Local

AAA: Historic rise in hit-and-run deaths across nation

New numbers released by AAA Thursday morning show a historic rise in hit-and-run deaths across the nation.

The study shows that in the US, someone is involved in a hit-and-run crash every 43 seconds.

AAA said that across the nation, 682,000 hit-and-run crashes happen each year. Of those, in 2016, about 2,000 of those were fatal.  That's a record high and a 60-percent increase from 2009.

A fatal hit-and-run in our area last year killed a 33-year old Birch Bay man who was hit as he was walking along the shoulder of the road.  He wound up in a ditch and wasn’t discovered for more than a day. The suspect was found and charged.

Last month, a Washington State Ferries worker in Port Orchard was hit and killed as she was trying to help another driver who ran out of gas.

Reasons why hit-and-runs are up year after year nationally is that more people are walking to work or commuting on bicycles than before, according to the study.

But there’s good news – the report says fatal hit-and-runs are down in Washington state to 13 from 19 the year before.