Is hitting someone with a car assault?
If a driver intentionally hits a person with their car, it qualifies as assault. If the act is deemed to be an accident, the driver still may face reckless driving or other charges. Hitting someone with your car, accidentally or intentionally, has serious legal and financial consequences.
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Michael Leotta
Insurance Operations Specialist
Michael earned a degree in Business Management degree with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Au...
Insurance Operations Specialist
UPDATED: Jun 6, 2024
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UPDATED: Jun 6, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Hitting someone with a car by accident may still count as reckless driving
- When someone commits a vehicular assault, their car insurance rates will rise
- If the victim feels threatened, a person can be charged with assault without actually touching anyone
In most ways, a vehicle is a positive thing to own. It helps get drivers and passengers from Point A to Point B, it is reliable, and it can often be fun to drive.
However, this same vehicle has the potential to be a weapon, especially when it involves hitting a person with a car. If you have ever wondered “Is hitting someone’s car assault?” you are in the right spot. Keep reading to learn what crime is hitting someone with a car and whether you can get arrested for hitting someone with a car
Is hitting someone with a car a crime?
The answer to whether running someone over with a car is considered a crime depends on the circumstances of the incident. When it comes to a car hitting someone, it happens in one of two ways — on purpose or by accident.
Intentionally hitting someone with a car means that you will probably be charged with attempted vehicular assault. In addition, depending on what else was going on at the time of the incident, you may be charged with speeding (which will also make your car insurance rates increase) or reckless driving.
If someone is under the influence, gets angry at another person, and decides to intentionally hit someone with a car, it would result in an additional DUI charge. If the worst happens and the person hit ends up passing away from the injuries, then the charge would be upgraded to vehicular homicide.
If you accidentally hit someone with your car, it probably will not be considered assault with a motor vehicle. However, depending on the circumstances of the accident, you might still be charged with reckless driving. And you will probably have to cover the person’s medical and/or car repair bills.
Read more: Does my car insurance go up if someone hits me?
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What is considered assault?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an assault is “a threat or attempt to inflict offensive physical contact or bodily harm on a person (as by lifting a fist in a threatening manner) that puts the person in immediate danger of or in the apprehension of such harm or contact.”
Again, as noted above, what differentiates assault from accidentally hitting someone is intent. Interestingly, the definition refers to being apprehensive of harm or contact. This means that in some cases, a person can commit assault even if they don’t physically touch the victim.
If the victim feels threatened at that moment, it can still be assault even if no punches were thrown, or no one was hit by a vehicle. Some examples of this include:
- Threatening to kill another person to where the victim truly believes it will happen
- Pointing a gun at someone, whether or not the gun is loaded
- Throwing an object at another person
- Trying to hit another person but missing
What all of these situations have in common is intent. Assault, at its most basic, involves one person making another person believe they want to harm them.
What about road rage?
Many people have experienced road rage in some form, either as the “giver” or the “receiver.”
As the AAA notes, nearly 80% of drivers reported experiencing road rage behind the wheel at least once in a 30-day period. If you are out driving and some furious driver damages your car or ends up hurting you, you can file charges against the road raging driver, and they will most likely include assault. Examples of this include:
- Someone punching your car on purpose
- A driver leaving their car about to hit someone, e.g., a pedestrian or other driver
- A person hitting another person, e.g., getting out of the car to yell at them, and challenging them to a fist fight
Going back to the concept of intent, these three examples may qualify as assault with a car because the perpetrator meant to do them.
Read more: Does car insurance cover hitting a pedestrian?
What happens to a driver’s insurance after being convicted of vehicle assault?
When someone commits assault with a vehicle, they can pretty much count on their car insurance rates rising. They may also find that their company no longer wants them as a customer.
Basically, assaulting someone with a vehicle means that person is a high-risk driver. In addition, if a driver hits someone accidentally and is charged with negligent driving, it can also impact their insurance rates.
Case Studies: Someone Tried to Hit me With Their Car
Case Study 1: Deliberate Act of Aggression
In an incident marked by heightened emotions, John deliberately collides with Sarah using his vehicle amidst a heated argument. As a result, John faces charges of assault, speeding, and reckless driving. Regrettably, Sarah succumbs to her injuries, prompting the authorities to elevate the charges to vehicular homicide.
Case Study 2: Unintentional Collision
During a moment of inadvertence, Mark unintentionally strikes Sarah while operating his vehicle. Despite the absence of intent, Mark may still face charges of reckless driving. Additionally, he bears the responsibility of covering Sarah’s medical expenses and rectifying any property damage caused by the accident.
Case Study 3: Incident of Vehicular Aggression
In the context of a road rage altercation, John purposefully crashes his car into Mark’s vehicle, resulting in harm. John’s actions qualify as assault and may lead to potential charges and subsequent legal repercussions.
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The Bottom Line on Hitting Someone With a Car
In a perfect world, no one would ever get hit by a car. But unfortunately, accidents can and do happen, and sometimes people are hurt by an oncoming vehicle. When intentionally running someone over, the driver will undoubtedly be charged with assault and end up paying higher insurance rates, as well as the victim’s medical and/or car repair bills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hitting someone with a car assault?
Yes, intentionally hitting someone with a car is considered assault.
What is considered assault?
Assault is intentionally threatening or attempting to harm someone physically.
Can road rage incidents be considered assault?
Yes, road rage incidents involving intentional harm or threats may be considered assault.
What happens to a driver’s insurance after a conviction for vehicular assault?
Insurance rates usually increase, and the driver may face coverage issues due to being considered high-risk.
What is the penalty for hitting someone with a car, intentionally or accidentally?
The punishment for hitting someone with a car could be legal consequences, higher insurance rates, and financial responsibility for medical and repair bills.
What is the charge if you hit someone with a car?
What you can be charged with if you hit someone with your car can vary depending on the circumstances of the incident, including factors such as the severity of injuries, whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and whether the incident was intentional or accidental.
Can you go to jail for hitting someone with your car?
You do go to jail, even if you accidentally hit someone with your car, but it depends on the circumstances and severity of the incident.
What is it called when you hit someone with your car?
When you hit someone with your car, it may be referred to as a vehicular accident, collision, or crash.
Is hitting someone with a car a felony?
In cases involving fatalities or serious injuries, then vehicular assault may be charged as a felony.
What is the punishment for hitting someone with a car?
If you hit a person with a car, the consequences will depend on factors such as the severity of injuries, whether the incident was intentional or accidental, and whether any other laws were violated.
Is accidentally hitting someone assault?
Accidentally hitting someone with a car may not be considered assault unless there is evidence to suggest that the act was intentional or reckless.
Is it illegal to hit someone with a car?
Yes, it is illegal to run over someone with a car, as it can result in harm or injury to the individual and may constitute a traffic or a criminal offense depending on the circumstances.
What happens if you hit someone with your car by accident?
If you hit someone with your car by accident, you may be required to stop and render aid, report the incident to the police, and exchange information with the other party involved.
Can you run over someone attacking your car?
In general, self-defense laws may allow you to use reasonable force to protect yourself or others from imminent harm, but the use of deadly force, such as running over someone with a car may only be justified in extreme situations where there is an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm.
What is the charge for purposely hitting someone with a car?
The charges for hitting someone with a car on purpose can be considered as assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder.
Is hitting someone with a car manslaughter?
Hitting someone with a car can result in manslaughter charges if the incident leads to the unintentional killing of another person.
Is it illegal to almost hit someone with a car?
It may be considered illegal or a traffic offense to almost hit someone with a car if it results from reckless or negligent driving behavior, such as speeding, failing to yield, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Can I press charges if someone hits me?
If someone tried to hit you with a car, you have the right to report the incident to law enforcement and pursue legal action against the responsible party.
Can I press charges if someone kicks my car?
If someone hits your car, you can press charges against the individual for property damage or vandalism.
How to report a road rage incident?
If you are involved in or witness a road rage incident, you can report it to law enforcement by calling emergency services or the non-emergency police number. Intentionally hitting another car is illegal and considered a vehicular assault.
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Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
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Michael Leotta
Insurance Operations Specialist
Michael earned a degree in Business Management degree with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Au...
Insurance Operations Specialist
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.