Articles Posted in Fatal Traffic Accidents

Traffic lights play an important role in maintaining order, the flow of traffic, and the safety of road users. When traffic lights are not obeyed, it can lead to serious injuries or even death. When drivers run red lights, drivers of other vehicles or even pedestrians can, unfortunately, face the consequences of another’s actions. In addition, the drivers who run red lights also face the risk of serious injury. Red light cameras have played an important role in discouraging drivers from running red lights, with the penalty of facing fees. According to a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), “cameras reduced fatal red light running crash rate of large cities by 21 percent and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 14 percent.” Failing to obey traffic signals can result in serious harm, which is why it is important for drivers and pedestrians to play their part by following these signals.

A recent news report revealed that Easton Police responded to a serious crash at the intersection of eastbound Ocean Gateway and Airport Road in Maryland. A 59-year-old man was attempting to turn left in his pickup truck when he had a green arrow. As the pickup truck was turning, a 27-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe hit his vehicle. According to witnesses, the driver of the Chevrolet was speeding past other vehicles that were stopped on the right shoulder. The Tahoe rolled several times along the road shoulder before crashing in a grass field. The Tahoe driver was ejected from his vehicle. As a result, he was airlifted to a Trauma center and was last known to be in critical but stable condition. The driver of the pickup truck was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.

The Failure to Obey Traffic Signals

In devastating news, two Maryland teenagers were pronounced dead on the scene of a crash after their sedan crashed into a tractor-trailer on a highway. The driver of the sedan and the right rear passenger were the two teens who died at the scene. The third teen, who was sitting in the front passenger side of the sedan was flown to a shock trauma unit, but later succumbed to his injuries. The 71-year-old tractor-trailer driver was not injured in the crash.

Although investigations are still occurring to determine what led to the crash, initial investigations appear to reveal that the sedan was merging onto a highway in Hagerstown at a high rate of speed when it crashed into the passenger cabin of the tractor-trailer. There were no obvious signs of impairment, although this is still under investigation. The highway area near the crash was closed for almost 5 hours as state police responded to and investigated the crash.

As smaller and harder to see citizens of the road, bicyclists are often in danger from the risk of drivers attempting to pass other vehicles without checking for oncoming traffic. This risk is compounded when intoxicated drivers are behind the wheel. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11,654 people died in accidents caused by alcohol-impaired driving in 2020. Driving under the influence of alcohol impairs an individual’s reasoning ability and response time. Even just a small amount of alcohol in the bloodstream can inhibit visual functions, impair the ability to multitask, and respond to changes in driving conditions or emergency situations. All of these factors can contribute to an intoxicated driver’s poor judgment in passing or inability to check their surroundings carefully for other motorists and pedestrians.

According to a recent article, two victims, 48 and 57 year old men, died and three others were injured when they were struck by an intoxicated driver. Of the deceased, one was pronounced dead at the scene and the other died from their injuries in the hospital. The victims were all bicyclists participating in a charity bike ride when the collision occurred. Two have been treated and released from the hospital, but the third remains in serious condition.

The accident happened when a truck in front of the driver began to slow down. Rather than slow down or stop, the driver swerved around the truck and into the lane of oncoming traffic, where the driver hit a group of bicyclists. Officers say the road on which the accident occurred is straight and there are no obstructions and noted that the intoxicated driver did not appear to look for or see the bicyclists before attempting to pass. The driver has been charged with several counts of driving while intoxicated and is being held on a $1 million bond.

Highways, interstates, and other high-speed roadways can be extremely dangerous for pedestrians. Many roads that lack sidewalks forbid pedestrians from walking on the side of the road to ensure their safety, however, sometimes pedestrians may not be able to avoid finding themselves on a high-speed roadway. If someone has car trouble, for example, they may need to pull their vehicle off to the side of the road to address the issue. A Maryland woman was recently killed after she exited her vehicle to address a flat tire and was struck by a speeding vehicle.

According to a local news report discussing the accident, the victim, a 47-year-old woman from Glen Burnie, suffered a flat tire and pulled to the side of the road to address the problem. After the victim exited her vehicle, she was hit by another car that was speeding and unable to stay in its lane. According to the report, another vehicle that had stopped to assist the victim was also struck, but the occupant was not seriously injured. the woman who had initially stopped was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other driver was not injured in the crash. After sobriety tests were performed, the other driver was arrested for DUI, automobile homicide, and other charges. Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating drugs reduces reaction time and encourages poor decision making, and likely contributed to the cause of this tragic accident.

When we lose a loved one unexpectedly in an accident, it can be extremely stressful knowing what steps to take next. Whether it’s figuring out medical expenses that your loved one incurred or working out how you will provide for your family in the wake of losing your loved one, the process is far from easy. Although adding a lawsuit to the mix can be additional stress, it is often an important part of the recovery process—and can resolve many financial issues that occur following the loss of a loved one if the case is successful.

According to a recent local news report, a fatal accident that took place in Frederick remains under investigation. When local authorities responded to the scene, they found a Honda that had toppled over in the middle of the road. Based on an initial investigation, a Jeep was heading eastbound when it made an aggressive lane change, which was filled by the Honda. The Honda swerved off the left side of the road, overcorrected, and then ran across several other lanes before crashing into a guardrail and overturning. The Jeep fled the scene. The passenger in the front seat of the Honda was pronounced dead on the scene, while the driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The accident remains under investigation and the Maryland State Police Crash Team plans to continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Maryland multi-vehicle and chain reaction accidents often involve the complex interplay of various contributing factors. These incidents generally elicit two types of threats: primary impacts and secondary impacts. Primary impacts occur when a negligent driver sets off a series of events by instigating the initial crash. The secondary impact occurs when a driver attempts to avoid crashing into another object or with another vehicle but precipitates other crashes—recovering damages after a multi-vehicle accident requires plaintiffs to address the fault and causation of each party they wish to recover damages from.

Establishing liability is critical in Maryland because of the state’s strict contributory negligence statute. In Maryland, plaintiffs who bear any responsibility for the accident will not be able to recover damages. Essentially, claimants must establish that they were not responsible for the accident or their injuries. An attorney is an invaluable asset to these cases as they can help prepare a compelling and legally sound case for compensation.

Following an accident where a preventable death of a loved one has taken place, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure what to do next while processing your grief. Depending on the circumstances of how the death took place, however, you or the loved ones of the deceased may want to consider filing a lawsuit on their behalf to recover compensation. Usually, potential plaintiffs file either a wrongful death or a survival action claim, but it can be confusing to figure out what the distinctions between the two are at first. Knowing the difference is an important step to getting started with your lawsuit.

According to a recent local news report, a woman died following a major crash. Local authorities were pursuing the driver of the vehicle in an active police chase at the time of the crash. The chase began as a routine traffic stop, but when the driver pulled into a nearby parking lot, presumably to stop for the officers who had pulled him over, he instead sped away. Authorities pursued the driver but lost sight of the vehicle after it swerved in front of another vehicle near a curve in the road. As police continued down the road, there was debris on the road and authorities realized that the vehicle they were pursuing had crashed.

The driver fled from the car following the accident, and his passenger was located on the ground near the car with life-threatening injuries. First responders attempted to treat the passenger on the scene, but she was pronounced dead. Several officers subsequently began to conduct a search for the driver with the use of K-9s and a helicopter. Officers later located the driver in a nearby neighborhood, where he was taken into custody. Investigators believe that narcotics may have been a contributing factor in the crash and are working to identify witnesses. Local police had their dashboard camera and microphone activated during the accident, and as the footage is released, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash continues.