Articles Posted in Drunk Driving Accidents

When someone gets behind the wheel while intoxicated, they aren’t just breaking the law—they are also putting everyone around them at risk. In Maryland, drivers who cause accidents while under the influence can be held accountable through criminal charges and in civil court through personal injury lawsuits. In DUI cases, Maryland law provides a critical legal concept known as negligence per se that can make it easier for victims to prove the impaired driver’s responsibility.

In Maryland, driving under the influence is illegal under Maryland Transportation Code § 21-902. This law protects the safety of everyone on the road by prohibiting impaired driving. When a driver violates this law and causes an accident, they are automatically considered negligent because they’ve broken a safety law intended to prevent the exact type of harm that occurred.

DUI accidents are among the most devastating types of crashes, often resulting in severe injuries or fatalities. In Maryland, families who lose loved ones in such accidents have legal options to pursue justice and compensation. Understanding your rights under Maryland law is essential if you are dealing with the aftermath of a DUI-related death. A Maryland DUI accident attorney can help you work through these tragic incidents and recover the compensation you deserve.

Fatal DUI Accident in Wicomico County Leads to Manslaughter Charges

In a tragic early morning crash on May 19, three lives were lost due to a head-on collision involving a driver suspected of driving under the influence. The accident occurred on US 13 near Fruitland when a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction collided with another car carrying a young family. The crash claimed the lives of a 21-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman, and their 1-year-old child.

Dangers of Driving Under the Influence in Maryland

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 dangerous road conditions and generally exercise poor judgment when driving. Drivers operating under the influence make bad driving decisions, misjudge driving maneuvers, and are unable to fully concentrate on the road. Unfortunately, Maryland drivers are no exception to this trend and are all too familiar with the dangers of drivers operating their vehicles under the influence. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study, 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. Recent local news coverage discussed a fatal DUI crash that tragically resulted in a death.

According to the news coverage about the recent crash, the tragic incident occurred around 11:03 PM, on April 1, 2024. The Maryland crash occurred on Route 228 and resulted in the death of one individual and left another in serious condition. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered a devastating scene where a Chevrolet Malibu had collided head-on with a Ford F-150. The preliminary investigation by troopers reveals that the Malibu was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Route 228 near Sharpersville Road at the time of the collision. The Malibu, operating in the opposite direction of traffic, struck the Ford. Investigations into the crash point towards alcohol impairment and driver error as contributing factors. Maryland State Police are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident and have appealed to the public for any witnesses to come forward.

Dangers of Driving Under the Influence in Maryland

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. Recent local news coverage discussed a dangerous crash where impaired driving is a suspected cause.

According to the news coverage about the recent crash, the accident occurred early in the morning around 5:00 am before the sun came up on a particularly curved portion of Shreve Road. According to the report, alcohol is suspected to be involved. News coverage of the incident states that the car came over a hill and into a curve of Shreve Road before veering off the street and hitting a tree. At that point, the car spun out or started to roll, crossing Pioneer Lane before coming to rest many feet away. The teenagers that were in the car at the time were scattered around the street having been thrown from the car wreckage. The local fire department, police, and EMS responded to the scene, rescuing the seven teenagers who were involved in the violent crash. Of the seven individuals in the car, the six passengers all experienced life-threatening injuries. At one point, the Fairfax police department launched a helicopter to scan the area for passengers. At the time of reporting, all six passengers were still in the hospital.

Throughout the nation, alcohol-impaired drivers are a major cause of car accidents. Impaired drivers are extremely dangerous on the roads for a number of reasons. Drivers impaired by alcohol suffer from reduced levels of concentration and slower reaction times when processing their surroundings. Additionally, drunk drivers experience inferior hand-eye coordination and they are more likely to use poor judgment and suffer from memory loss while under the influence. All of these factors greatly increase the likelihood of impaired drivers being involved in car crashes. Signs of impaired drivers on the road include but aren’t limited to, quicker than usual acceleration or deceleration, weaving across the road, erratic breaking, slow responses to traffic signals, or excessively slow driving (10 mph below the speed limit). When driving, exercise extreme caution if you spot any of these signs from other drivers on the road. In 2016, Maryland implemented stricter drunk driving laws throughout the state, including harsher penalties and an Ignition Interlock Program.

According to the news report, the fatal accident occurred in the early morning on Thursday, March 1, when a Lincoln MKC traveling north in the southbound lanes of Route 295 near Arundel Mills Boulevard crashed head-on into a Hyundai Tucson. Currently, investigators believe impaired driving may have been a factor in the crash. Maryland State Police responded to the crash around 2:45 am. Investigators said that the driver of the Hyundai Tucson, a 62-year-old woman from Baltimore, Maryland, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. Two passengers in the Hyundai, a 29-year-old man, and a 33-year-old man, were transported by ambulance to the hospital. The driver of the Lincoln MKC, a 33-year-old woman, was also transported by ambulance to the hospital.

Driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs is never a safe or legal option. Drivers should take care to ensure that they plan ahead if intending on being under the influence by finding other transportation options, such as using a ridesharing app. On top of risking the lives of yourself, your passengers, and other motorists and pedestrians sharing the road, perpetrators can face criminal liability. Different jurisdictions have different protocols for charging perpetrators with crimes depending on the circumstances. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 32 people in the United States die in drunk-driving-related crashes every day.

According to a recent news report, a fatal three-vehicle car crash occurred in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The crash occurred on southbound Ritchie Highway and Maryley Station Road in Glen Burnie, Maryland. A 35-year-old man was operating a vehicle traveling southbound and approaching an intersection but failed to stop for a red traffic signal. The vehicle struck two vehicles. As a result of the accident, the driver of the first vehicle that was struck was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 35-year-old driver was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and his 13-year-old passenger was transported to a medical center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Evidence suggested that the 35-year-old driver may have been under the influence of alcohol and that excessive speed may have also played a role in the accident. The driver is facing multiple criminal charges, including, but not limited to, negligent manslaughter, homicide while under the influence of alcohol, and driving under the influence of alcohol while transporting a minor.

Over the past five years, nearly 800 people in Maryland have been killed in crashes involving impaired drivers and over 10,000 people per year die throughout the United States in alcohol-impaired crashes. Each year, tens of thousands of people are arrested on Maryland roads for drunk or impaired driving. The state currently deploys a specialized team of five trained Maryland State troopers assigned to the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) to enforce impaired driving laws. Since 2013, State Troopers in SPIDRE have taken more than 4,000 impaired drivers off of Maryland roads.

According to the news report, the fatal accident occurred in the afternoon on March 30, when a 2008 Toyota Tundra was traveling southbound on Ritchie Highway when it ran a red light. The Toyota Tundra drove through the intersection and collided with a 2007 Chevrolet Equinox turning left into the Marley Station Mall. A third vehicle, a 2013 BMW, that was turning left into the mall was hit by the other two vehicles in the process. The 36-year-old passenger of the Chevrolet Equinox was pronounced dead at the scene. The 60-year-old driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The 35-year-old driver of the Toyota Tundra was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the 13-year-old passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the BMW was not injured. According to the police, evidence suggests that the driver of the Toyota Tundra was under the influence of alcohol and speeding at the time of the accident. The crash remains under investigation by the Traffic Safety Section of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

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. A recent article discussed a local fatal crash where alcohol was involved.

According to the news article about a recent crash involving an intoxicated driver, the accident occurred in the evening around 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, December 18, when a 2001 Volvo S80 with a driver and a passenger was traveling on Solomons Island Road approaching eastbound Route 665 when the vehicle left the right side of the roadway and struck a utility pole, crashing. The crash was a single-vehicle accident. Immediately following the collision with the utility pole, the passenger, who was in the front seat, was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. The passenger was later pronounced deceased. Due to roadside observations, the driver of the car was determined to be under the influence of alcohol and placed under arrest by authorities for further testing. The crash is currently under investigation by the Traffic Safety Section