Hit-and-run accidents are often characterized by several distinct elements. Common characteristics include the accident having very few witnesses and or poor lighting, as the driver is more likely to believe there will not be repercussions for their behavior. If there are many witnesses or the scene is highly visible, people are less likely to flee the scene of a crash. Similarly, drivers are much more likely to flee the scene of an accident between the hours of midnight and 4:00 a.m., than between 8:00 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. This is due to a host of reasons, but one explanation is that nighttime drivers generally engage in more risky behavior.