• 11
  • April
    2011

With the rise of social media, uses other than staying in touch have become more and more common. Law enforcement officials around the world have started using Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets to track and find those with outstanding warrants. But police in Paris, France, have begun using Facebook to help find witnesses to crimes, accidents, and to help the victims as well.

Since January, visitors of the Paris police department's Facebook and Twitter pages have been invited to provide information on hit-and-run accidents. According to a Reuters report, users are given a link to the police department's main site, which displays a map of incidents and details of the accident, including times and dates.

One limitation to the initiative is that the police department's Facebook page has only 700 friends. While Reuters notes this is more than the average user, this is a limited network to find witnesses to accidents in a large city. But like many social media efforts, the Paris P.D.'s efforts to find witnesses to hit-and-run accidents could go viral.

California Victim's Family Uses Facebook to Find Answers

Police departments aren't the only ones using Facebook to connect with witnesses. Families in California and elsewhere have used Facebook to bring awareness to a crime or serious accident.

In early February, 18-year-old Erika Luna and her boyfriend were walking in an East San Jose neighborhood. According to an ABC report, Luna and her boyfriend were crossing a street when a gray sport utility vehicle struck her, pinning her under the vehicle. Though she survived the accident, Luna was dragged under the vehicle for hundreds of feet and suffered severe injuries to her legs and pelvis. Doctors are not sure if she will ever walk again. A Facebook page has been started to help police solicit leads as well as collect donations for Luna and her family.

Getting Help

While the most serious hit-and-run accidents typically involve pedestrians like Erika Luna, they can happen to anyone at any time. For those who have been injured in a hit-and-run or any other type of motor vehicle accident, it is important to work with an experienced personal injury attorney.