Maryland Accident Law Blog
The National Transportation Safety Board is reporting that there was an increase in transportation-related fatalities in 2005.
According to preliminary figures released by the NTSB this week, from 2004-2005:
· Deaths from transportation-related accidents went up from 45,092 to 45,636.
· Highway transportation-related fatalities rose from 42,836 to 43,443.
· Motorcycle fatalities increased from 4,028 to 4,553.
· Recreational boating deaths increased from 676 to 697.
· A drop did occur in passenger car fatalities from 19,192 to 18,440.
The family of a person who has been killed in a transportation-related accident may be able to claim personal injury and file a lawsuit. Injured parties may even be able to claim punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the person responsible for the injury.
A person who has been injured in a transportation-related accident due to the negligence of another person may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Some injuries that can occur during transportation-related accidents:
· Burns
· Head traumas
· Nerve damage
· Spinal cord paralysis
· Limb amputation
· Broken or dislocated bones
A few traffic safety laws that have been established in the state of Maryland (Maryland State Highway Administration):
· Stay alert and give driving your full attention.
· Show courtesy to other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
· Comply with traffic laws, and heed all traffic signs, signals, and markings.
· Avoid driving aggressively.
Also according to the Maryland State Highway Administration website, Maryland has adopted a number of important traffic safety laws to ensure the safety of our citizens and visitors:
· Every child under 6 years old, regardless of weight, and every child weighing 40 pounds or less, regardless of age, must be secured in a U.S. DOT-approved child safety seat.
· Children and young people up to 16 years of age must be secured in seat belts or child safety seats, regardless of their seating positions. It is strongly recommended that all children ride secured in the rear seat.
· Drivers and front seat passengers, regardless of their ages, are required to wear seat belts. It is strongly recommended that all occupants wear seat belts.
· Motorcycle operators and passengers are required to wear U.S. DOT approved helmets. Operators must wear eye protection as well.
· Maryland law strictly forbids driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs. The alcohol concentration for DUI is set at .07, one of the lowest in the nation.
· Vehicles must stop for school buses when the buses’ red flashers are on (except when the buses are on the opposite side of a highway divided by a barrier or median strip).
· After stopping and yielding to pedestrians and other vehicles, a right turn or left turn from a one-way street to another one-way street may be made on a red signal-except where prohibited by a sign.
If you would like to file a personal injury lawsuit for a transportation-related accident that occured in Maryland or Washington D.C., contact the law firm of Lebowitz and Mzhen for more information or a free consultation.
Safety Board Reports Transportation Fatalities Up In 2005, Insurancejournal.com, September 18, 2006
Traffic Safety Laws, Maryland’s State Highway Administration
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