Maryland Injury Attorney Blog

Lawmakers and public safety advocates hope 2010 will be a safer year on our nation's roads and highways, with more states adopting laws like the one in Maryland that prohibits texting while driving. For anyone who hasn't jumped on board the wireless communications bullet train -- texting is typing and sending "text messages" using a cell phone, Blackberry, or other hand-held device.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that despite advances in wireless communications, "Greater sophistication in these technologies may present greater physical and cognitive challenges for drivers than traditional information sources." Texting while driving is considered by many states including Maryland to be a form of "distracted driving" that can lead to serious and fatal traffic accidents.

Maryland Ban on Text Messaging While Driving
Back in the good old days...reading the newspaper, eating a sandwich, tuning the radio, and applying makeup were the primary forms of driver distraction. Then came the new wireless technologies, bringing the convenience of mobile communications to the driving experience -- and with them new traffic safety hazards. Now drivers talk on cell phones, send text messages, and fiddle with GPS devices. Car, SUV, truck accidents and pedestrian accidents can occur when a driver takes his or her eyes off the road even for an instant doing any of those activities.

Maryland is one of 19 states along with the District of Columbia and Guam that ban text messaging for all drivers. Illinois, Oregon, and New Hampshire are the most recent states to join Maryland in making texting while driving illegal. And with good reason: NHTSA estimates that in 2008 -- 5,870 people died and 515,000 were injured in car accidents where at least one form of driver distraction was reported on the police crash report.

Maryland car accident injury attorneys are all too aware of how quickly things can go wrong out on our roads and highways. We applaud the other states that have joined Maryland in banning text messaging while driving.

2010 Laws Target Texting, Smoking, Cooking
CBSNews.com Dec. 31, 2009

An Examination of Driver Distraction as Recorded in NHTSA Databases (PDF document)
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Sept. 2009

Related Web Resources

Maryland State Highway Safety Administration

Governors Highway Safety Association webpages:

Maryland Highway Safety Laws

Cell Phone Driving Laws 2010

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents

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With the holiday season in full swing, everyone is scrambling. There's last-minute shopping, preparing for holiday parties and feasts, wrapping up year-end projects at work -- and increased travel by air, rail, and road. Unfortunately, drunk driving car accidents are also part of the holiday picture in Maryland and around the country.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that state law enforcement across the country will be cracking down on drunk drivers this holiday season, with the "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign. People who overindulge in alcohol at family gatherings, work parties, New Year's Eve celebrations, and other holiday get-togethers pose a risk of serious personal injury (including debilitating brain or spine injury) or death to themselves and others. Nationally, 13,470 people were killed in 2006 in alcohol-related traffic accidents.

Maryland Drunk Driving Statistics and Holiday Traffic Accidents
Baltimore County, Maryland car accident lawyers know the human stories behind the statistics. In Maryland, 189 people died in drunk-driving accidents in 2006. And while the Maryland state rate of drunk-driving accident fatalities has been on the decline in recent years (178 deaths in 2007 and 152 in 2008 -- a decline of 12.5%), we know that even one death is one too many. (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland, 2004 - 2008).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nationally, more fatal drunk-driving car crashes occur at night (36%) and on the weekend (31%) -- just when holiday parties are most likely to be held. In Maryland, we have snow, ice, and the rest of winter's fury adding to the hazards on our roads and highways.

So please: Drive sober, within the speed limit, and defensively this holiday season -- and be alert if you're coming home from a party. The night-time fatal drunk driving accident rate is four times higher than the day-time rate (9%). That's a sobering figure to keep in mind when you're driving to or from your destinations this holiday season. (Source: Traffic Safety Facts 2006 Data, Alcohol-Impaired Driving, NHTSA)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Intensive Holiday Drunk & Impaired Driving Crackdown & Advertising Blitz
NHTSA Press Release, Dec. 7, 2009

Fatalities and Fatality Rates in Alcohol- Impaired-Driving Crashes by State, 2007-2008 (download PDF)
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Research Note, Dec. 2009

Related Web Resources

Over the Limit, Under Arrest 2009 Campaign

Maryland Department of Transportation: Traveler Alerts

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A fatal pedestrian accident took place this past weekend in Baltimore County, Maryland, involving a tanker truck.

Maryland State Police reported that on Saturday morning, a pedestrian stepped into the path of an Exxon tanker truck at Harford Road and Interstate 695. The man, a 57 year old resident of Parkville, Md., died of his injuries at the scene. The Baltimore Sun reported that alcohol was not a factor in this fatal Maryland truck accident. No further details were available.

Baltimore County truck accident attorneys are familiar with regulations in place governing the safe operation of commercial vehicles, such as tanker trailer trucks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is part of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, works to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.

The FMCSA reports on its Safety Tips for Pedestrians website that pedestrians are at "a major disadvantage" when crossing roads and intersections where large commercial trucks and buses travel. Pedestrians may not always be visible to drivers of large commercial vehicles, which take longer to brake and stop than automobiles.

Police identify pedestrian killed by tanker truck
BaltimoreSun.com Dec. 7, 2009

Related Web Resources

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

FMCSA: Safety Tips for Pedestrians

Maryland State Police

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents

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Anne Arundel County, Maryland, police reported that a fatal car pedestrian crash occurred Mon. Nov. 30 in Severna Park, Md.

The deadly car and pedestrian accident took place around noon on Ritchie Highway near Cypress Creek Rd. According to news reports, a Chestertown woman, age 64, and a man, age 43, from Arnold, Maryland, were standing next to a minivan that had stopped because of a motor vehicle accident. A Jeep Cherokee driven by an 18-year-old man crashed into a vehicle stopped at a traffic light, setting off a four-vehicle chain reaction that pushed into the two bystanders. The woman pedestrian died of her injuries and three other people suffered personal injuries.

Maryland pedestrian accident lawyers are well versed in state driving laws and issues surrounding driver liability, when a serious car or truck accident occurs and someone is hurt or killed on our state's roads and highways.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though car-pedestrian fatalities decreased by 13 percent from 1997 to 2007 -- still 4,654 pedestrians lost their lives on U.S. roadways in 2007. Most pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas, at night, under normal weather conditions, and where walkers are not in crosswalks. (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data: Pedestrians)

No further details were available on this fatal Anne Arundel County, Maryland car and pedestrian accident.

MARYLAND: Pedestrian killed in 4-car crash
Associated Press Dec. 1, 2009

Related Web Resource
NHTSA Pedestrian Portal

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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This Thanksgiving, as is the case every holiday season, law enforcement will be on the lookout to pull over speeders, reckless drivers, and drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers to prevent Maryland car accidents.

Though 2008 saw a decline in Thanksgiving travel, gas prices have stabilized to a level more drivers can live with, and the AAA predicts an uptick in holiday travel this year. That means more cars on Maryland's roads and highways as people travel to and from our fair state to visit family. Other factors contributing to danger on Maryland roadways this holiday season:

> County and wildlife experts report that deer-vehicle collisions in Maryland occur in the thousands every year. Exact numbers are hard to gauge, as it's unknown how many deer-car crashes occur that don't get reported. Deer in the roadway are a concern for holiday drivers, particularly as dusk comes earlier with the days getting shorter, and animals are active at dawn and dusk.

> Thanksgiving, football, and alcohol go together like turkey and stuffing. Unfortunately, all that merry-making can turn lethal when someone who's had too much holiday cheer picks up the keys and hits the road. Fatal drunk driving accidents ended the lives of 179 people in Maryland in 2007 (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland 2004 - 2007).

As Baltimore County car accident lawyers, we've seen how families can be torn apart when someone drinks and drives on the holiday or any other time in Maryland. A serious motor vehicle accident doesn't just ruin someone's holiday dinner. It can end a life or cause permanent, debilitating injury, such as brain and spine injury.

Whether you drive a motorcycle, car, truck or SUV -- be safe out there this holiday season and avoid accidents. Take your time, drive defensively, be aware of what's around you, and don't give Maryland police a reason to pull you over.

AAA Thanksgiving travel forecast: Highways more crowded
CNNMoney.com on Yahoo! Finance Nov. 18, 2009

Earthspan.org: Assessment of Deer Vehicle Collisions in Maryland

Related Web Resources

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

St. Mary's County Dept. of Public Works, Maryland: Deer Safety

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents

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The Baltimore Sun reports that city police are reviewing a 911 call placed shortly before a Johns Hopkins University student was killed in a fatal hit-run pedestrian accident in Baltimore City, Maryland.

On Friday Oct. 16, 2009, in the mid-afternoon, neuroscience student Miriam Frankl, age 20, was attempting to cross St. Paul Street at University Parkway when she was struck by a pickup truck. The driver in this fatal Baltimore City pedestrian - pickup truck accident fled the scene. Ms. Frankl suffered serious head wounds and died of her injuries at Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Police later apprehended and charged Thomas Meighan Jr. of Carroll County, Maryland, in relation to the death of Ms. Frankl. News reports state that Mr. Meighan has a lengthy history of drunk driving traffic violations in Maryland, including another DUI hit-and-run arrest in Northwest Baltimore this past summer.

Police are now reviewing a 911 call from a man who wanted to report a white pickup truck driving in Baltimore City erratically about 90 mins. before Ms. Frankl was struck and killed. The Sun reports the transcript reveals initial confusion between the caller and police dispatcher, then apparently a decision was made that a cruiser would not investigate (see link below to 911 call transcript).

Maryland Pedestrian Fatalities and Drunk Driving Statistics
Baltimore City wrongful death lawyers may be consulted by individuals and families who suffer personal injury or lose someone they love because a driver got behind the wheel intoxicated, without regard for public safety. Some sobering facts:

> 116 people in Maryland lost their lives in fatal pedestrian traffic accidents in 2007.

> Over one-third of all fatal Maryland car accidents involved alcohol-impaired driving in 2007 (179 out of 614 traffic deaths).

(Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Safety Facts Maryland 2003 - 2007.)

Police to review 911 call in student's death
BaltimoreSun.com Nov. 13, 2009

Driving down the road to ruin
BaltimoreSun.com Nov. 1, 2009

Related Web Resources

JHU family celebrates student’s life
The JHU Gazette Nov. 9, 2009

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Baltimore City Police have questioned a Carroll County, Maryland man regarding a truck involved in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident that killed a Johns Hopkins University student. According to news reports, the 20-year-old victim was crossing the 3500 block of St. Paul Street at University Parkway when she was struck by a white Ford F-250 pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed. She later died at Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

The vehicle involved in this Baltimore hit-run truck accident sped off, however a witness took down the Maryland license plate number. That and news reports informing the public to keep a lookout helped police locate the vehicle. Police have questioned but not arrested a Carroll County, Maryland man, who has a lengthy history of traffic offenses, including 4 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests going back to the mid-1990s.

The individual being questioned has another DUI trial coming up in Dec. for an incident that occurred in July. He is charged with multiple offenses, including reckless driving and failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury or death.

Maryland Pedestrian Traffic Accident Statistics
Baltimore pedestrian accident lawyers often work with individuals and families when someone is injured or killed due to negligent, reckless and/or impaired driving. In 2007, pedestrian traffic accidents took the lives of 116 people in Maryland -- the highest number in five years. Of the total 614 Maryland traffic fatalities for 2007 -- 179 involved alcohol-impaired driving (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland 2003 - 2007).

Baltimore City Police continue to investigate this fatal Maryland traffic accident and have not arrested the Carroll County truck driver, who remains "a person of interest."

Police: Owner of truck in hit-and-run is 'person of interest'
Carroll Eagle, Oct. 21, 2009

Hit and Run Death Reveals Disturbing Past
ABC2News.com Oct. 21, 2009

Hopkins student dies of injuries
BaltimoreSun.com Oct. 18, 2009

Related Web Resources

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore Police Department

WalkingInfo.org

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The Baltimore County City Council passed an act concerning speed cameras designed to thwart motor vehicle accidents and pedestrian accidents that occur in school zones. Bill 61-09 Speed Monitoring Systems, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2009, authorizes county law enforcement, in consult with other agencies, to use and enforce citations issued by speed monitoring systems in school zones.

The bill defines "speed monitoring systems" as "a device with one or more motor vehicle sensors producing recorded images of motor vehicles traveling at speeds at least 12 miles per hour above the posted speed limit." Drivers will be subject to a $40 fine. An amendment to the bill limits the number of cameras to 15. The one councilor who dissented felt that more police -- not speed cams -- was a better way to address the problem.

In addition to the county bill targeting speeders in school zones, a separate state law now allows speed cameras at work zone sites; two have been placed in Baltimore County -- one on I-695 at Charles Street and another on I-95 between I-895 and White Marsh Blvd.

Baltimore County car accident lawyers may provide legal assistance in cases where serious car crashes, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and truck accidents occur due to drivers speeding through school and work zones -- where people on foot are moving in and out of the roadway.

The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that school zones as well as construction work sites are particularly hazardous areas when motor vehicles travel too fast. The Council estimates that every year, some 15,000 people perish and hundreds of thousands suffer personal injuries due to motor vehicles speeding in these high foot-traffic areas. Children getting on and off school buses are especially vulnerable, as are road workers and police who direct traffic at work sites.

Two speed cameras will operate in Baltimore County starting today
ExploreBaltimoreCounty.com Oct. 1, 2009

School speed cameras get Balto. County nod
BaltimoreSun.com Sept. 9, 2009

Related Web Resources

COUNTY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND
Legislative Session 2009, Legislative Day No. 13
Bill No. 61-09 (PDF file)

Safe Speed - Automated Enforcement Program
Baltimore County, Maryland

Baltimore County Police Department: Speed Cameras

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Construction Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Premises Liability , Truck Accidents , Workers Compensation

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Now that students are back to school and working people have all but forgotten their summer vacations, we're seeing the usual uptick in fall foot traffic. As Maryland pedestrian accident attorneys, we've handled many unfortunate cases where someone walking to or from school or work was injured or killed by an errant driver. Now we have to wonder if some technologies are making walking even more dangerous.

A research report from earlier this year noted that Japan is making strides to build hybrid cars that make more noise. Now the U.S. is also looking at the issue of hybrids being too quiet for pedestrian safety. Apparently these energy-saving vehicles are so much quieter than conventional cars and SUVs that pedestrians may simply not hear them coming. This presents a challenge for the motor vehicle industry, which has always strived to make vehicles quieter, the ride "smoother," and reduce noise pollution.

Researchers suggest auto manufacturers should "add engine noise" to hybrid vehicles to avoid pedestrian accidents. Hybrids running in electric mode on low speeds may be difficult to hear. Older people with hearing loss, vision-impaired people -- as well as distracted pedestrians wearing headsets, iPods, or talking on cellphones -- may simply not hear a nearly silent hybrid car approaching as they step into the street or intersection.

Traffic accidents in Maryland involving pedestrian fatalities numbered at 116 in 2007. That's a five-year high, up from a low of 95 in 2006. While Maryland's total number of traffic fatalities are down, the number of pedestrians who lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents is up (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Maryland 2003 - 2007).

Nationally, a total of 4,654 pedestrians were killed and more than 70,000 were injured in 2007. It will be interesting to see how safety advocates and the motor vehicle industry respond to the issue of vehicles that are now too quiet.

Noise -- the lack of it -- a problem with silent hybrid autos
DelawareOnline.com Sept. 27, 2009

Japan may add noise to quiet hybrid cars for safety
PhysOrg.com July 3, 2009

Hybrid cars too quiet for pedestrian safety? Add engine noise, say human factors researchers
PhysOrg.com Nov. 17, 2008

Related Web Resource

NHTSA Traffic Safety: Pedestrian Safety Program

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents

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A 28-year-old woman driver faces charges of running a red light in a Baltimore, Maryland traffic accident last Thursday involving Olympic gold medal swimming champion Michael Phelps. According to the Baltimore Sun, the accident occurred Thurs. Aug. 13 around 9 p.m. at East Biddle and North Calvert Sts. The woman, driving a Honda Accord, allegedly ran a red traffic light, striking a Cadillac Escalade driven by Phelps.

The woman suffered slight personal injury in the Baltimore traffic accident and was treated for neck and shoulder injuries at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. She must have been even more embarrassed when she learned that she struck the vehicle of one of the world's most famous Olympic athletes.

Phelps and his three passengers were not injured, though the driver's side airbag deployed and the front of his Escalade was damaged. Phelps was raised in Rodgers Forge, Baltimore County, and now lives in a condominium in the Baltimore waterfront neighborhood Fell's Point. The Baltimore Police Department told the Sun that Phelps presented an invalid Michigan driver's license to officers. Phelps was given a $40 citation and will need to appear in court. He also told police that he had one beer an hour before the accident. No Breathalyzer test was given. A car or truck accident with an outsized SUV like Phelps' Cadillac Escalade could have been a lot worse. Luckily no one was seriously hurt in this traffic accident involving a driver running a red light.

Aggressive Driving: Running Red Light Traffic Accident Statistics
Baltimore injury lawyers like us know that running a red light can result in serious injury and fatalities for the drivers and passengers of the vehicles involved, as well as for innocent pedestrians involved in such careless traffic accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers "running red lights" to be a most dangerous form of aggressive driving: In 1998, NHTSA estimated that motorists running red lights caused some 89,000 crashes across the country, resulting in 80,000 injuries and 986 fatalities. NHTSA says that running a red light is the number-one cause of traffic accidents in urban areas. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Digest, REGION I New England Stop Red Light Running Workshop; see link below to the Federal Highway Administration's Stop Red Light Running Program.) This Baltimore crash involving Mr. Phelps is now part of those red-light running traffic accident statistics. Fortunately everyone survived, this time.

Woman to be cited in Phelps accident
Driver of other car to face charge of running red light
BaltimoreSun.com Aug. 15, 2009

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps involved in car accident in Baltimore, Maryland
Associated Press, NY Daily News Aug. 14, 2009

Related Web Resources

Stop Red Light Running Program

Michael Phelps, U.S.A. Olympic Swimming Team

Fell's Point, Baltimore

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the 614 Maryland car accident deaths that occurred in 2007, pedestrian deaths numbered at 116. That's 116 people who died trying to get to where they were going on foot -- whether it was to school, to work, to the store, to walk the dog, or to visit a neighbor or friend. Maybe some were just trying to get home. They didn't make it.

For the same year (2007), across the U.S., 4,654 pedestrians died and an estimated 70,000 or more were injured in motor-vehicle related pedestrian accidents. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Maryland 2003-2007)

As experienced Maryland pedestrian accident lawyers, we know what can happen when walkers find themselves in the wrong place, at the wrong time -- in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

We've seen many different circumstances where car, motorcycle, SUV, and truck accidents turned even more tragic when people on foot got critically injured or killed in Maryland traffic mishaps. NHTSA recommends many of the same "common sense" methods our mothers taught us for keeping safe when traveling on foot:

1. Cross at intersections. Most people who are hit by cars are struck when they are not in a crosswalk. Some municipalities will fine drivers who fail to stop for and give right of way to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

2. Use crossing signals. They're there for a reason. A stop light can be your best defense against being struck by a motorist who is on their cell phone with the stereo blaring, tearing down the road after a nerve-wracking day at work.

3. Look left, right, AND left again. THEN cross. Remember what mom said about looking both ways? Do it, then look left again before setting foot into the roadway. Motorists are in a terrible hurry these days. In a split second, particularly if you're crossing a curved road, a car can be fast upon you on the left -- a driver that doesn't expect to see a pedestrian in the road.

4. Make eye contact with drivers. Even drivers stopped at a stop light or stop sign. Some drivers who are not paying attention may try to make a right-hand turn after you've entered the crosswalk. There's also the problem of motorists running yellow lights or making "rolling stops" and going through stop signs. A crosswalk will not save your life if the driver still doesn't know you're there. Making eye contact is a smart safety measure.

5. Wear light-colored clothing. Have you ever had to slam on your brakes because you were driving at night, and suddenly a pedestrian appeared seemingly out of nowhere? Don't assume drivers can see you at night, even on city streets. Carry a flashlight if you have to walk on rural, poorly lit roads.

NHTSA reports that in 2007, most traffic-related pedestrian fatalities took place in urban areas (73%), in normal weather conditions (90%), at night (67%), and where people were not crossing in intersections (77%). Most victims were male. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data: Pedestrians) Children and the elderly are particularly at-risk populations for traffic pedestrian accidents -- topics we will cover in future blog entries.

Remember, even better than "walking away from an accident" is avoiding one in the first place. That's true for pedestrians as well as motorists.

NHTSA Pedestrian Safety Portal

Related Web Resources

WalkingInfo.org

Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Have you ever traveled on the Baltimore Beltway or another Maryland roadway and noticed your fellow drivers engaging in activities other than steering the 4,000-pound SUV beneath them? Car crashes caused by drivers reading the newspaper, fiddling with the stereo, putting on makeup, and chatting on cell phones -- only to lose control of their vehicles or miss a road obstacle and crash -- are sadly, nothing new.

Now we traffic-frazzled Maryland commuters can add texting to the list of distracted-driving activities that can cause serious car, SUV, motorcycle and truck accidents. Highways aren't the only places texting poses a risk -- a teenager texting a friend while driving down their quiet neighborhood street could cause a fatal car pedestrian accident.

A recent study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute concluded that texting (i.e., typing and sending messages on a cell phone or wireless hand-held device) while driving is even more dangerous that previously thought, and that texting has indeed become the most dangerous of all distracted-driving activities.

Maryland traffic accident lawyers like us see the worst of what happens on the state's highways and roadways. We know too well that even normally good drivers can cause a car, truck, or motorcycle accident by being distracted, even for an instant. Some states, such as Virginia, have banned texting while driving.

Though the Virginia Tech study focused on long-haul trucks (outfitted with video cameras for research purposes), they believe their findings apply to all drivers -- not just commercial truck drivers. Over 18 months, the video cams recorded that in the moments before a crash or near-miss traffic accident, the truck drivers looked down at their texting devices for nearly 5 seconds -- enough time at highway speeds to cover the length of a football field. We've said it before, and it's worth repeating: Drive carefully out there. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road -- and your fellow drivers.

Texting Raises Crash Risk 23 Times, Study Finds
The New York Times in Yahoo! Finance July 28, 2009

Related Web Resource

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

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State and city officials are looking at ways to curb Baltimore, Maryland car accidents caused by speeding. In May, Maryland legislators passed a law which allows speed cameras to be posted within one half mile of schools and construction sites. Now the Baltimore City Council has voted an initial thumbs-up to installing speed cameras in those vulnerable places. If the measure passes, the speed cameras could start going up around Baltimore construction sites and schools by October.

Maryland law requires that signs be posted alerting motorists that the speed cameras are in use. Speed cameras snap photos of license plates of motorists going more than 12 miles per hour above the posted speed limit. A $40 ticket would then be sent to the address connected to the vehicle's license plate registration. The hope is the cameras will deter speeding drivers, who can cause fatal Maryland traffic and pedestrian accidents.

Baltimore and Maryland Speeding Fatalities
According to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 216 speeding-related fatalities occurred in Maryland in 2007. There were 47 Baltimore city traffic deaths that same year, and 72 traffic fatalities for all of Baltimore County. (Source: Traffic Safety Facts Maryland, 2003-2007, NHTSA)

A Maryland accident attorney may assist families in car, truck, and motorcycle accident cases where personal injury or death may have occurred due to someone else's reckless or impaired driving. In 2008, the National Safety Council (NSC) announced that it endorses automated enforcement measures to reduce traffic accidents nationwide, including the use of red-light cameras and speed cameras.

The NSC reports that school zones, construction work sites, and railroad crossings are particularly vulnerable when motorists run through red lights and exceed the speed limit. The safety advocacy group estimates that 15,000 people die every year and hundreds of thousands suffer personal injury due to motor vehicles speeding in these areas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to raise awareness of speeding as a public safety issue. Many motorists who believe "everyone speeds" don't think they will get a traffic citation if they're only driving 5 or 10 MPH above the posted speed limit.

Baltimore speed-camera measure advances
BaltimoreSun.com July 8, 2009

Speed Cameras' Image Enhanced
Senate Revives Bill to Allow Use of Technology Beyond Montgomery
The Washington Post, April 3, 2009

Related Web Resources

NHTSA: National Forum on Speeding

Wikipedia: Traffic enforcement camera

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Construction Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Workers Compensation , Wrongful Death

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A Baltimore County car crash that left two young people dead and another in critical condition is believed to have been caused by illegal drag racing, authorities report.

Two bystanders were killed and two suffered personal injury last Sunday when one car crashed into another on the westbound side of Interstate 70. Witnesses reported that a crowd had gathered to watch drag racers on the eastbound side of I-70 where the highway abruptly ends. Police had been observing this little-used area of the highway, which is tempting to amateur street racers. Cars parked on the roadside began to leave when they spotted the police cruiser. According to news reports, that's when a 2009 Chevy Impala struck the rear of a 2004 Chevy Cavalier.

The crash set off a chain reaction and two young bystanders on the shoulder of the road -- a woman age 22 and a man age 20 -- were struck and killed. A third bystander was struck and treated for serious personal injury and released, and a fourth was in critical condition at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

The stretch of highway where this fatal Maryland accident occurred is the result of a blocked expansion of the interstate into Baltimore city dating back to the 1960s. Maryland State Police and State Highway Administration officials are looking into ways to curb illegal street racing, including the use of video cameras and rumble strips.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ), there is no database of street racing related fatalities at this time. A report for law enforcement published by the DOJ (see link below) notes that illegal drag racing has been depicted in films for years, including Rebel Without a Cause, American Graffiti, and Grease, and most recently in The Fast and the Furious. Identifying drag racing locations -- such as this site in Baltimore County, Maryland where young lives of pedestrian bystanders were lost -- is among the steps the DOJ recommends for police and highway authorities who seek to curb illegal street racing in their states and communities.

Md. police look to deter racing after deadly crash
Examiner.com June 22, 2009

Related Web Resources

Racers Against Street Racing

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Street Racing: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The AAA has a new report on the hazards of teen driving, not only for the young drivers behind the wheel but to their passengers, people in other cars, and pedestrians. The report states that in fatal auto accidents involving teenage drivers, the majority of people killed are passengers and others involved besides the young drivers themselves.

As Baltimore Maryland injury lawyers, my partners and I are aware of what can go wrong when a young driver makes a mistake in judgment or loses control when operating a motor vehicle. Some national statistics from the AAA report:

• In the U.S. between 1998-2007, crashes with drivers aged 15 to 17 resulted in the deaths of 28,138 people.
• Of the total number killed, about 37% were teen drivers themselves, with 10,388 teenage drivers losing their lives in auto accidents.

Maryland Law and Teenage Drivers
Maryland car accidents involving teenage drivers are on the minds of our state's insurance officials and lawmakers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) made a statement before the Maryland Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings on Senate Bill 265 presenting research on the hazards of teenage driving—particularly when passengers are involved and when teens drive at night. From the IIHS statement:

• In Maryland, between 1998-2007, in fatal car crashes involving 16 to 19 year old youths -- 353 young drivers and 230 passengers were killed. About 39% of the deaths were passengers.
• When a Maryland driver is 16, the ratio in fatal accidents is about 50-50, with near equal numbers of drivers and passengers killed.

Since 1979, Maryland has had a graduated licensing law with nighttime driving restrictions for teenage drivers. Maryland also restricts the numbers of passengers these young drivers may carry. These and other safety measures can and do reduce fatal auto accidents in Maryland: The AAA reported that over the last decade, NHTSA data have shown a reduction in teen driver deaths as well as fatalities for others involved in teen driving accidents. Links for both the AAA report and IIHS statement are below.

Teen Drivers Pose Bigger Threat To Others
WBALTV.com Feb. 27, 2009

Related Web Resources

AAA Report: Teen Crashes: Everyone Is At Risk
People Fatally-Injured In Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving 15- to 17-Year-Olds

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
Statement before the Maryland Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings on Senate Bill 265:
Passenger and Nighttime Restrictions for Young Drivers

Posted by Jeff Butschky | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Have you ever been stopped in highway traffic while a medical helicopter lands to transport victims of a Maryland car crash to the hospital? It's a heart-stopping sight, and we can only hope that the helicopter gets the victims to the hospital in time. Now Maryland lawmakers are reevaluating the state's emergency medical services since a crash involving a state helicopter claimed four lives last fall.

The Maryland State Police medical helicopter program has been under scrutiny since a Sept. 27, 2008 crash killed four people in Prince George's County, Maryland. The helicopter was on its way to a hospital 25 miles away when it was diverted to Andrews Air Force Base in foul weather and crashed -- killing the pilot, a paramedic, a medical technician, and one of the car accident victims. An 18-year-old injured in the Charles County Maryland traffic accident survived the helicopter crash. Legislation is now being proposed that would separate Maryland law enforcement from rescue functions.

The subject of medical helicopter accidents has received national attention lately, as such accidents have been on the rise since the 1990s due in part to the closing of emergency rooms in rural areas and an aging US population. National and state safety officials are reconsidering whether some patients would be safer and just as well served by using regular ground ambulance transports. Triaging methods used by emergency responders are also being questioned.

Members of the National Emergency Medical Services Pilots Association attended a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing in Washington, DC, earlier this month, to discuss ways to prevent such tragic accidents. The NTSB reported 28 deaths in seven fatal medical helicopter accidents last year -- up from seven deaths in two crashes in 2007. Wrongful death lawsuits can follow such accidents, e.g., if the air medical transport companies are found to be negligent in the maintenance and repair of their aircraft.

MedEvac System Works for Marylanders
DelMarvaNow.com Feb. 14, 2009

Md. EMS Is Pressed To Share Triage Study
The Washington Post Feb. 2, 2009

Medevac Helicopter Crash Kills 4 in Maryland
FoxNews.com Sept. 28, 2008

Related Web Resources

Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems

National EMS Pilots Association

NTSB Helicopter Emergency Medical Services

Posted by Jeff Butschky | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A Baltimore County Circuit Court jury awarded a seriously injured woman $250,000 in damages after she was struck by a car while attempting to cross a Baltimore Beltway construction site on foot. The Maryland car accident that resulted in pedestrian Sandra Lee Meade being hit and seriously injured occurred at a construction site near the Baltimore Beltway on Dec. 3, 2003. Meade had parked her car on the southbound side of Westland Boulevard at Circle Drive in Baltimore, Maryland before planning to catch a bus to her job at the IRS. She was hit by a car while illegally crossing the street at a construction zone operated by Pennsylvania based general contractors Dick Corp.

The area where the pedestrian car accident occurred was under construction to widen the outer loop of the Baltimore Beltway, Route 695. Meade was crossing the intersection diagonally to catch a northbound bus when a car traveling south on Westland Boulevard struck her. The Maryland woman sustained lifelong brain and spinal cord injuries, and has been living in a nursing home since this terrible pedestrian car accident occurred. The driver was not named in the lawsuit, as the plaintiff's family felt he was also a victim.

Ms. Meade’s attorney argued at trial that the general contractor failed to keep the area safe for pedestrians, citing poorly placed barriers and confusing line painting. The jury concluded, however, that because the Plaintiff was crossing the street illegally, they could not hold the Dick Corp. liable for any of her injuries.

Fortunately, Ms. Meade's wise attorney had separately negotiated what is known as a "high/low agreement" with counsel for the Defendant. This type of agreement is legally binding in Maryland, and basically states that, no matter what result a Judge or Jury reaches, basic minimums and maximums of insurance coverage will apply. This one legal maneuver, by an experienced attorney, avoided the $ZERO verdict, which the Jury felt compelled to hand down, based upon Maryland's harsh law of contributory negligence.

Meade's original lawsuit sought $8 million in damages. The $250,000 she was awarded -- which her family must use to cover her lifelong medical and nursing home expenses -- represented the "low" end of the settlement. The bottom line here is that Maryland Law, especially the harsh doctrine of contributory negligence, can be brutal. That is why legal representation is so important to people injured in Maryland car and pedestrian accidents.

Woman Struck in Work Zone to Get $250K Maryland Daily Record, Nov. 16, 2008

Related Web Resource

WalkingInfo.org

Posted by Jeff Butschky | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Brain and Spine Injury , Construction Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Premises Liability , Settlements & Verdicts

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A Frederick County, Maryland prosecutor has indicated that charges will not be filed against Trooper Dale Derr in the November, 2006 death of pedestrian Randy Rakes. This despite an internal State Police investigation, concluding that Trooper Derr, 23, was driving 83 miles per hour on the shoulder of the road before he hit the 38-year-old Rakes, who died at the scene.

Rakes’ family has filed a $15.8 million civil lawsuit against both Trooper Derr and the Maryland State Police. In a final attempt to spur a more detailed and thorough investigation, attorney David Ellin of Baltimore City, has sent a letter directly to the offices of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, asking him to intervene in the case. Ellin noted that the statute of limitations for civil charges is about to expire because the accident happened nearly a year ago.

The accident occurred near Rakes’ Finksburg, Maryland home, but the case was turned over to Frederick County, Maryland prosecutors due to the policy of the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office not to handle cases involving Carroll County law enforcement officers.

Frederick County prosecutor Kirsten Brown told the Carroll County Times that a decision was made in May not to charge Derr because there wasn’t enough information to prove that the trooper’s speed caused the crash. Interestingly, the internal Maryland State Police investigation concluded that the crash likely could have been avoided if Derr had been driving closer to the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit.

The State Police are clearly protecting their own on this one. By way of additional information, young Trooper Derr wasn't speeding on his way to an emergency call, or to a horrible traffic accident, or other time critical function. Rather, Derr told investigators that he had just finished his shift and was driving to his barracks (without lights or sirens activated) to drop off paperwork when the accident occurred. In other words, he was wrapping it up for the day, and headed home thereafter. 83 mph on a shoulder for this? Give me a break. The Rakes family, and the citizens of Maryland, deserve much better from 'Maryland's Finest'.

Posted by Jeff Butschky | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents

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