"Unfortunately, hit-and-run accidents are a frequent field of operation for us," Rott reports. Also in the past week, two drivers in the city area had simply abandoned children after accidents: On Monday afternoon, a man in Tannenbusch drove on in his car after hitting an eight-year-old cyclist at an intersection, causing minor injuries. To a witness, he accused the boy of being responsible for the accident. On the same day, another car driver left a 15-year-old cyclist alone after hitting her on the bicycle lane of Wurzerstraße. Then, on Wednesday evening, a female cyclist of senior age was forced out of the way by a car in Bahnhofsstraße in Duisdorf and knocked down. The driver of the car simply drove on and is now also being sought by the police.

These are not isolated cases. According to police statistics, 4375 hit-and-run cases were reported in 2022 in the area of responsibility of the Bonn police headquarters. After their number had dropped somewhat to 3958 in the first year of the pandemic due to the many restrictions, it has thus almost returned to the pre-crisis level of 2019 (4508 cases). In 180 cases - statistically every second day - personal injuries occurred last year. Here, the number of cases was at least slightly below that of the previous year 2021 with 197 cases.

Statistically, those involved in accidents have a 50 percent chance of remaining undetected. In 2022, the clearance rate for hit-and-run accidents in Bonn and the Rhein-Sieg district was 46.1 percent, and 53.3 percent for those involving personal injury. Those who are caught, however, must expect severe penalties and are considered to have a criminal record after a conviction (see "Correct behaviour after a traffic accident").

An accident with an injured person is something quite different from a scratch while parking. Leaving the scene of an accident in such a case not only seems thoughtless to third parties, but also emotionless and irresponsible. But what drives people to consciously shirk their responsibility?

Carola Papenkort is a specialist psychologist for traffic psychology. In her practice in Bornheim, she mainly sees clients who, with eight points in Flensburg, have to undergo a medical-psychological examination (MPU) to get their driving licence back. Papenkort explains: "Often a hit-and-run is to cover up something." Accident drivers may have consumed alcohol or drugs, not insured their car or, for example, as a foreigner, not have a valid driving licence. "Then, after the accident, a completely normal stress situation occurs with the release of adrenaline and cortisol. The result is a spontaneous flight reflex," says Papenkort.

Nevertheless, not everyone reacts in the same way. In the background, the expert believes that the personality structure of those affected plays a decisive role in hit-and-run accidents. "It's always about personal responsibility and avoiding conflict," she says. Many, she says, learned at a young age to avoid problems and avoid responsibility. As adults, they fall back on this pattern when the challenges become greater.

Papenkort perceives deficits in this regard among young people in particular. Social media and PC games strongly stimulated the short-term reward system in the brain. Longer phases of concentration and biting through more complicated tasks became more difficult. Those affected consistently avoided conflicts, even after a traffic accident. Particularly under the influence of drugs, perception is also impaired. In Papenkort's view, it can help to strengthen the self-esteem of those affected. This would also increase their confidence to deal with conflict situations and their own mistakes and to face the consequences.

Original text: Martin Wein / Translation: Mareike Graepel