Posted on May 26, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Responsible drivers in Silver Spring and the D.C. area already know that distracted driving is dangerous. Still, seeing statistics about the harm distracted driving causes can truly help us understand what a public safety crisis it is.

Unfortunately, the facts are grim. AAA Mid-Atlantic says that distracted driving car accidents kill nearly nine people every day in the United States.

To put this shocking statistic another way: in 2019, car accidents caused by distracted driving in the U.S. were responsible for 3,142 fatalities. That worked out to 8.6 deaths per day and was about a ten percent increase over 2018. Not only is distracted driving a terrible traffic problem, but it also appears to be getting worse.

LOCAL DISTRACTED DRIVING CRASH STATISTICS

Fortunately, the death rate based on distracted driving seems to be lower in this part of the country, but it still needs to be taken seriously. AAA reported that distracted driving injured more than 126,000 people in Maryland in 2019. Distracted driving contributed to about 48 percent of collisions that year.

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 Posted on May 24, 2021 in Truck Accidents

elf-driving cars represent incredible innovations in technological progress. One day, they may become familiar sights on Maryland roads. For now, their ownership and appeal are somewhat limited. Worries exist about the dangers of these vehicles, and several publicized accidents make many unwilling to purchase one. Some do put faith in the models, but a question remains. If a self-driving car does cause an accident, who is held responsible?

SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES AND QUESTIONS ABOUT NEGLIGENCE

A self-driving car does not enter public roads unless someone directs the action. So, anyone responsible for the vehicle’s operation could face negligence claims if the vehicle causes an accident. For example, a “gig economy” food delivery service might own a fleet of self-driving cars. The vehicle may operate without human assistance, but a “driver” in the car could stand by to deliver food and take control of the car if something goes wrong.

When the driver chooses not to pay attention and opts to watch a video on a multimedia screen, that driver appears derelict in his or her duty. So, if someone walks in front of the vehicle and it doesn’t stop, the driver may face a negligence claim. So might the gig service for any contributory negligence, such as not screening a driver’s past moving violations or using a self-driving car with known problems.

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 Posted on May 11, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Maryland drivers who choose to ride a motorcycle know that it comes at a higher risk compared a car. While motorcycles only made up 3% of all the registered vehicles throughout the country, they accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities in 2017. It’s plain to see that riding a motorcycle can be risky.

A LOOK AT ACCIDENTS

Back in 2017, there were a total of 5,172 motorcycle deaths in the United States. It’s more important than ever before for all drivers on the roadway to understand the common reasons for motorcycle accidents and what they can do to help prevent them from happening in the first place.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revealed that the majority of motorcycle accidents are typically not the fault of the motorcycle driver. Rather, these accidents tend to be the fault of automobile drivers. The typical reason is that the car driver was unable to see the motorcyclist.

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 Posted on April 27, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Drivers in Maryland and across the country are perpetuating a hazardous behavior that results in an increasing number of motor vehicle accidents. This behavior is referred to as drowsy or fatigued driving. Unfortunately, many drivers are culpable of it at one time or another.

A GROWING TREND

A recent study revealed that 40% of adult U.S. drivers have admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point throughout their driving career. A scarier statistic is that 20% of the people surveyed admitted to falling asleep while driving within the past year. Being on the roadway when another driver is asleep behind the wheel can be a recipe for disaster.

HOW DROWSINESS AFFECTS YOUR DRIVING ABILITIES

Many drowsy drivers will notice a severe impairment in their driving abilities. These include weaving back and forth between lanes, tailgating other vehicles and even driving off the roadway. These negative behaviors are resulting in car accidents ranging from minor to fatal.

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 Posted on April 26, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Truck drivers transport all sorts of items throughout Maryland and the rest of the country. If you own or manage a trucking company, it’s imperative to keep your truck drivers safe. Fortunately, you can achieve this important goal by following a few simple tips.

1. HAVE YOUR DRIVERS PRACTICE DEFENSIVE DRIVING

One of the most important safety tips for truck drivers is to have them drive defensively. You can do this by ensuring truck drivers keep a close eye on their blind spots. It’s also important to encourage drivers to avoid engaging with any other drivers, which often leads to dangerous incidents involving road rage.

2. PLAN AHEAD FOR BAD WEATHER OR ROAD CONDITIONS

Many truck drivers work long hours transporting goods hundreds or thousands of miles. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that your drivers will always have great weather and safe or non-congested roads to look forward to. Considering that, having backup routes for your drivers to take can help your company avoid late deliveries or getting involved in truck accidents.

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 Posted on April 14, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Fatal motor vehicle accidents can be far-reaching and traumatizing for Maryland residents. They can also be financially devastating with exorbitant medical bills and funeral costs. If the deceased was the family breadwinner, survivors may worry about how they will survive in the long term.

WHO CAN FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT?

If you’ve lost someone in a car accident, you probably have many questions about how to seek compensation for their death. First of all, it’s important to know that only certain close family members including parents, siblings, grandparents, children and spouses can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person who caused the accident. The person who caused the accident could be the person driving another vehicle or the person driving the vehicle your loved one was riding in.

Most often, the spouse and children are the first parties eligible to file wrongful death cases. In the event that they do not want to deal with the legal proceedings, other family members including parents, siblings and grandparents can file the case.

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 Posted on April 02, 2021 in Truck Accidents

After a car accident, people do not always gather all the evidence they need about a crash. For instance, you might be injured and need to go to the hospital right away, or you may not realize there was more information available before leaving the scene.

Whatever reason there may have been for not collecting more information after an accident, it can be helpful to know that there are ways to get what you need after the fact.

COLLECTING CRASH DETAILS

Some information can be available well after a crash scene is clear. You just need to know where to look.

For instance, parties must file a police report after many types of accidents in Maryland. Police reports can have an enormous amount of helpful information. As  this article discusses in more detail , they can include everything from information on the weather and road conditions at the time to notes about the crash and witness contact information.

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 Posted on March 22, 2021 in Truck Accidents

When you’re in an accident, it’s natural to wonder what you might stand to receive in monetary compensation. You may wonder what to expect when you bring a claim. On the other hand, you may wonder if it’s even worth bringing a claim. Maryland is an at-fault state. Average compensation depends on the actual damages and the types of losses that the victim incurs.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL MARYLAND CAR ACCIDENT SETTLEMENT?

A typical Maryland car accident settlement depends on the following factors:

• The total amount of financial losses of the victim like medical bills
• Whether the damages are physical injuries or property damage
• How much pain and suffering results from the injuries
• The extent to which injuries change a person’s lifestyle and their ability to work
• The clear link between the accident and the losses sustained by the victim
• Availability of an insurance policy to satisfy a judgment
• Any degree of fault that the victim may have contributed to the accident

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 Posted on March 15, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Maryland bicyclists find themselves sharing the road with motor vehicles of all types in our urban, suburban, and even many rural areas. As a consequence, Maryland lawmakers routinely find themselves reconsidering what steps might be taken to make our state’s roadways safer and lower the risk of personal injury for bicyclists and motorists alike. The commonwealth of Virginia has enacted new legislation in its 2021 special session that impacts bicyclists and motorists alike.

NEW VIRGINIA LAW GOVERNING SHARING THE ROAD

The new Virginia law makes a number of changes regarding roadway travel protocols for bikes and cars. First, the enacted legislation requires a motorist to change lanes when passing a bicycle under certain circumstances. Specifically, if a motor vehicle cannot make a same-lane pass leaving at least three feet between the bicyclist to be overtaken, the car driver must change lanes to legally make the maneuver.

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 Posted on March 06, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Car accidents sometimes leave drivers and passengers with no injuries at all. Walking away from a collision injury-free is rare, however. In fact, according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, 4.4 million Americans require medical treatment after car accidents every year.

Because you are probably not a doctor, you likely lack the skills necessary to diagnose an accident-related injury. Therefore, in addition to documenting the crash, you should always seek medical care following any car accident. This is especially true if you have a belt-shaped bruise after a wreck.

SEAT BELT SYNDROME

Doctors often use the term “seat belt syndrome” to describe all injuries that stem from seat belt usage. When your vehicle collides with another one, your waist and torso may push up against your car’s seat belt. A belt-shaped bruise in either area may indicate a potentially life-threatening injury.

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