Pedestrian Accidents

Drunk Driver Charged with DUI after Injuring Montgomery Co. Firefighter at Scene of Earlier Accident

October 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some of the most dangerous situations encountered on most any expressway, beltway or highway are construction zones and accident scenes where road workers or EMS personnel must perform their jobs in close proximity to passing cars and trucks. Despite caution placards and warning signs placed ahead of roadway construction zones — or flashing emergency vehicle lights and flares near active crash sites — some drivers are far too distracted to operate their vehicle safely, often completely ignoring the dangers of driving too fast through a reduced speed zone.

Many distracted or otherwise impaired drivers manage not to cause an accident; but sadly, many other violators are not nearly so lucky. Commuters who drive past long-term construction zones on a daily basis can become more annoyed by the situation and less concerned about the threat of pedestrian accidents along the roadside. And while motorists may be disdainful of construction sites as impediments to their daily commute, coming upon an active crash scene — with the attendant police vehicles, fire trucks and rescue personnel — most thoughtful drivers should understand the gravity of the situation and slow down to a safe passing speed.

Unfortunately, numerous police officers and firefighters are killed or injured every year by drivers who fail to slow down for, or yield the right-of-way to first responders. This sad and all-too-familiar scenario was repeated in early September this year along a stretch of I-495 in Silver Spring, MD, where State Troopers from the Rockville Barrack had responded to a late-night traffic accident between a semi tractor-trailer rig and Lexus passenger car, causing several lanes of I-495 to be closured down.

One Dead in Maryland Pedestrian Accident

February 29, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pedestrian accidents often occur when a driver fails to operate their vehicle safely. The injuries resulting from a pedestrian accident can be especially severe. To recover compensation for their injuries, victims of a pedestrian accident can pursue a negligence lawsuit against the responsible driver. Understanding the legal elements of a negligence lawsuit is an important step toward bringing a successful claim.

As a recent news article reported, a woman tragically died after a pedestrian hit-and-run accident in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. When responding to the scene, local police found the pedestrian in the roadway. The driver who struck the pedestrian had fled the scene of the crash. Investigators are still working to identify the hit-and-run driver.

What Damages Are Available in a Maryland Pedestrian Accident?

If you suffer serious injuries in a pedestrian accident, you can pursue several types of damages awards. The damages you receive will often fall under the umbrella of compensatory damages. Compensatory damages intend to place the plaintiff in the same position they were in before the accident giving rise to their claim. They include medical costs resulting from the accident, including hospital bills as well as current and future treatment needs. Additionally, you can pursue compensatory damages to recover lost wages due to your injury, which includes lost future earnings. The law considers these to be pecuniary damages, meaning they have a clear dollar amount attached to them. You can also pursue non-pecuniary damages that are harder to quantify, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress. This type of compensatory damages award intends to compensate plaintiff for the emotional harm that comes along with a serious accident.

One Woman Killed in Two-Vehicle Maryland Pedestrian Accident

February 20, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

More often than not, pedestrian accidents occur when a driver strikes a pedestrian with their vehicle. Pedestrians accidents can have a number of causes, but they often result from a driver’s negligent behavior. When a pedestrian suffers injuries from a negligent driver, they may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for their harm.

For example, a recent news article reported a fatal pedestrian accident in Rockville, Maryland. The pedestrian was crossing a road known for speeding when two drivers, both traveling eastbound, struck her. Sadly, the pedestrian died at the scene. Both cars also suffered damage, but the drivers were unharmed.

What Are the Causes of a Maryland Pedestrian Accident?

Protecting Our Precious Cargo: Safe Driving Habits Around Schools and Children

October 10, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The safety of our children in Maryland is paramount, and one area where their well-being is consistently at risk is during their journeys to and from school. A recent incident involving a bus crash serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safe driving habits, especially around schools and children.

According to a local news report discussing the recent crash, it was a typical Monday morning when Maryland State Police received a distressing call about a crash involving a bus. A KinderCare 15-passenger mini bus, carrying 10 children, collided with a car near Emmorton Road and Bel Air South Parkway in Harford County. The collision resulted in injuries to 10 children and the car’s driver, who was also accompanied by a 1-year-old child. While the injuries were not fatal, it serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks that children face during their daily commutes.

The crash and its aftermath underscore the critical need for safe driving practices, particularly around schools and areas with high child pedestrian traffic. Children are vulnerable and may not be as aware of traffic rules and are more likely to engage in unpredictable behaviors. This makes them highly vulnerable in traffic situations. It is incumbent on adult drivers to be extra cautious around them. Safe driving habits can significantly reduce the number of accidents around school zones. Slowing down, staying attentive, and obeying traffic rules can go a long way in preventing collisions.

Maryland Hit-and-Run Accident Leads to Death of Pedestrian

March 31, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The rules and laws of the road have been put in place for a reason: to help keep all road users safe. Whether it is coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, or using proper turning signals to indicate maneuvers when appropriate, following the local and federal rules can play a huge role in keeping others safe. Road users range from drivers of cars, large trucks, motorcycles, motorized scooters or bikes, pedestrians, and more. In addition to other vehicles on the road, car users must be mindful of pedestrians who may be using crosswalks or attempting to cross a road at any given time.

According to a recent news report, a pedestrian was struck while crossing the street in Prince George’s County, Maryland. A white truck ran a red light and struck the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Authorities believe that the driver left the accident scene, but later returned. The accident is still being investigated.

When tragedy strikes pedestrians, it can be a shocking and painful experience. Figuring out what to do after a loved one is severely injured in an accident may lead to loved ones scrambling to figure out what to do next. Connecting with an experienced personal injury lawyer can help.

Maryland Pedestrian Struck and Killed while Walking Down Highway

July 31, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Many busy, high-speed roadways lack sidewalks or any lane for pedestrians. The lack of protection poses a risk to pedestrians of injury or death. Too often, pedestrians cannot avoid these roadways, such as highways or interstates. For example, if a driver encounters a flat tire, check engine light, or even take an important phone call, they may have no choice but to stop. They may even leave their car and walk along the highway to seek help. In fact, a 20 year-old woman from Upper Marlboro was struck after she left her car to walk down I-270 near Maryland Route-109 in Frederick.

According to a local news article, the victim parked her car on the shoulder of the highway northbound before walking southbound down the highway. She was then struck by a BMW sedan and pronounced dead on the scene. The driver was unharmed. The reason the victim exited her vehicle is unclear, but some drivers may have the instinct to walk along the highway if they encounter an emergency.

Highway Pedestrian Safety Tips

Maryland Pedestrian Safety Risks

March 25, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pedestrians, like motorists, often engage in multi-tasking, such as snacking, listening to music, or using hand-held devices. The effects of this usage are similar to those distracted drivers experience. However, unlike distracting driving, distracted walking has not received public attention, even though Maryland pedestrian accidents are a serious concern.

Walking has many public health benefits and helps reduce greenhouse emissions, climate change, and poor air quality. However, walking poses many dangers, especially when pedestrians proceed in areas in undesignated areas, highways, or during the early morning or late evening hours. However, the fact remains that many people have no choice but to walk, especially as gas prices increase.

Although walking can help mitigate traffic congestion, interactions between walkers and vehicles on the same roadway can create dangerous situations. Many factors significantly increase the likelihood of fatal and non-fatal pedestrians accidents. These include improper crossing, distraction, and failure to obey traffic signs. However, like many accidents where a significant difference in protection exists, it is often hard to determine the exact cause of these accidents.

Pedestrian Struck and Killed on Maryland Road

October 31, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In busy metropolitan areas, pedestrians often share public roads with motorists and bikers alike. Although in principle everyone should respect each other and their right of way, this does not always happen in practice. Sometimes, when drivers are not paying attention or visibility is poor, accidents can happen involving pedestrians. Because pedestrians are even more vulnerable when crossing a busy road, these collisions can often have devastating consequences, such as injury or death.

According to a recent local news report, a pedestrian was killed in a fatal crash along a busy part of I-83. Investigators reported that a rideshare driver was driving north on I-83 and called 911 because an unruly and potentially intoxicated passenger was assaulting him. The rideshare driver then pulled over, and the passenger exited the car and crossed over the median into the southbound lane. The man was walking along the highway when a Range Rover crashed into him. The accident remains under investigation by local authorities.

How Common Are Maryland Pedestrian Accident?

Unfortunately, Maryland is no stranger to pedestrian-related accidents. Because pedestrian accidents are most common in busy, urban areas, nearly 72 percent of all pedestrian fatalities occur in traffic-congested areas similar to busy metropolitan hubs across Maryland.

Pedestrian Killed in Recent Maryland Crash

March 4, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Police are investigating a fatal Maryland car accident that killed a pedestrian on a recent afternoon in Prince George’s County. According to one news source, the pedestrian was reportedly running across the I-495 highway where his vehicle was disabled on the shoulder. Traffic had slowed as the pedestrian was crossing the highway when one vehicle struck the pedestrian in the left lane. After the crash, the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital but unfortunately, he died at the hospital. He was 26 years old.

A pedestrian crash is a crash involving any person on foot, including a driver who has exited the vehicle. According to the most recent statistics from Maryland’s Department of Transportation, there were 123 pedestrian fatalities in 2019. There were 6,283 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes throughout the country in 2018, which was the most deaths in almost 30 years. That means that a pedestrian was killed in a traffic crash on average every 84 minutes. That year pedestrian deaths made up 17 percent of all traffic fatalities. The use of alcohol on the part of either the driver or the pedestrian was reported in 48 percent of all fatal pedestrian crashes in 2018. Pedestrian crashes are likely to occur in urban areas. Between 2009 and 2013 about 90 percent of crashes involving a pedestrian in Maryland took place in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas.

Notably, although vehicle traffic has decreased overall during the COVID-19 pandemic, pedestrian and bicycle traffic has increased. To avoid pedestrian crashes, drivers should be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times and should slow down when approaching a crosswalk.

16-Year-Old Boy Crossing the Road Tragically Killed in Maryland Car Accident

November 4, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Last month, a 16-year old boy was tragically killed in a Maryland car accident. According to the Baltimore Sun, which covered the incident, the teenage boy was attempting to cross the road in Hampstead along with three other young people just before 8 pm one night. He never made it across the road—a 2020 Toyota Corolla hit him, and he was taken to Carroll Hospital where he passed away. A sergeant with the Maryland State Police said that the accident is under investigation, and that the other three young people crossing the road were not injured.

The incident is a tragic example of the harm Maryland car accidents involving pedestrians can cause. Pedestrians involved in car accidents are often seriously injured, or even killed, because they do not have any protection. Maryland specifically is plagued by pedestrian accidents—the state was recently ranked as the fourteenth deadliest state for pedestrians. In the first six months of 2018, for example, there were 60 pedestrian deaths due to motorists. This was a 25 percent increase from 2017, highlighting the importance of both drivers and pedestrians taking safety precautions while on the road.

Drivers can do their part to avoid pedestrian accidents by following all traffic signs, posted speed limits, and limiting distractions whilst driving. Many car accidents involving pedestrians occur because drivers are distracted and not paying attention, not seeing the pedestrian until it’s too late. Pedestrians should also take extra precautions to avoid being hit, such as crossing roads at crosswalks and other designated areas, looking both ways before crossing to ensure a clear path, and avoiding crossing roads with a blind turn, where neither cars nor pedestrians can see each other coming.