Several Deaths in 7 Vehicle Accident on Route 32 in Anne Arundel County

Just hours after an accident occurred this week on Route 32 in Anne Arundel County, investigators reported that they believe that speed was a major factor in causing the seven car collision.

Police believe that one car traveling “at a high rate of speed” rear-ended another vehicle, which then set off a deadly chain reaction eventually involving a total of seven vehicles. Three individuals died as a result, all of whom were traveling in the same vehicle. Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the third was pronounced dead shortly thereafter at a local trauma center.

In sum, six passengers were injured in the accident, requiring transport to nearby hospitals. Four people were sent to Baltimore-Washington Medical Center with minor injuries. One man was flown to Shock Trauma in critical condition. An eight year old girl was flown to Johns Hopkins Pediatric for treatment of life-threatening injuries. It remains unclear which passengers were traveling in which vehicle, and what happened to the initial vehicle that was reportedly speeding.

The accident remains under investigation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), speeding is the third leading contributing factor to traffic accidents.

The National Safety Counsel reveals the following statistics regarding speeding related crashes:

It results in over 13,000 lives lost each year.

Speed was a factor in 27 percent of fatal crashes in construction and maintenance zones in 2005.

Compliance with lower speed limits, such as in school zones, is poor.

According to 2007 NHTSA data, nearly 40% of male drivers age 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash, making young males the most likely to be involved in speeding-related crashes.

Car accidents usually happen because one driver was at fault. The theory of fault in car accident lawsuits is usually negligence, meaning that the driver responsible for causing the accident failed to act reasonably in the operation of his or her vehicle. A driver cannot drive in such a way as to needlessly endanger other motorists or pedestrians. In other words, drivers must drive at a safe speed. Deviations from this rule can constitute negligence. Excessive speeding is just one example of negligence, which can also include behaviors such as failure to yield, failure to stop at traffic lights and so on. The burden of showing negligence falls on the individual bringing the suit, referred to as 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 the failure caused the party’s injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in Maryland, contact the experienced car accident attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers immediately. We have extensive experience in aggressively advocating on behalf of individuals and families who have suffered due to personal injury or wrongful death as a result of a 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:

Authorities Investigate Wrong Way Crash in Ownings, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published August 9, 2013
Landover Tractor Trailer Collision Erupts into Flames, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published July 25, 2013