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How can the police prove you were driving a car involved in an accident?

My friend was taken into custody for being involved in an accident, but the police never actually caught him driving! How can the police prove you were a driver involved in a violation?

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Pat Roache · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Unfortunately for your friend, the police do not necessarily need to catch a person in the act of driving to assume that they were
involved in an accident
or a crime. They can provide circumstantial evidence as proof. Ultimately, it’s up to the prosecution to convince a courtroom.
Here are some pieces of circumstantial evidence that police can present to try to prove guilt:
  • A witness saw the defendant driving
  • The defendant was found sitting in the driver’s seat
  • The defendant had the keys at the scene
  • The police found a vehicle involved in an accident and the defendant was nearby
  • No one else was around when a defendant was found outside a vehicle that was involved in the accident or crime
  • A vehicle involved in an accident or crime is registered to the defendant
  • Some means to identify the defendant—a personal object or ID—was found in the vehicle
  • The defendant has injuries that would support the defendant being involved in an accident
A good lawyer may be able to help your friend, but at the end of the day, there’s no guarantee who the court will favor. If you are involved in an accident, it’s best to stay at the scene and cooperate with law enforcement, maintaining your legal right to representation when necessary.
If you are involved in an accident, there’s no doubt that your
insurance rates are going to rise
. Balance the effects of a less-than-clean driving record by using
Jerry
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