Earlier this week, a fatal rear-end accident on Route 50 took the life of one man and injured four others. According to a report by the Capital Gazette, the accident occurred around 2:45 in the afternoon last Saturday.
Evidently, a Nissan X-Terra was heading east on Route 50 when it came up on a line of cars that had stopped due to an accident up ahead. The driver of the X-Terra did not see the stopped cars in time and—although he tried to swerve at the last minute to avoid a collision—crashed into the rear of a Toyota Corolla. The force from the accident slammed the Corolla into a nearby Jeep.
The Corolla had three people inside. The two in the front of the car were flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious injuries. The man in the back seat was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Two people in the Jeep suffered minor injuries but declined treatment.
The driver of the X-Terra was an off-duty Takoma Park Police Officer and the vehicle was registered to the department. An investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.
Maryland Highway Accidents and Distracted Driving
Some of the most serious accidents occur on highways due mostly to the speed at which drivers are traveling. With speed limits in the 60s, Maryland highways can be extremely dangerous because they can easily get backed up by rush hour traffic, an accident, or construction. Drivers need to always pay attention to the road ahead of them, but this is nowhere more true than on highways. Distracted driving is a key cause for many Maryland highway accidents.
Distracted driving is a broad term that encompasses any action that takes a driver’s attention away from the road. It may be talking on the phone, reading a newspaper, playing a game or texting on a cell phone, or putting data into a GPS system. Whatever the case, if it takes a driver’s attention away from the road it may constitute distracted driving.
It is important for accident victims to understand what distracted driving is, because it may be key in them being able to recover for their injuries from a negligent driver. For example, if an injured accident victim can prove that the accident they were injured in was caused by a distracted driver, they may be entitled to monetary compensation.
Have You Been Involved in a Distracted Driving Accident ?
If you or a loved one has recently been in an accident that you believe was caused by the other driver’s distracted driving, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. However, keep in mind that you will likely have to deal with insurance companies and their attorneys before you are able to recover a dime. To learn more about the process, and to speak with an attorney who will stand by your side throughout the entire process, call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Appellate Court Considers the Cap on Judgments Against Municipalities, Maryland Accident Law Blog, January 16, 2015.
Court Dismisses Accident Victim’s Case Based on Lack of Expert Witness Testimony, Maryland Accident Law Blog, February 23, 2015.