Maryland Accident Law Blog

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle-related incidents are a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for law enforcement officers in the United States. However, according to the CDC, such accidents are highly preventable. From 2011-2020, 454 officers died due to motor vehicle-related incidents, both struck by and crashes, which accounted for 33% of all line-of-duty deaths in those year excluding COVID-19 deaths. It is important to promote motor vehicle safety among officers so they can stay safe while working to make communities safer. According to the CDC, behavior-related hazards for officers include not wearing a seat belt, speeding through intersections, being distracted by electronics while driving, and experiencing tunnel vision from increased stress. It is vital for officers to make a conscious effort to reduce such behaviors, as it not only threatens their own lives but the lives of those around them as well. A recent news article discusses a car crash involving a Maryland State Trooper driving through an intersection.

According to the news article, the accident occurred when the trooper was traveling southbound on St. Charles Parkway on the evening of Thursday, September 14 shortly after 5:00 PM. The trooper was traveling with emergency equipment activated and came to a full stop at the intersection of Billingsley Road on St. Charles Parkway when a Toyota Corolla traveling eastbound on St. Charles Parkway struck the trooper’s unmarked Ford Explorer. Both the state trooper and the driver of the Toyota Corolla were transported to the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center in La Plata for treatment of their injuries. According to investigators, impaired driving was not believed to be a factor in the crash. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not only dangerous but highly illegal. The chances of crashes and fatal accidents increase when drivers are inhibited because they are less able to react to situations that come up on the road or exercise poor judgment while driving. Unfortunately, Maryland drivers are all too familiar with the dangers of drivers operating their vehicles under the influence. According to a study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Maryland drivers reported driving after drinking at a higher rate than the national reporting rate. In fact, between 2009 and 2018, 1,515 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes in Maryland. The CDC has found that over 10,000 people per year die in such crashes throughout the country.

According to the news article, the accident occurred in the evening on Friday, September 29, around 7:30 p.m. A passenger SUV with four people in it was heading east on Whitmore in Bowie, Maryland when it left the road and crashed into a tree. The SUV became engulfed in flames when it struck the tree, and by the time paramedics and EMTs arrived on the scene, all four people inside the car had died. The cause for the SUV’s sudden departure from the road and into the tree is still under investigation by the Prince George’s County Police Department. Police investigators not only closed off the road to continue conducting their inquiry, but the police spokesperson said they expected to be working late into the night trying to identify the four bodies, as the fire that engulfed the SUV made identification much more difficult.

When a child is injured in a car accident, a parent’s worst fear comes true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 63,000 children suffered injuries in a car accident in 2020. Issues such as ill-fitting booster seats and riding without a seatbelt have worsened those statistics. Fortunately, parents and caregivers can take a few extra precautions to ensure their child is as safe as possible in the event of a car accident.

Sadly, four children and one adult suffered injuries after a serious vehicle accident in Waldorf, Maryland. As a news article reported, the accident occurred on the southbound side of the highway. Emergency personnel responding to the accident found two damaged vehicles with multiple injured occupants. Two ambulances transported three children and one adult to the hospital for their injuries. A fourth child, who suffered head injuries, was medically evacuated by chopper to the hospital. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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.