NEW DELHI: Rajesh, a hardworking gardener and the main provider for his family, tragically lost his life on Saturday. While biking to work in Bhogal, he was hit and killed by a speeding car, not only destroying his own life but also his wife and two children's hopes and dreams. Rajesh's sudden death is just one of many cases where drivers of unidentified vehicles are involved in accidents, leading to frustration as these drivers often escape punishment by getting immediate bail, causing the legal process to drag on for years. Shockingly, hit-and-run incidents or "accidents by unknown vehicles" account for over 40% of crashes in the city. Reports suggest that many drivers believe they can evade consequences with legal support later on, while others fear retaliation from the public, prompting them to flee the scene. A high-ranking police official explained that many drivers flee accident sites out of fear of physical harm, exploitation, or drawn-out legal battles. To address this fear, it is crucial to implement measures that go beyond the protections offered by the Good Samaritan law. However, effective enforcement can help reduce hit-and-run incidents. Collaboration between traffic and local police has led to a decrease in fatalities caused by unknown vehicles from 51 last January to 47 this year. From January to mid-May, 518 people lost their lives in 511 fatal accidents, a figure that is expected to exceed 700 by mid-August. Although these numbers are lower than last year's, which saw 552 fatalities in 544 collisions during the same period.During the January to May period in 2023, certain roads such as Ring Road, National Highway (NH) 24, NH 8, Rohtak Road, GTK Road, and Mathura Road have seen a high number of fatal accidents in the national capital. Previously, hit-and-run cases were prosecuted under IPC Section 304A, which carried a maximum sentence of two years. With the introduction of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Section 106(2), the maximum imprisonment term has been increased to 10 years. However, a lack of awareness might be contributing to a lack of deterrence.