If you drive off after an accident without waiting for the police findings, you risk being prosecuted for hit and run (délit de fuite). This applies even if the accident was not your fault, and even if it was only a scratch on a parked car. Hit and run is severely punished, because the legislator wants to make sure that driving off is never more attractive than staying.

Still, a conviction does not follow automatically from the fact that you drove off. The public prosecutor’s office (parquet) has to prove every element of the offence.

What are you facing?

Since 1 September 2026, the penalty depends on the consequences of the accident:

Only material damage: a level 1 penalty. A driving ban (déchéance du droit de conduire) is possible, but not compulsory.
Injuries: a level 2 penalty and a compulsory driving ban of at least three months, with a theory test, a practical test and a psychological examination.
A fatality: a level 3 penalty, with the same compulsory consequences for your licence.
A repeat offence within three years: a level 3 penalty.

Besides the hit and run, you are often also prosecuted for the accident itself. Your insurer can also claim back from you the compensation it pays to the victim.

How we handle your case

Our lawyers test every element of the offence:

Did you know about the accident? In a minor collision, especially in a large vehicle or in heavy traffic, a driver sometimes genuinely notices nothing.
Did you intend to avoid the police findings? If you drive off to leave a dangerous spot or to get help, and report to the police afterwards, you have not fled within the meaning of the law.
Were you actually the driver? The presumption against the holder of the number plate can be rebutted.
Did it happen in a public place and did someone else suffer damage? If not, there is no hit and run.
Can it be treated as a lighter offence? If the prosecutor cannot prove the intention to flee, the judge can reclassify the facts as failing to remain at the scene after an accident. That is an ordinary offence with much lighter consequences.

If the hit and run is established, we work on the sentence. Reporting to the police of your own accord, paying for the damage and giving an honest explanation all count. However, what you say in a first police interview stays in the file. So contact us before you go to the police.