Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
Alcohol-impaired drivers are a major cause of car accidents throughout the country. Impaired drivers are extremely dangerous on the roads for a whole host of reasons. Drivers impaired by alcohol or other substances suffer from reduced levels of concentration and slower reaction times when processing their surroundings and actions. Additionally, drunk drivers suffer from poor hand-eye coordination and they are more likely to use poor judgment and experience memory loss while under the influence. These factors and other side effects of substance use greatly increase the likelihood of impaired drivers being involved in car accidents. Signs of impaired drivers on the road include but aren’t limited to, quicker than usual acceleration or deceleration, weaving across the road, erratic breaking, slow responses to traffic signals, or excessively slow driving (10 mph below the speed limit). When on the road, you should exercise extreme caution if you spot any of these signs from other drivers. In 2016, Maryland implemented stricter drunk driving laws throughout the state, including harsher penalties and an Ignition Interlock Program.
How Common Are Maryland DUI Accidents?
Unfortunately, Maryland sees a high share of alcohol-impaired drivers. Over the last five years, almost 800 people in Maryland have been killed in crashes involving impaired drivers and over 10,000 people per year die throughout the United States in alcohol-impaired crashes. Each year, tens of thousands of people are arrested throughout Maryland for drunk or impaired driving. Maryland currently deploys a specialized team of Maryland State troopers assigned to the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) to enforce impaired driving laws. Since 2013, State Troopers in SPIDRE have taken more than 4,000 impaired drivers off of Maryland roads. A recent news report detailed a fatal Maryland car crash.
According to the news report, the fatal accident occurred in the early morning on Tuesday, October 31, when a Hyundai Accent traveling East on the East West Highway at Morse Road in the Jarrettsville area crashed head-on into a Nissan work van. State police said the driver of the Hyundai Accent died at the scene. The 51-year-old driver of the Nissan work van involved in the crash was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. The preliminary investigation indicates that the Hyundai was traveling quickly on the East West Highway, passing multiple vehicles in a passing zone. At the same time, the van was traveling west and the vehicles collided head-on. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, police said. The road was closed for about three hours.
Do You Need a Maryland Personal Injury Attorney?
If you or a loved one has suffered injury or harm from a truck accident in Prince George’s, Charles, Baltimore, or Montgomery County, contact the lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen today for help. Our attorneys have many years of experience fighting for the injured and will work to provide you with the support, legal knowledge, and confidence to proceed with your claim. The costs stemming from injury or abuse can quickly become overwhelming, and having a team of experienced lawyers on your side can make all the difference. To schedule a free and confidential consultation today, contact us at 800-654-1949.