Sixty-five year-old Norman Bullock from Grays died after a collision involving his red Peugeot 308 and a black BMW X5 on the A128 Brentwood Road at around 4am on 5 October.
The driver of the BMW, 21 year-old Edvinas Pupkis, was arrested and later charged with causing death by careless driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, and failing to report a collision.
Pupkis, of Devonshire Road, Ilford, admitted the charges at Basildon Crown Court on Friday 11 December.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 22 December.
