Hope, as we all do, that serious and fatal traffic collisions will be reduced, we all know that the only way to eliminate collisions would be to eliminate vehicles on the road and driving as a means of getting around. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my legal staff know how easily a person can be caught up in a serious injury accident on the roads in and around our cities and towns.
Earlier this winter, a cab driver apparently ignored a red traffic signal causing a multi-vehicle wreck along a stretch of Western Ave in Friendship Heights. The crash happened on a Tuesday near the D.C.-Maryland border. According to police, the taxi cab was moving eastbound along Western Ave. when it reportedly ran through the intersection against a red light.
]]> The taxi hit one car; then that first car struck another two vehicles. The taxi, meanwhile, continued on and ended up on the steps of the Chevy Chase Pavilion. The incident reportedly took place around half-past nine in the morning, resulting in four vehicles damaged and one of the drivers being sent to a local hospital.When the cab drove through the red, it collided with the first, southbound, vehicle traveling along Wisconsin Ave. When that car, which police say was traveling legally through the intersection on a green signal, was hit by the taxi, the force of the collision caused it to strike the other two vehicles, each of which were going northbound along Wisconsin Ave.
Based on information from the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., the first car to be hit came to rest in the middle of the intersection; it ended up facing eastward. Initially, there was some confusion regarding whether or not the driver of the first car was at fault for making an illegal left turn, however police later determined that this was not the case and apparently cleared the driver of any responsibility.
Based on news articles and police reports, the fault for the accident was placed solely on the cabbie for ignoring the red traffic signal. Having caused the initial crash, police stated that the taxi driver continued through the intersection and then crashed at the front steps of Chevy Chase Pavilion.
The only victim injured in the crash was the driver of one of the two northbound cars. The unnamed victim was transported to Georgetown University Hospital with reportedly non-life-threatening injuries. Based on news articles, the cab driver was issued a traffic citation by police. There apparently was no evidence of alcohol use by the cabbie, nor mechanical problems with the driver’s taxi cab, which along with two of the other damaged vehicles was towed from the crash site.
Update: Taxi Crashes into Chevy Chase Pavilion, Patch.com, November 29, 2011
As relative innocents, very young children can be seen as being more or less blameless in their actions. When a child injures himself while playing with his friends or family, we immediately feel empathy for the youngster; hoping that he both recovers quickly from his injuries and that he learns from the incident, if only that he or she doesn’t repeat it in the future.
However, when a child is injured due to another person’s negligent or thoughtless actions, our reaction tends to be somewhat different. We may feel anger or resentment toward the individual who caused the incident. While the child may not know what occurred or who is to blame, the parents and society take it upon themselves to protect the child’s interests. Depending on the severity of the accident and extent of the child’s injuries, this is the point at which adults may retain the services of a personal injury attorney.
]]> As Maryland automobile, trucking and motorcycle accident lawyers, I and my colleagues understand the incredible emotional hurt that families must endure following the injury or death of a child. Naturally, if one is hurt or inured intentionally they might decide to file a personal injury action against the negligent party.In the case of children being hurt by another’s actions, such as in a car or trucking-related collision, the parents or legal guardians may be in a position to file a personal injury suit on the behalf of the minor. The suing of another party in such cases may include compensated for the child’s pain and suffering, as well as other physical injuries.
When a minor is terribly injured in an accident caused by another’s negligence, the parents or guardians may sue for compensated based on present, future, and even past medical expenses. The suit may also include compensation for medical expenses and rehabilitation costs that are yet to be incurred as a result of the child’s future recovery from his or her various injuries, stipulated to help the injured child sustain a good quality of life and care going forward.
Of course, when a child is killed there is no amount of compensation that can equal the loss of that young, promising life. In these kinds of cases, a wrongful death lawsuit can include compensation for the family’s loss of its son or daughter, as well as for the loss of affection or love. The Court would need to approve any award, which may include specific directives regarding where that settlement can be placed.
Much of this pertains to cases such as one we ran across in the news a while back. According to reports, a young boy of just five years died following a rear-end traffic collision on a Beltway on-ramp on a Wednesday afternoon in December. The accident happened a little before 3pm when a sport utility vehicle struck a passenger sedan on the ramp leading to the inner loop of I-695 from northbound I-83. Based on police reports, cars stopping suddenly on the ramp resulted in a chain reaction crash.
The vehicle carrying the victim, his sister and their two parents was one of two vehicles rear-ended in that wreck. According to police, five-year-old Jake Owen and his older sister, Alexandra Owen, were taken by medevac chopper to the pediatric trauma unit located at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Sadly, the young boy died about an hour after being admitted to the trauma unit.
Police reports indicated that a preliminary investigation showed that speed may certainly have played a part in the crash; according to Maryland State Police, the SUV was speeding. Although there was no mention of whether defective vehicle equipment, such as brakes or steering components were also to blame, the investigation was ongoing at the time of the news article.
Boy, 5, dead after beltway on-ramp collision, BaltimoreSun.com, December 28, 2011
Whether you commute in the Baltimore area, or Howie, Gaithersburg or the District, no doubt many readers have seen the aftereffects of car and trucking-related wrecks in which one or more people have been injured or killed. Depending on the speed of such an accident -- not to mention the mass of the vehicles involved -- the injuries received by the victims can range from minor cuts and bruises to more serious compound fractures and back injuries. Some of the most serious and life-threatening injuries sustained by victims of highway wrecks include spinal cord damage and closed-head trauma.
The latter of these injuries can mean weeks or months, sometimes years, of recovery following the initial hospital stay. Some victims of high-speed interstate and rural route car accidents can become permanently disabled and unable to perform even the most basic daily functions. In such cases, an individual’s quality of life can be greatly impacted following the aftermath of a truck or passenger car crash that may have been caused simply by another driver’s inattention or perhaps outright negligent actions.
]]> A while back, two Maryland teenagers were killed and another three teens were injured when the vehicle in which they were traveling apparently went out of control and crashed on a Friday evening. According to police reports, Johnny Deckman and his best friend, Jeffrey Giles, were riding in the vehicle, both seated on the right-hand side of the car -- Deckman, 18, in the back seat area and Giles, 19, up front in the passenger seat. The two reportedly died instantly in the crash; both teens were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the incident, according to police records.Based on reports, the 18-year-old driver, Dale Audet, and two others teens were hurt but survived the crash. Audet was transported to Shock Trauma where he was initially listed in critical condition. Sadly the accident, which according to police was caused at least partially due to excessive speed, may have been avoided. And while it’s hard to say whether things may have turned out differently for the two deceased victims, the lack of seatbelt use should be a lesson to many youngsters.
There was no mention in the news article whether or not any other factors may have played a part in the deadly car accident; however, as is sometimes the case, mechanical defects in critical automotive safety systems -- such as the braking system, steering parts and components, as well as possibly poor or degraded condition of a vehicle’s tires -- can result in a driver’s loss of control.
This potential loss of control can result in minor injuries and some property damage, for example if a suspension component fails in a parking lot; or the driver’s inability to control the vehicle can have devastating effects if the failure occurs at highway speeds. In any case, should a critical automotive component fail prematurely, there is a possibility that a product liability suit may be one avenue for the victims to pursue recompense from a second or third party. A qualified personal injury attorney with experience in this area of the law can be very helpful.
Car crash kills 2 teens, injures 3 others; ABC2News.com, November 26, 2011
The fact of the matter is that there are people, even now as we write this, who are driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, or even illegal and illicit substances, know in law enforcement circles as controlled dangerous substances (CDS). The point we wish to make here, is that anyone who operates a car or truck in Maryland should exercise caution when driving in traffic; an accident may only be a only one careless move away.
This is not meant to scare anyone, but only to alert those conscientious drivers to the possibility of traffic collisions that are ever-present due to less-than-thoughtful (or brazenly negligent) drivers who would place not only their life in jeopardy, but also the lives of you and your family. People who drink and drive are just one kind of negligent individual on our roads. Those who use drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, also place others in danger when taking their illegal habits out on the road. Of course, any kind of passenger car or commercial trucking accident is undesirable, not just the DWI- or DUI-related kind.
]]> Not only ago, we read of an accident caused by a driver who may have been under the influence of alcohol, or maybe even a CDS, when the vehicle he was driving crashed into another car and critically injured a woman. According to news articles, the traffic accident took place late on a Friday evening along a stretch of Rte 40 in Cecil County. Police reports suggested that the driver who caused the accident may have been impaired by drugs at the time of the wreck.Based on news reports, a local resident was driving west in her Hyundai passenger sedan along West Pulaski Hwy. The woman had just made a right-hand turn from Shiloh Dr. onto the highway when a Chrysler minivan, driven by a 58-year-old man, smashed into the back of the Hyundai. The police report issued by the Maryland State Police indicated that the minivan was traveling at a high rate of speed and that the driver failed to observe the woman’s vehicle on the road ahead of him.
Following the impact, the woman’s sedan ran off the road and into a culvert located on the right-hand side of the roadway causing her to be critically injured, according to reports. Meanwhile, the minivan apparently veered off into the adjacent median where it overturned; the man, who was reportedly uninjured as a result of the crash, was able to exit the overturned vehicle before medical personnel arrived.
According to information provided by the state police, the suspect was given a breath test which reportedly returned a measurement of zero-percent blood-alcohol content (BAC); because authorities apparently believed that the driver had some kind of impairment (officers reportedly found evidence of marijuana inside the suspect’s car), he was taken by officers to Union Hospital in Elkton, MD, for a more specific blood test that would reveal whether or not the man had drugs in his system.
At the time of the news article, the results of that test were still pending. Furthermore, police investigators referred the case to Cecil County State's attorney since they had determined that, at a minimum, the man was at fault for the accident.
Woman in critical condition following U.S. 40 accident, CecilWhig.com, November 14, 2011
Car and trucking-related accidents come in a variety of types and severity. While one would think that maybe a single-car or truck wreck would be less serious than a multiple-vehicle accident, single-vehicle accidents can be one of the worst, especially in the case of a rollover.
We’ve all seen the results of a rollover accident on the highway. Although one may not have realized it at the time some of these rollover accidents involve serious or fatal injuries to one or more of the vehicle occupants. How can this kind of accident, which affects many different vehicles yet tends to be more common in taller vehicles (such as SUVs, Minivans and van-based shuttle buses), be so deadly for the driver and passengers?
]]> First of all, we’ll just say that the statistics point to a high rate of injuries and deaths from accidents that involve occupants being thrown from their vehicle -- ejected, as the traffic safety experts say. In fact, it has been well known for years that drivers and passengers are many times more likely to die or received serious injury if they are ejected from a vehicle during a crash.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which cites numerous studies that refer to data showing that partially- or completely-ejected occupants have up to a three-fold greater chance of dying than those who remain within the relative safety of the vehicle structure. This is due in large part to the fact that an individual ejected from a vehicle has a high probability of impacting another object, which typically results in that person receiving serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, resultant paralysis, potential amputation, internal bleeding and multiple fractures.
An unfortunate contributor to being injured in a rollover is not wearing one’s seatbelt, which in many cases can be the largest reason for a victim not remaining inside the car or truck. The reason is simple; as a vehicle rolls -- violently, in many cases -- any unbelted occupants inside the vehicle will be thrown around the interior of the car, truck or bus with only the windows and doors to hold them in. Because windows break and doors can pop open in a bad rollover collision, an ejected passenger is a common scenario.
Poor vehicle design or poorly manufactured components and parts can increase the chances of a single-vehicle crash and subsequent rollover situation. Many safety experts have indicted the poor designs of numerous vehicles, including certain sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and 15-passenger vans, due in large part to these vehicles’ higher center of gravity, and exacerbated by potentially poor heavy cargo handling capability.
As alluded to above, seatbelt use is one of the few things that a passenger can do for him or herself to improve their chances of surviving a bad rollover crash. In fact, those NHTSA studies show seatbelt use as the best way to avoid being thrown from a vehicle during a traffic collision, rollover accidents included.
Of course, the trouble with any safety device is potential for a defective part or component. Incidents of defective seatbelts and door latches have resulted in injuries and deaths when otherwise the passengers may have only received minor, non-life-threatening injuries. In cases where a safety component may have failed, a victim or the victim’s estate may bring a lawsuit against a manufacturer or retailer in the form of a products liability suit.
]]>That said, it in no way lessens the shock and grief that tend to overwhelm a family members following the untimely death of a relative or close family friend. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers, I and my legal staff have developed a deep understanding of the pain and heartache that many of our clients have experienced following a tragic car or trucking-related wreck.
Not surprisingly, the emotional hurt is only one aspect of a serious injury or fatal traffic accident. For those families whose primary breadwinner is involved in a fatal car or truck crash, the loss of income in itself can place a terrible burden on a family that may already have been struggling in this current economy. Even when the news is not as grave for a an automobile accident victim, the weeks or months spent in a hospital -- unable to work or earn a living to his or her maximum potential -- can also bring a family’s economic survival into question.
]]> Not long ago, three individuals were killed in separate Maryland roadway accidents; one driver and two pedestrians each died within a day of each other in three different counties -- Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s. The circumstances, though different, illustrated the various ways in which one might face similar life-threatening situations; hopefully we all can avoid anything similar ourselves in the future.Pedestrian Killed in Great Mills Traffic Accident
A 53-year-old Lexington Park resident was struck and killed by a passenger car while attempting to cross a portion of Great Mills Rd. on a Saturday evening around 8pm. According to news reports, the victim was in the right-hand lane of eastbound Great Mills Rd. near Carver School Blvd. when we was reportedly clipped by a 1992 Honda driven by a 21-year-old woman.
The victim, who police stated was likely drunk at the time, was taken to Prince George's Hospital Center; unfortunately, he died not long after arriving as doctors were unable to save him following his apparently fatal injuries. Police added that the victim was illegally in the roadway and wearing dark clothing prior to the nighttime collision; neither speed nor alcohol were said to be contributors on the driver’s part.
Evening Crash in La Plata Kills Waldorf, MD, Man
In another pedestrian fatality over in Charles County, a 31-year-old Waldorf resident was hit by a sport utility vehicle while he was reportedly trying to cross a section of southbound Rte 301 near Oriole Ln. Police in La Plata said that the victim had been hit by a late model Chevy Tahoe operated by a 27-year-old Waldorf man. News reports stated that the man was dead on arrival at Civista Medical Center. me.
Single-car Crash in Calvert County Claims One Life
An early morning traffic accident took the life of a driver when the vehicle in which the victim was riding left the roadway for some reason and eventually hit a nearby tree. Police reports indicate that the late model Toyota SUV was headed north along a stretch of Md. Rte 4 when it suddenly diverged from the road in the vicinity of Chaney Rd. Not long after striking the tree, the sport ute caught fire.
The news report at the time showed that the victim apparently received mortal trauma as a result of the collision with the tree and likely died before the fire engulfed the SUV. At the time of the new article, police suspected speed as a contributing factor in the crash, however an investigation was ongoing; there was no mention of whether a mechanical problem or component failure was also to blame for the deadly accident.
Two Pedestrians, One Driver Killed in 3 Separate Crashes Over Weekend, SoMd.com, October 17, 2011
On that note, we noticed that one of the last days of 2011 saw multiple injuries and traffic fatalities on Maryland roadways. From these kinds of car and truck wrecks, one usually sees a variety of injuries; from the lesser types, like minor scrapes, cuts, bruises, to more serious bodily injury, such as broken bones, compound fractures, as well as serious neck, spinal cord damage and closed-head injuries.
Of the latter, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage can result in months or years of costly medical care, recuperation and rehabilitation. For families living on the ragged edge of financial existence, an event such as a bad car or commercial truck-related crash can spell disaster, especially if the victim is one of the key bread-winners for that family. Costly medical care combined with lost wages can quickly ruin a family’s meager savings and result in all manner of financially-related misery.
]]> According to news articles, there were a number of fatalities reported toward the end of last year. As if fate were making up for lost opportunities, police and emergency rescue personnel were busy helping the victims of a number of serious injury and fatal car crashes. Among several Maryland traffic wrecks during the final days of 2011, the Silver Spring, MD, area saw a fatal single-vehicle crash happened during the early morning; while in the area of Towson, a major traffic collision took place during the mid-afternoon on a ramp that connects I-83 North and the Beltway. There were other traffic incidents as well.Based on news reports, the Silver Spring wreck resulted in the death of two women when their vehicle crashed in the area of Piney Branch Rd. and University Blvd. Information on the crash was sketchy, however Montgomery County police reported that the accident happened in the early morning hours of December 28, killing two of the three occupants and injuring a third.
In Bethesda, one individual was killed and 11 other people were injured during a crash between a city bus and a pickup truck. According to news reports, the crash involved a Metrobus, however no addition information was available at the time of the news article.
Over in Baltimore County, near Towson, an I-83 ramp connecting the Inner Loop of the B-W Beltway was the site of a fatal accident that resulted in the death of a five-year-old child. According to Maryland State Police, a sport utility vehicle crashed into the rear-end of another passenger vehicle occupied by 47-year-old man, his wife and their two young children.
The force of the accident caused the family’s sedan to be pushed in the back of a third car. The driver, Frederick Owen and his wife, Susan, were sitting in the front seats, while their nine-year-old daughter and five-year-old son sat in the back. Following the accident, both children were medevaced to the Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital, however the boy died about an hour after arriving at the hospital. At the time of the news report, the accident was still under investigation; however police did say that excessive speed was a likely factor in the accident.
In yet another accident earlier that day, a police patrol car was hit by a big-rig 18-wheeler causing the cruiser to be forced across the traffic lanes and into an adjacent jersey wall. The force of the crash was such that the officer inside the cruiser had to be freed by emergency responders arriving on the scene; he was then taken by Shock Trauma where he remained in what authorities described as stable condition. A Jeep carrying two other people was also caught up in the crash, however the occupants of that vehicle were not as badly injured and received non-life threatening injuries.
Fatal Accidents Mount On Maryland Highways, WBAL.com, December 29, 2011
While the numbers may be small, at least when compared to the universe of automobile, trucking and motorcycle collisions, victims of taxi cab-related traffic accidents represent a smaller percentage of personal injuries. Nevertheless, as Maryland auto and trucking accident attorneys, my office is aware that many people put their well-being in jeopardy on a regular basis when riding public transportation.
Here in Baltimore, as well as Annapolis, Rockville, the District and Gaithersburg, accidents involving service vehicles are certainly not unheard of. In fact, taxi cabs, hire cars, limousines and shuttle busses have all been part of a traffic wreck from time to time. As personal injury lawyers and occasional passengers of these kinds of vehicle ourselves, we understand how easily one can be seriously injured in even the simplest of automobile accidents, not to mention ones that do not provide seatbelts for occupants’ use.
You don’t have to be a physics major to know that an unbelted occupant of a motor vehicle can receive serious bodily injury, such as broken bones, cuts and lacerations, and even closed-head trauma and other potentially debilitating injuries.
]]> And it’s not just the physical injuries that may leave an indelible mark on a victim of a taxi or limo crash. Any Maryland resident who rides in a cab, city bus, airport or hotel shuttle -- or any other kind of fare-paying transportation -- should know of the potential complications associated with being hurt in a service vehicle that is not properly insured. These uninsured carriers may offer lower fares, but the potential downside can be financially devastating. Even if you don’t takes cabs or shuttle buses regularly, you may have an elderly relative who needs this kind of transportation to get to and from their local market, doctor’s office or senior center.Since automobile accidents can happen anywhere or any time, one must always ask oneself if the savings is worth the possible financial troubles down the road. Especially for those on a fixed income, like seniors or disabled individuals, uninsured cabs and hire cars can offer enticingly low fares, which sad to say may be very hard to turn down. But always ask yourself, “Is it worth the possibly devastating medical or work-loss costs should you become a victim of a driver’s error or negligence?”
Keep in mind that when someone becomes injured in a vehicle that is not properly insured, it may be very difficult for the victim or his family to recover medical and other costs. In comparison, legitimate taxi and limo companies may be more costly from a fare standpoint, however one of the (very good) reasons is likely because those kinds of carriers maintain proper insurance.
As Maryland auto accident lawyers, I and my colleagues are well aware of the risks involved in riding with an uninsured or under-insured driver. It may not seem so at the time, but hailing a “bargain basement” cab or hire car could be one of the most financially irresponsible things one can do, especially if that vehicle is caught in a traffic accident while you are riding inside.
Even those managers and owners of local supermarkets and grocery stores may not fully realize the liability that they and their companies might incur by allowing uninsured "courtesy drivers" to solicit fares from their customers. Known in the trade as “hackers,” these cheap taxi and limo services operate illegally in part because they do not bother to pay for commercial auto insurance -- a requirement based on state law.
Based on past studies, the Maryland Auto Insurance Fund, which actually provides insurance coverage for many commercial limos and taxi cabs, charges a base premium rate of around $4,000 annually for vehicles operated in the Baltimore area. While those illegal hackers may likely carry personal auto insurance, their policies may not always cover a paying customer who might be injured or killed as a result of the driver’s negligence. This is especially true if the hacker is operating a vehicle without the knowledge of their insurance company.
The point here is that one should always think twice when choosing to use paid transport based solely on cost. At the time, it may seem a pennywise move, but it could end up hurting you in the end, especially if you become severely injured in a crash.
]]>This brings up an interesting topic that many have touched on over the years; that of drunken driving accidents, injury and fatal, which happen more than anyone would like to admit. Among the top candidates for senseless traffic collisions has to be drunken driving wrecks. This category of car, truck and motorcycle collision is by far the most preventable, since it usually involves a driver who more or less chose to drive in an impaired state.
Truly, victims and families of those killed in DWI and DUI car crashes must live with the memory for the rest of their lives; knowing that the death of their loved one in a sometimes terrible car or truck wreck need no have happened at all if it wasn’t for the thoughtless consumption of alcohol, or the reckless use of prescription or illicit drugs.
We’re told by many authorities that drunk driving arrest rates are down across the country, and by association the number of crashes have dropped as well. But the question that comes to mind amid all this “good" news is whether or not people are drinking and driving less.
]]> Anyone who has ever attended a holiday get-together has seen more than one individual drink more than his or her share of beer, wine or hard liquor, only to excuse themselves at some point, grab their car keys and drive home. Was that person legally drunk? Does it even matter considering that even a couple drinks can negatively impact one’s ability to react quickly or even think straight during the trip home, much less act accordingly in an emergency situation.The authors of Freaknomics have provided the public with a new way to look at the statistics of drunk driving, not to mention other areas of life, which may cause some people to sit up and take notice. By using statistics to assess risk of injury and death from traffic accidents caused by drinking and driving, the authors raise questions that challenge many widely held assumptions.
Since drunken driving is a significant risk factor when it comes to car accidents, it may be good to look at the frequency and rates of DWIs and DUIs across the country. The good news, of course, is that from 1982 (when alcohol-related roadway fatalities totaled a shade over 1.6 per 100-million driving miles) to 2007 (when fatalities equaled just over 0.4 per 100 million) there has statistically been a 75 percent drop in fatalities based on miles driven. That sounds pretty good and it’s likely a result of better driver education, stiffer DWI-related penalties, tighter enforcement, and (of late) economic impact, as well.
According to the Freakonomics folks, there is a notable disconnect between our general perception of drunk driving in the U.S. While many people are content to believe, based on the remarkable and aforementioned statistics, that we have bridled the serious threat known as the drunken driver, there is still evidence that drunk driving laws are constantly being broken; right in front of our own eyes. We’ll wager that more than one person reading this noticed at least one vehicle weaving in the lane ahead of them during the holidays; does that mean we accept those violators who reside in the margins?
Based earlier studies not too out of date, there are around 75,000 bars in the U.S. The Freakonomics approach to this statistic goes something like this: How many people believe that every person who walks into one of those thousands of bars each day takes a cab home at the end of the night? Do they all have designated drivers?
Consider that, according to a study conducted not long ago, the average person who is arrested for drunken driving has previously driven drunk without being caught a total of 87 times. As we have explained in a previous entry, most any amount of alcohol impairs one’s driving abilities. Is driving even slightly impaired (not legally drunk, of course) worth the risk? The tacit response, based on various studies would, appear to be “Yes.” And that’s really something to think about.
Drunk Driving: Is the Glass Half-Empty?, Freakonomics.com, April 27, 2010
]]>As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle injury accident attorneys, even we are aware of just a fraction of the more dangerous intersections here in Baltimore, over in Gaithersburg and out in Washington, D.C. With all of the many and varied automobile and trucking-related traffic collisions that happen every year, only a computer database can really keep track of this information with any accuracy.
And so it was, until recently, that the average person could not know for certain if they were constantly exposing themselves and their families to danger by driving through a highly accident-prone area on the way to school, work or the movies. This has all changed with the advent of new, online traffic fatality mapping information offered by UK-based ITO World.
According to news articles, individuals can now see how safe (or dangerous) the steets they frequently drive on or cross as a pedestrian actually are. Since almost nobody stands at a street corner for hours each day to observe traffic collisions and pedestrian accidents, the database offered by ITO World let’s one decide if an obviously busy intersection is really a hazard to one’s health.
]]> Using information compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ITO World has taken the drudgery out of personally cross-referencing gigabytes of data found in the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (or FARS, for short) and other traffic-accident related websites. The result is a traffic accident charting and mapping system that some have described as “intuitive as Google Maps.”To date, ITO World has developed accident data maps for both Great Britain and the United States -- the data for the U.S. was taken from FARS and reportedly includes every fatal traffic collision from 2001 through 2009. Information provided on the mapping website includes the age and sex of each accident victim, whether the individual was operating a car, truck or motorcycle prior to the accident, or if the victim was walking or bicycling; the year of the fatality is also included in the displayed data.
To find out how dangerous a particular road, street or intersection may be, the user simply enters the name of a particular location, after which the system populates the mapped area with descriptive icons. According to one person who has used the system, the service is similar to a crime data mapping system that is being designed for the Baltimore area.
At the very least, if the system works as described, Maryland residents can get a better idea whether a busy stretch of roadway is (statistically) as dangerous as one might assume. Finding out which streets and crossroads are more prone to car and truck accidents might go a long way to reducing the number of traffic wrecks, and possibly fewer injuries and deaths.
It may seem a bit morbid to know that a certain street corner has been the scene of X-number of pedestrian deaths, but aside from those haunted by imagined ghosts waiting at a particular crosswalk, isn’t it better to know the accident history of an area than to become a permanent part of that history? We’ll see how this new service helps people, but anything that saves even one life from being lost in a senseless traffic collision is probably worth a look.
How Dangerous Is Your Street? Find Out With New Traffic Fatality Maps (video), SingularityHub.com, December 12, 2011
NCSA Data Resource Website -- Fatality Analysis Reporting System
]]>Quite frankly, although drunk driving has for decades been under attack nationwide by state and federal government and law enforcement agencies, the fact remains that the same people who drink still use a car to get around. Designated driving campaigns are helpful, but it’s not hard to imagine that more than a few drunken bar patrons are going to head home this weekend without a sober ride.
Traffic wrecks involving commercial trucks may not be the primary type of injury accident during the New Year’s holiday, but car-to-car collisions are likely to be the order of the day -- and night. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen the result of alcohol-related car, truck and motorcycle accidents; none of which are particularly pretty.
Given the number of DWI- and DUI-related traffic incidents in any one year, it is a certainty that we will see our share of crashes in Baltimore, Rockville, Annapolis and the District this season as well. What we should all keep in mind is that the danger exists and should be avoided whenever possible.
]]> At the risk of becoming preachy here, it’s important to remember that any amount of alcohol -- be it beer, wine, hard liquor or even after-dinner drinks -- will impair a person to some degree. In fact, according to one drunk driving study, a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 percent (well below the legal limit and easily attainable after just two drinks depending on a person’s body weight) can increase the chances of having a car accident by reportedly 38 percent.Add another drink to those initial two, within a given amount of time, and the odds of one being involved in a traffic accident is more than doubled again. Down a fourth glass of liquor and the odds go up by a factor of five. The point here is that it takes very little alcohol consumed in a social setting to hit the legal limit for drunken driving, not to mention the odds of causing a car or truck wreck.
Based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one person is killed every 45 minutes by a drunk driver somewhere in the U.S., while one additional person is injured by an intoxicated driver every 60 seconds. Sobering statistics for a festive holiday, but something everyone should consider when celebrating the coming year.
So, please, take a moment to consider what you are about to do when you leave that party, club or restaurant after having a couple drinks. Just because you may not feel drunk doesn’t mean that you’re fit to drive a 3,000-pound vehicle. If you know someone has had too much to drink, call a cab, get them a ride, or let them sleep it off. Saving a life couldn’t be more simple. Be safe and have a happy New Year.
New Year's Eve in Baltimore: Bars staying open past 2 a.m., BaltimoreSun.com, December 30, 2011
As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff know the heartbreak of families who have lost loved ones in tragic, and many times, avoidable car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Even those who survive a car or trucking-related traffic accident can face weeks or months of hospitalization and rehab treatment in order to get back some semblance of normalcy in their lives.
Sadly, older people have a harder time when it comes to recuperating from a serious traffic wreck; even relatively minor car or truck accidents can leave an elderly individual in critical condition with sometimes life-threatening complications as a result of their age. Pedestrian injuries precipitated by a car crash can be particularly deadly for an older person with broken bones, sometimes compound fractures, and serious closed-head injuries commonly being sustained.
Many families worry about their elderly parents who still drive. While there is no reason that a competent individual cannot continue to operate a motor vehicle into their 80s and 90s, the potential for accidents is known to increase for these individuals as a function of miles driven. Occasionally, very minor accidents -- such as striking a mailbox while backing out of the driveway or knocking off a sideview mirror while parking in one’s garage -- can portend worse incidents to come. It’s sometimes up to other family members to suggest to elderly drivers to perhaps scale back or even stop driving altogether.
]]> We were reminded of the ultimate consequences of poor or reduced driving abilities in the elderly when we ran across a news article describing a fatal crash involving two vehicles in Falls Church. According to the news, a husband and wife in their 80s were killed when the vehicle they were in was hit by a pickup truck new a supermarket entrance.Based on police reports, 83-year-old Harry Emlet was behind the wheel of the couple’s car when he apparently did not yield to approaching traffic while turning left onto an access road to the local store. The two-car accident occurred a little before 4pm on a Sunday afternoon and resulted in the death of Mr. Emlet and his 85-year-old wife, Elinor.
Based on reports, Mr. Emlet was attempting a left turn in the couple’s ‘93 Nissan Sentra when he apparently either didn’t see or miscalculated the speed of an oncoming pickup truck driven by 41-year-old Felipe Rocha of Rockville, MD. Rocha’s truck hit the passenger side of the Emlets’ car, fatally injuring the husband and wife.
EMS crews arriving on the scene transported all three victims to a local hospital, but doctors could do nothing for the Emlets, each of whom were pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Mr. Rocha reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was subsequently released from the hospital.
At the time of the news report, police accident investigators with the department’s crash reconstruction team had not made any determination whether Rocha was at fault, or if their may have been some kind of mechanical problem in either vehicle that may have contributed to the fatal collision.
Elderly Falls Church Couple Killed in Car Crash, Patch.com, September 5, 2011
When an accident happens on a low-speed surface street, the out come can range from minor injuries to death of the vehicle’s occupants. While higher speed interstate crashes can be serious as well, the lesser number of obstacles immediately adjacent to the roadway helps to reduce the number of fatal accidents. However, this is not to say that people don’t die on a regular basis as a result of bad highway collisions.
As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff are well-versed in handling injury and fatal car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Certainly, when a multiple vehicle accident occurs, one or more drivers may be to blame. Filing a wrongful death suit against another individual based on claims of negligent or thoughtless acts is not uncommon here in Baltimore, or over in Rockville, Gaithersburg or the District.
In the case of single-car or truck crashes, the injured party is typically the driver himself. If the driver was found to be at fault, having caused the accident, other passengers may decide to file a claim against that driver to recoup the costs of medical care or other claims of pain and suffering which directly resulted from that particular traffic wreck.
]]> Not long ago, a Baltimore man died in a single-vehicle traffic accident along a stretch of northbound I-795. According to news reports, 46-year-old Lemuel Johnson apparently lost control of his vehicle while traveling on an exit ramp between I-695 and I-795. The crash happened early on a Tuesday just as the morning commute was beginning on the outer loop of the Baltimore Beltway.Based on police reports, for some reason Johnson’s car veered off the left-hand side of the ramp, went through a guardrail, which caused the vehicle to roll over, after which it struck a nearby tree. Arriving at the crash site, Maryland State Police found the man dead in his vehicle. At the time of the news article, police were not certain what the exact cause of the wreck was; however, a determination was likely pending a complete accident investigation.
In addition to equipment failure, such as faulty braking system components or broken steering parts, problems with tires can be a contributing factor in a fatal or serious injury accident. Insufficient tread depth, old and deteriorating sidewalls, or very low tire pressure can each contribute to future tire failure. A blow-out at highway speeds can cause a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle with disastrous results.
Observing a simple maintenance schedule for car, truck and motorcycle tires is an easy way to catch problems before they become more dangerous. Especially important during the harsh winter months -- when people generally don’t enjoy getting on the ground to visually check their tire treads or measure the tire pressure; if one doesn’t have the means or ability to check the tires, it’s always a good idea to have a qualified service technician do periodic inspections for greater peace of mind.
Police Release Name of Crash Victim, Patch.com, November 15, 2011
Whether one drives to work or school every day, or just takes the family car to the supermarket once a week, as soon as we hit the road the odds begin to mount up. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues know that for many people it is simply a matter of time before someone is involved in a injury-related road accident. Hopefully that is all; however, fatal car and commercial truck crashes are all part of the mix.
Occupants of passenger cars, SUVs and minivans are certainly more protected when compared to a motorcyclist involved in a traffic collision, but pedestrians and bicycle riders are part of the most vulnerable group when it comes to car accidents. Not only are people on foot or cycling not protected by a steel cage, but if and when they hit the ground, they are more likely to strike their head on a hard surface, like an asphalt roadway or concrete sidewalk.
]]> A little while back, a Home Depot parking lot in Prince George’s County was the scene of a fatal pedestrian accident. According to news reports, the six people were hit by a single car in a Hyattsville, MD, Home Depot parking area. Based on police reports, it was closing time at the store located on East-West Highway when an elderly man arrived in his vehicle. Realizing that the store was already closed, he decided to leave; but at that same moment, the 79-year-old driver had what police call a medical emergency and lost control of his car.As the vehicle went out of control, drove up and over an island section of the parking lot, hitting six individuals standing there. According to reports, one of the people injured by the vehicle was taken to a local hospital; unfortunately, that individual, 41-year-old Fredys Castillo-Giron, died not long after being admitted. Four other pedestrians were also hospitalized and listed in critical condition at the time of the news report.
At the time of the article, there was no mention of whether the driver of the car survived the crash or not. In these types of accidents, although the likely low-speed nature of the incident may not have hurt a younger person wearing a seatbelt, an elderly driver could conceivably sustain certain injuries that could prove immediately fatal or potentially life-threatening down the road.
Based on the reports coming from news agencies, police accident investigators were still considering the factors in the fatal crash. Sadly, this type of accident is difficult to avoid when circumstances conspire to cause such a deadly collision. It goes without saying that any time pedestrians mix with vehicular traffic, there is a potential for injury. The best advice is to remain vigilant when walking through a parking lot and be prepared for the unexpected.
Update: One Pedestrian Dead after Home Depot Parking Lot Crash, Patch.com, November 24, 2011
Hyattsville Home Depot accident: Six hit by car in parking lot, WJLA.com, November 24, 2011
]]>Without a doubt, over the past several decades the mixture of cars and alcohol has been a major contributor to highway deaths across the country. Locally, in Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, not to mention Washington, D.C., anti-drunk driving campaigns have slowly made inroads toward creating a safer driving environment for all concerned. Still, as we say, there is much work to be done to eliminate the threat.
Anyone who has been involved in a car or motorcycle accident caused by a drunken driver can relate to this subject on a very personal level. Anyone who has lost a loved one due to a fatal DWI or DUI traffic collision knows the pain and the emptiness that follows; a void in one’s life that can never truly be filled. While it is our job, as Maryland personal injury attorneys, to help provide a modicum of closure to those who have lost a loved one in a car or commercial truck accident, no amount of recompense can ever take the place of a deceased relative, spouse or child.
For the people who survive a serious automobile wreck, the injuries sustained -- such as head, neck and spinal cord injuries; internal injuries; broken bones and compound fractures -- the path to recovery is sometimes long and hard. And, it goes without saying, that medical costs for prolonged treatment and rehabilitation can quickly become a burden on a family, especially in cases where the injured party is a major income earner.
With all this understood, it seems odd that individuals continue to drink and drive, and thus expose others and themselves to potential physical harm and even death. A short while ago we read of a man who apparently could not take responsibility for his actions after crashing his vehicle into a utility pole along a portion of Kenilworth Avenue.
Described in police reports as uncooperative, the 29-year-old driver allegedly was speeding when he drove a black sedan into a pole on the roadside, trapping his passenger in the car until emergency responders could arrive to free the victim. Based on reports, the accident occurred at about 11pm on a Tuesday evening when the car hit the light pole on the southbound side of the roadway.
Riverdale Heights volunteer firefighters responded to the call, as did personnel from the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department. Police reports indicate that the driver initially had wanted to leave the crash site, however apparently decided to stay as emergency responders began to arrive.
According to news reports, the suspect allegedly denied the fact that he was at the wheel at the time of the accident, however a woman who was the only other occupant in the car claimed that the man was driving the entire time. The unnamed driver, who was later transported to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test, and also declined to sign the citation issued by the officer in charge.
Ultimately, the man was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, speeding, DUI, driving while impaired, reckless and negligent driving, as well as a number of other violations. No mention was made as to the condition of the female passenger.
Driver Faces Litany of Charges After Car Slams Into Utility Poll, Patch.com, November 24, 2011