Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Earlier this month, one Maryland driver’s alleged decision to run a stop sign resulted in the death of another woman, whose vehicle was struck in the collision.
The accident happened around 6 p.m. on May 9, according to Maryland State Police, at the intersection of Point Rocks and Lander roads. A driver of a Kia Sorento, which was traveling south on Lander road ran, the stop sign, and crashed into another woman’s Ford Escape, which was traveling west on Point of Rocks Road.
While the driver of the Escape was flown by police helicopter to Shock Trauma, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. The driver of the other vehicle was also injured, and taken to the hospital by ambulance. The accident led to the closure of Point Rocks Road for several hours.
This tragic accident is an all to clear illustration of the dangers that can result when drivers fail to obey traffic signals. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, in 2008 alone, there were more than 2.3 million intersection related collisions, resulting in 7,770 fatalities and approximately 733,000 injuries. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) found that red-light running crashes alone caused 762 deaths in the same year. At least 165,000 people are injured annually by red-light runners alone, according to estimates.
What these statistics reveal is that failure to observe traffic signals can be dangerous, and in some cases fatal. If you are involved in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence, your case will depend upon proving that the other driver failed to act reasonably in the operation of his or her vehicle. Drivers owe others on the road the duty to not drive in such a way as to needlessly endanger other motorists or pedestrians.
Any deviation from the relevant traffic rules can be considered negligence, which in addition to running stop signs or traffic lights, can also include driving at an excessive speed, failure to yield, and failure to signal a turn or a lane change. The burden of showing negligence is on the one who brings the case, the plaintiff. The plaintiff must show that the driver of the other vehicle was not acting as a reasonably prudent driver would have acted, and that this failure caused the party’s injuries.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the experienced car accident attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. Our firm has extensive experience representing individuals and families who have suffered due to personal injury or wrongful death as a result of car accidents in Maryland. We can help you recover compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages suffered as a result of your car accident. If you believe that your car accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact us today by calling 1-800-654-1949, or through our website, in order to schedule your free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Tragic Accident on Md. 91 When Driver Crosses over Double Yellow Line, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published May 22, 2013
Maryland Junior Dies in Clinton Area Single-Vehicle Crash, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published May 9, 2013