday–Friday 9–5; closed Saturday
Free consultation. Serving clients in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane and DuPage Counties.
General information, not legal advice; no attorney-client relationship until engaged. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Laws, deadlines and court procedures change and every case is different. Last reviewed: October 2026.