Hit-and-Runs: How Technology Can Help Prove Liability

When a driver causes a crash and speeds away, injured people often feel helpless. No license plate, no name, no insurance information—just broken glass, medical bills, and unanswered questions. But in 2025, hit-and-run drivers in Maine have a much harder time truly “getting away.”

From cameras overlooking Portland’s Old Port to doorbell cameras on quiet roads in Albion, and from cell-phone location records to vehicle data, digital evidence now plays a central role in proving hit-and-run claims.

At Peter Thompson & Associates, we use this technology every day to track down at-fault drivers and build powerful cases for injured Mainers.

Hit-and-Run Crashes Remain a Serious Threat

Nationwide, nearly one in four pedestrians killed in 2023 were struck by hit-and-run drivers, according to federal crash data. NHTSA’s research also shows that hit-and-run crashes cluster in low-light conditions and late-night hours—exactly when witnesses have a harder time seeing license plates.

Maine has not been spared. In July 2025, a horrifying hit-and-run in Albion killed a child and injured two others when a white car struck a family walking near Hussey Road before fleeing. Maine State Police urgently asked residents to check home security and doorbell cameras for footage of a white vehicle on Hussey Road or Main Street around the time of the crash.

That investigation underscores a key reality: in modern hit-and-run cases, surveillance footage and digital data can make or break the case.

Cameras Are Everywhere—And They Don’t Forget

When we investigate a hit-and-run in Maine, we treat cameras as potential eyewitnesses that never look away:

• Downtown and Old Port cameras. Portland’s Old Port and commercial areas in cities like Bangor and Lewiston are lined with storefronts, parking garages, and traffic cameras. Many record continuously and overwrite after days or weeks—so acting quickly matters. Nationally, attorneys and investigators regularly rely on traffic and surveillance video to reconstruct crashes and assign fault.
• Gas stations, convenience stores, and bars. A driver who leaves the scene may pull into a gas station or store soon after. Camera footage from those businesses can show fresh damage, a partial plate, or the driver’s face.
• Residential and farm properties. In rural Maine, homes and farms increasingly use security systems and driveway or barn cameras. The Albion case shows how law enforcement now routinely asks rural residents to review their footage after a serious hit-and-run.
• Dash cams and rideshare footage. Commercial trucks, rideshare vehicles, and even private cars often carry dash cams that capture critical moments from multiple angles.

Surveillance video can reveal:

• The exact time and location of impact
• Speed, lane position, and braking—or lack of it
• The direction of flight and nearby cross streets
• Distinguishing features of the vehicle: make, model, damage pattern, bumper stickers, roof racks, and more

With enough detail, police can match what the camera captured to a specific vehicle and driver.

Cell Phone Data: Mapping a Hit-and-Run Driver’s Movements

Surveillance footage is just one piece of the puzzle. In many serious crashes, investigators and attorneys also rely on cell-phone and digital location data to show where a driver was and what they were doing.

Modern car-crash litigation regularly uses electronically stored information—cell data, event data recorders (EDRs), telematics, and app logs—to reconstruct what happened.

With the right court orders or subpoenas, investigators may obtain:

• Cell tower location records that show the phone’s approximate position before, during, and after the crash
• App and navigation data, such as rideshare logs or GPS routes
• Call and text logs around the time of the collision
• In some cases, vehicle telematics or connected-car data that records speed, braking, and steering inputs

Courts generally require a legal basis—such as a warrant, subpoena, or the driver’s consent—to access this data, but once obtained, it can be powerful.

Cell and telematics data can:

• Place a suspected driver exactly where the cameras saw the crash
• Show that the driver failed to stop or call 911
• Confirm distracted driving (texting or using apps at the time of impact)
• Refute false stories about where the driver was or how fast they were going

Combined with surveillance footage, this digital trail often tells the truth that a fleeing driver tries to hide.

Why Speed Matters After a Hit-and-Run in Maine

One of the biggest mistakes victims make after a hit-and-run is assuming “there’s nothing anyone can do.” In reality, every hour counts:

1. Video gets overwritten. Many cameras automatically erase footage in a matter of days—or sometimes even 24–48 hours.
2. Memories fade. Witnesses forget details like vehicle color, direction of travel, or time of day.
3. Vehicles get repaired. A driver who flees may rush to fix body damage, replace windshields, or swap out parts, making later identification harder.

When you contact an experienced hit-and-run attorney quickly, your legal team can:

• Canvass nearby homes and businesses for surveillance, doorbell, and dash-cam footage
• Preserve any traffic camera recordings before they disappear
• Send preservation letters to suspected drivers, insurers, telematics providers, and cell carriers
• Work with investigators and experts to synchronize timelines between video and digital data

What You Should Do After a Hit-and-Run in Maine

If you or a loved one suffers injuries in a hit-and-run anywhere in Maine—from a crosswalk in Portland’s Old Port to a dark rural road—take these steps as soon as it’s safe:

1. Call 911 and seek medical care. Your health comes first, and the police report anchors the timeline.
2. Write down every detail you remember. Vehicle color, type, direction of travel, partial plate, bumper stickers, even headlight damage can matter.
3. Look around for cameras. Note any homes, barns, traffic lights, parking lots, or businesses that might have cameras pointed toward the road.
4. Ask neighbors and nearby businesses to save footage. Even if you don’t obtain copies yourself, urge them not to delete or overwrite it.
5. Report the crash to your insurer. Maine drivers often have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage that may compensate them when the at-fault driver can’t be identified.
6. Contact a Maine hit-and-run lawyer immediately. Your attorney can move faster to secure footage, issue subpoenas, and coordinate with law enforcement.

How Peter Thompson & Associates Uses Digital Evidence to Help Hit-and-Run Victims

At Peter Thompson & Associates, we handle hit-and-run cases across Maine, using cutting-edge digital tools and old-fashioned investigative work to track down the truth. We:

• Conduct rapid camera canvasses in Portland, Bangor, Lewiston, and rural communities
• Work with digital forensics experts to analyze cell-phone records, telematics, and GPS data
• Coordinate with law enforcement and independent investigators
• Pursue all available sources of recovery, including UM/UIM coverage and property claims
• Build clear, compelling presentations of surveillance and cell data for settlement talks, mediations, and trial

You don’t need to know how to pull cell records or locate security footage—that’s our job. You just need to act quickly and let us protect your rights.

Injured in a Maine Hit-and-Run? Talk to a Lawyer Today.

If a hit-and-run driver injured you or someone you love—from Portland’s cobblestone streets to the back roads of rural Maine—digital evidence may hold the key to justice.

Contact Peter Thompson & Associates for a free consultation. We will review what happened, move fast to preserve critical footage and data, and fight to secure the compensation you