Rockville Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident Law Blog

Injuries that occur in motor vehicle accidents are more severe when the accident victims are not wearing seatbelts. While it does not reduce the level of negligence that caused the collision, seatbelts can mean the difference between minor and severe, if not fatal injuries. The federal government established lofty standards for seatbelt use in 2010. Their objective was to have 92 percent of Americas literally restraining themselves in motor vehicles by 2020, whether they were driving or riding in cars. A Mixed Bag Of Seatbelt Statistics With data from 2012,

Continue reading The status of seatbelt use…

Tags: Motor Vehicle Accidents,

Few people will claim to be bad drivers. However, a recent study shows that drivers may not be as good as they think they are. In fact, they are likely inflating their acumen. Experts claim that the way you feel about your skills is irrelevant. Your driving is judged by how other drivers react to your abilities or lack thereof. A good barometer is to count the number of horn honks, flashing brights, and middle fingers directed at you. If these reactions occur on a regular basis while you drive

Continue reading So, you think you’re a good driver…

Tags: Motor Vehicle Accidents,

Drunk drivers continue to create deadly dangers on roads throughout the country. One-third of those under the influence while driving are the cause of fatal crashes. Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia received recognition as the lowest rates of fatal crashes involving drunk and drugged drivers compared to the rest of the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compiled 20 years of traffic fatality data in their study. From 1994 to 2015, Maryland came in ninth lowest (2.1 per 100,000), Virginia was sixth lowest (1.8 per 100,000), and the

Continue reading How safe are Maryland roads from drunk drivers?…

Tags: Wrongful Death,

We’ve all had the experience of driving tired. A cup of coffee helps, but there is no real substitute for 8 hours of sleep. But we all have busy lives, and sometimes driving tired is unavoidable. Unfortunately, the frequency with which drowsy driving occurs is staggering. Millions of accidents occur every year due to drowsy driving. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 8,000 people lose their lives in accidents involving drowsy driving every year. Every day, 83.6 million drive drowsy. That is why the NHTSA began a national

Continue reading New PSA campaign seeks to prevent drowsy driving…

Tags: car accidents, drowsy driving, drunk driving,

Adolescents being prone to reckless behavior would never be considered “breaking news,” particularly to those who continually interact with them. However, a recent study published in Developmental Science shows something far more troubling in the very DNA of young people. The new research confirms that teenage brains are wired to engage in risky behaviors that spike during adolescence. The study looked at more than 5,000 teens and young adults from the United States and 10 other countries. Researchers identified that “sensation seeking” peaks at around age 19. A young adult’s ability to

Continue reading Are teens more prone to risky behavior behind the wheel?…

Tags: Motor Vehicle Accidents,

Truck driver conduct can play a major role in truck accidents. There are a wide range of types of negligent conduct by such drivers which could sharply increase the chances of their truck getting into a crash. Skilled truck accident attorneys can provide guidance to victims of crashes caused by truck driver negligence when it comes to legal options. Now, autonomous vehicle technology may someday lead to trucks that have no drivers in them being out on the roads. However, a truck having no driver physically onboard may not mean

Continue reading In the future, might truck driving be done remotely?…

Tags: Motor Vehicle Accidents,

Anyone traveling on a cruise ship would assume that a vessel navigating the open waters with swimming pools on board would naturally staff lifeguards. Yet, the second most popular cruise line to Disney has failed in the past to keep watch over a popular leisure time activity. Following the drowning deaths of two eight-year-old boys in pools on their ships, one from Maryland in 2016 and the other from Texas in 2015, Royal Caribbean announced enforcement of a new water safety program. According to a statement, their objective is to “raise

Continue reading Are new safety protocols on cruise ships too little and too late?…

Tags: Wrongful Death,

Plaintiff’s lawyers and the medical industry have waged a continuous war over malpractice suits. Both sides have accused the other of seemingly unlimited power. However, in terms of lobbying dollars, trial lawyers spent $6 million in 2016, a mere fraction of the health care industries outlay of $563 million. It seems that the larger amount was well spent and may pay off. Medical professionals who are the subject of malpractice lawsuits may now see significant relief in the near future. On February 28, the House Judiciary Committee passed legislation that would cap

Continue reading Cap or no cap?…

Tags: personal injury,

Under a deadline established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to create an oversight board or lose five percent of their current federal funding, the Maryland Senate unanimously approved a bill to establish Maryland’s role in the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. The Fort Totten collision of two Metrorail trains in June 2009 killed nine and injured dozens of passengers. The event placed a bright spotlight on the inadequacy of the Tri-State Oversight Committee (TOC). According to the FTA, the now-defunct group’s ineffective oversight exposed passengers to substantial risk of injury

Continue reading Important steps taken to improve safety on Metrorail trains…

Tags: personal injury,

In the winter, car accidents occur far more frequently. This is particularly true in states that receive a substantial amount of snow and ice. Oftentimes, these brutal wrecks completely obliterate the vehicle. However, drivers and passengers inside can survive in spite of the dismal state of the vehicle. This has led many to ponder the question, “how do our cars keep us safe?” Why are cars safer now? Certainly, safety features like airbags, combined with more drivers and passengers wearing seatbelts, has contributed to the decrease. However, the construction of

Continue reading How do cars keep us safe?…

Tags: car accidents, vehicle safety,