Articles Posted in Car Accidents

In today’s fast-paced world, speed seems to be a common theme both on and off the roads. Unfortunately, the consequences of speeding can be devastating, especially when young and inexperienced drivers are involved. A recent tragic incident in Leonardtown, Maryland serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with speeding and young drivers.

According to a local news report discussing the tragic collision, emergency services were called to a horrific head-on motor vehicle collision on Newtowne Neck Road in Leonardtown, Maryland on July 26, 2023. The collision involved a 2013 black Kia Rio and a 2015 silver Dodge Durango. The Dodge Durango was being driven by a 39-year-old individual with two passengers. Despite the chaos, all three occupants of the Durango survived the collision with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tragically, the news was not as favorable for the occupants of the Kia Rio. The driver, a juvenile male, was flown to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. However, the young passenger,a 14-year-old boy, lost his life in the collision. This heart-wrenching incident underscores the need for heightened awareness of the dangers posed by speeding, especially for young and inexperienced drivers.

Maryland, like many other states across the country, sees its fair share of car accidents every year. Understanding the common causes of these accidents is crucial for both policymakers aiming to improve road safety and drivers looking to protect themselves and their loved ones. Below, we delve into some of the most prevalent causes of car accidents in Maryland, in the hopes of raising awareness and potentially reducing their frequency.

1. Distracted Driving: In the era of smartphones and constant connectivity, distracted driving has emerged as a major concern. Texting while driving, using apps, or even just glancing at a notification can lead to a loss of focus. Even a few seconds of distraction can be enough to cause a catastrophic accident. It’s not just phones though; adjusting the radio, eating, or any activity that diverts attention from the road can be hazardous.
2. Speeding: Exceeding the posted speed limits or driving too fast for conditions remains a significant cause of accidents. Speeding reduces the driver’s ability to steer safely around curves, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to dangerous situations.

Speeding is a massive cause of car accidents throughout the country. Some estimates project that speeding is a contributing factor in over a third of all accidents nationwide. Approximately 41 percent of drivers surveyed admitted to frequently or sometimes driving 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit on the highway (roads with speed limits over 55 miles per hour). An additional 37 percent of drivers admitted to driving 10 miles per hour or more over the speed limit on residential streets (roads with speed limits over 30 miles per hour) in the past 30 days.

According to the news report, the fatal accident occurred on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in the early afternoon in Mechanicsville. At 1:44 pm St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Patrol deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on Three Notch Road near the intersection of Mr. Zion Church Road in Mechanicsville. When law enforcement officials arrived on the scene, they found multiple vehicles involved in a significant crash, with two cars overturned. Three vehicles were involved, a white 2020 Chevrolet Corvette, a silver 2008 Toyota Camry, and a silver 2000 Toyota 4Runner.

Intersections can be crowded and sometimes confusing for the various people who are traveling from one place to the next – including bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers of trucks and cars. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration revealed that more than 50 percent of the combined total of fatal and injury crashes occur at or near intersections. What causes such a high rate of accidents at intersections?

According to a recent news report, a car crash in Germantown, Maryland led to one fatality and three people injured. The collision involved a truck and a Jeep, where a Ford was traveling southbound when a Jeep turned left. The Jeep struck the Ford F250 at the intersection. A man who was a passenger in the jeep was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the jeep was transported to a local hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver and passengers of the truck were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. According to photos tweeted by the county’s fire rescue Chief, a truck appeared to have crashed through a fence in the front yard of a house. The investigation into what led to the crash is still ongoing.

Following a major accident involving criminal charges, some victims may believe that because the state will be criminally prosecuting the at-fault party, this is the same as filing a personal injury lawsuit and receiving compensation. In reality, the criminal prosecution led by local authorities and a civil personal injury lawsuit that a victim of an accident may bring are completely different cases—even though they may both implicate and arise out of the same set of facts from the accident. Understanding this difference is crucial so that you do not miss out on the compensation that you deserve.

According to a recent local news report, a major car accident involving multiple vehicles left at least one individual dead. Based on a preliminary investigation, a Mercedes failed to stop for a red light at an intersection and crashed into a Chevrolet. The Chevrolet then crashed into a Honda. Both the driver of the Chevrolet and the Honda were stopped at the intersection while waiting for the red light. The driver of the Chevrolet was declared dead on the scene and the driver of the Honda was transported to a local hospital by helicopter, where he later died. Based on this preliminary investigation, local authorities believe that speed and alcohol were both contributing factors to the accident. The details of the crash remain under investigation.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) operates Zero Deaths, a government website designed to provide the community with statewide crash statistics, resources, and programs to assist in roadway safety programs. The MVA explained that the website seeks to assist the Maryland Highway Safety office meets its goal of eliminating roadway fatalities by 2030. The administrator believes that providing the public with user-friendly highway safety resources will help the state achieve its goals.

Zero deaths take a data-driven approach to reach its goal of zero serious injuries and roadway fatalities. The goal is critical as those who suffer injuries in a Maryland car accident often experience serious and life-long consequences. Those who lose a loved one or suffer injuries in a Maryland accident should contact an attorney to discuss their rights and remedies.

Following a major car accident, especially on a busy roadway, the danger of further damage is often not out of sight simply because the initial collision has already taken place. Sometimes, subsequent accidents happen after the cars involved in the initial crash pull over to the side of the road. For busy roadways or areas where there may be low visibility, it is not infrequent that another driver will crash into stalled vehicles pulled onto the shoulder, causing more injuries or damage to what already took place during the initial accident.

According to a recent local news report, Maryland State Police are investigating whether weather played a role in a recent accident that left one pedestrian dead and another seriously injured. Local authorities responded to a call reporting a crash on Maryland Route 16, where three vehicles had been involved in a major accident and two people were located lying in a nearby ditch with significant injuries.

Based on a preliminary investigation, both of the injured victims were riding in a Toyota Tundra truck that slid off the road next to the ditch and both individuals exited the vehicle. For unknown reasons, a Ford Escape stopped on the scene also. Moments after the Ford stopped, a Hyundai traveling in the same direction crashed into the back of the Ford, which sent it careening into the ditch. Accident investigators believe that the Hyundai then slid off the roadway and struck the two pedestrians who had exited their Toyota at the time. The Hyundai also ended up in a ditch. No other injuries were reported and the accident remains under investigation by local authorities.