UK insurers are calling for a campaign to raise awareness of drivers’ responsibilities after an accident as new figures show a rise in hit-and-run incidents.

Drivers failed to stop in 12% of reported road traffic accidents involving an injury in 2015.

Department for Transport research shows drivers failed to stop in 12% of reported road traffic accidents involving an injury in 2015 – marking the second year in a row that figures rose.

According to a new report by the Department of Criminology at the University of Leicester, a key reason for drivers not stopping is because they didn’t think the incident was serious enough to report or were unaware of the legal requirement to report it.

Based on the recommendations in the report, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) is calling for a programme to educate drivers on their responsibilities and exactly what needs to be done in the event of an accident, including looking at a national campaign to promote accident responsibility awareness and raising awareness  for drivers through theory tests and speed awareness courses.

The University of Leicester report also says that easier ways of reporting accidents, including use of a website or online app, could help drive down hit-and-run accidents.

Ashton West, chief executive at MIB, said: “Hit and runs can have an everlasting impact on the victims and their families. We handle 15,000 claims a year for victims of ‘hit and runs’ and felt an imperative to commission the University of Leicester to do this research to gain an understanding of this area. We will be focusing on the recommendations that help raise awareness and educate drivers about their responsibilities.”