Maryland Injury Attorney Blog

Maryland Hybrid Drivers : Pedestrian Accident Injury Liability Claims Up, Insurance Report Says

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:24:49 -0500

Hybrid vehicles are rising in popularity in Maryland and across the U.S., as more people seek to save money on gas with an environmentally friendlier vehicle. However according to a recent insurance industry report, hybrids vehicles aren't always as friendly to pedestrians. Liability claims for pedestrian accidents with hybrid vehicles are on the rise because people on foot -- as well as bicyclists -- may simply not hear them coming.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued a report late last fall stating that hybrids are actually safer than their non-hybrid equivalents when it comes to protecting motorists in car accidents. However the same cannot be said when pedestrians are struck by hybrids. The IIHS reported that hybrid vehicles are 20 percent more likely to be involved in traffic accidents with pedestrians.

A Baltimore County pedestrian accident injury lawyer works with individuals in cases where a person on foot has been struck and injured or killed by a motor vehicle. We're hearing more about pedestrian traffic accidents involving hybrid cars, whose engines are very quiet when the vehicle is in electric only mode. Unlike conventional gas burners that rumble along the Maryland roadways, hybrids running on all electric current may approach almost silently -- particularly for pedestrians who are wearing iPod headsets, and/or are texting or talking on their cell phones.

(Distracted walking is a related and increasing pedestrian traffic accident hazard, as more and more people on foot multi-task with their SmartPhones, unaware of the traffic around them.)

According to the IIHS report, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) examined 17 different hybrid vehicles as well as their nonhybrid counterparts, model years 2002 - 2010 -- which were involved in traffic accidents from 2004 to 2010, amounting to more than 25,000 personal injury claims. Their findings that hybrids are 20% more likely to be involved in pedestrian traffic crashes is in line with 2009 and 2011 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies, which concluded that "hybrids have a higher rate of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes than nonhybrids."

As Baltimore car accident injury attorneys, we've worked with families who've been devastated by pedestrian and auto crashes. Someone walking on foot or on a bicycle is obviously at a huge disadvantage when they find themselves on the same path as a motor vehicle. These types of pedestrian and bicycle accidents with motor vehicles can cause serious, debilitating injuries, including brain and spine injuries.

Maryland hybrid owners would be well advised to take it slow in Baltimore or anywhere that pedestrians are in and out of the roadways. They may simply not know your vehicle is driving close by. At the same time, pedestrians should pay attention to what's around them. No text message or iPod tune is more important than your life.

Sources:

Hybrids Chalk Up More Injury Claims for Pedestrians
IIHS Status Report, Vol. 46, No. 10, Nov. 17, 2011
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety news release

Pedestrian-Related Bodily Injury Liability Claim Frequencies, Hybrids versus their Conventional Counterparts (PDF)
Highway Loss Data Institute Bulletin, Sept. 2011

U.S. Highway Safety Group Green Lights Maryland Traffic Laws, While Noting Areas that Need Improvement

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:21:51 -0500

Though Baltimore County commuters might beg to differ, Maryland has recently been ranked as one of the safer states in the country for motorists. (See related Maryland Injury Attorney articles below.) Now a new study released by a national highway traffic safety advocacy group ranks Maryland among states given a "green light" for basic traffic laws on the books.

However many aspects of Maryland traffic laws and regulations could use improvement, as the study authors -- and experienced Baltimore County car accident injury lawyers -- would agree. Let's take a brief look at the study findings and recommendations.

Maryland's basic traffic laws were given "green light" passing grades by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. The group is comprised of consumer, insurance, health, safety, and law enforcement representatives and conducts a national survey of traffic laws by state every year. Its report titled 2012 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws looks at 15 basic traffic laws covering a range of safety areas, including use of motorcycle helmets and seat belts, texting while driving, Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs, child safety seats, and ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers.

States given a "green light" grade, including Maryland and our neighbors in Delaware and Washington, D.C., have 10 to 15 basic traffic laws on their books, including a primary seat belt law, OR 9 laws including primary seat belt enforcement AND an all-rider motorcycle helmet law. Other states with fewer traffic safety laws were given a "yellow light" grade ("caution"), such as Pennsylvania to our north. Those states given a "red light" ("danger") grade are "falling behind" in national traffic safety and law enforcement trends (sorry, Virginia).

While the coalition commends Md. for our traffic safety laws, it nonetheless identified several areas that could use improvement to prevent serious and fatal traffic accidents. These include…

Adoption of an Ignition Interlock Law to stop Maryland drunk drivers from operating their motor vehicles under the influence.

Several provisions to strengthen a Graduated Drivers Licensing program (known in Maryland as our Rookie Driver / Graduated Licensing System). These include beefing up restrictions on cell phone use while driving, passengers, and night time driving; as well as setting a minimum age of 16 years for gaining a Learner's Permit. Young, inexperienced drivers are at higher risk for being involved in serious and fatal auto accidents in Maryland, putting themselves, their passengers and pedestrians at risk.

None of the states surveyed by the Advocates for Highway Safety achieved a perfect score for all the basic traffic laws they recommend be on every state's books. As long-time Maryland traffic accident injury attorneys, we'll be interested see if Maryland adds teeth to any of our traffic laws (or adopts any new ones) in 2012. Related reading below.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney articles:

Maryland Car Accident Death Rates Down, But Many Traffic Safety Challenges Remain (Jan. 2, 2012)

Should Maryland Laws Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving Get Even Tougher? (Dec. 21, 2011)

The Number-One Killer of Kids and Young Adults in Maryland (Sept. 23, 2012)

Sources:

Highway Safety Laws Needed in Maryland
Saferoads.org

2012 Roadmap to State Highway Safety : Press Kit (PDF)
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Jan. 11, 2012

Related Web Resources:

Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration:
Maryland Traffic Safety Laws

Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration:
Maryland Driver's Manual (PDF)

Maryland Work Injury and Death Statistics Shed Light on Most Hazardous Occupations

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:52:10 -0500

Which are the most dangerous occupations in Maryland? What types of fatal work-related accidents occur most frequently? As we look ahead to 2012, it's worth looking to the recent past to consider Maryland workplace safety, accidents that happen on the job, and trends.

The answers may be found in the most recent Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) survey results, which are available to the public (see link below). Some highlights from the 2008 Maryland Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries…

> Nonfatal work related injuries and illnesses in Maryland declined in 2008, numbering at 75,000. Maryland is statistically one of the safer states in which to work in the U.S., with a "TRC" (total recordable case) incidence rate that's 12 percent below the national average. (Md.'s TRC rate was, for 2008, 3.7 injuries and illnesses per 100 equivalent full-time workers.)

That's the encouraging news.

However, as an experienced Hunt Valley, Maryland Work Accident Injury Attorney will attest, even one injury or death on the job is one too many. Where and how are workers statistically more likely to get hurt or killed in the course of their employment in Md.? According to the MOSH report…

> 60 work related deaths occurred in Maryland in 2008. Of those, four types of events claimed the most lives:

Falls to a lower level (such as falling from a ladder, roof, scaffolding, or other construction accident)

Workplace homicides

Contact with electric current (electrocution)

Highway incidents (which includes operating a motor vehicle as part of one's employment. That can include salespeople who travel by car to pay sales calls to clients, as well as long-distance commercial truckers hauling cargo across Md. highways)

Other types of fatal Maryland work accidents included…

Being caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

Pedestrian incidents (such as a pedestrian accident where a worker on a job site is struck by a vehicle or other traffic accident)

Aircraft incidents

> The Maryland construction industry sector recorded the most work fatalities, followed by the goods producing industry and the service industry.

A work related accident can involve both a Maryland Workers' Compensation claim as well as legal proceedings. This is why it's critical to contact an experienced work injury attorney as soon as possible. Please see our other resource links below for more information on Maryland work related accidents, Md. Workers Comp claims, and lawsuits in the State of Maryland.

Source:

Nonfatal Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in Maryland Decline in 2008, Research and Statistics
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; Division of Labor and Industry; Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH)

Related Maryland Injury Attorney Articles:

Maryland Car Accidents While at Work : How MD Workers' Compensation Works with a Motor Vehicle Accident Liability Claim

Maryland Workers Compensation: The Top 3 Reasons Employers Tell Injured Workers Not to File (And Why You Shouldn't Listen to Them) (July 2009)

Maryland Workers' Compensation Cost of Living Rate Adjustments for 2012 (Dec. 2011)

Maryland Work Injury Update: BLS Issues Revised Fatal Occupational Injuries Report -- Work Related Deaths on the Decline (June 2012)

Maryland Car Accident Death Rates Down, But Many Traffic Safety Challenges Remain

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 10:11:42 -0500

As a new year begins, it's worth noting some traffic accident statistics and trends for the state of Maryland. There's some encouraging news, but many Md. traffic safety and driving challenges remain.

A recent story reported by CBS Baltimore noted that Maryland traffic accident fatalities decreased by 10 percent last year. The report pointed to statistics for 2010 released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to NHTSA's findings, 493 motor vehicle crash deaths occurred in Maryland in 2010, compared with 549 in 2009.

A source from the Mid-Atlantic AAA reported that the decrease in Maryland car crash deaths can be credited to a number of factors. These include advances in automotive safety equipment such as air bags and anti-rollover technology, better road signage, as well as public safety campaigns targeting unsafe driving behaviors, including drunk driving in Maryland.

While this news is encouraging, experienced Hunt Valley accident and injury attorneys know -- even one traffic death on Maryland roads is one too many. While the old adage "Accidents can happen" may be true in some auto crash cases, so many traffic crashes are preventable. Let's take a look at a few of the major traffic safety challenges in Maryland.

Maryland Drunk Driving Accidents: Alcohol impaired driving remains a serious public safety concern, in Maryland and around the country. Drunk driving accident fatality rates go up around the holidays. NHTSA reports that 40 percent of US traffic crash deaths on major holidays involve alcohol-impaired driving, including those that occur on New Year's, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July. (Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System, General Estimates System, 2009 DATA SUMMARY, Sept. 2011)

Distracted Driving in Maryland: Though Maryland cell phone use while driving laws are some of the toughest in the country -- distracted driving, particularly texting while driving, remains a very dangerous practice. At present, Maryland law enforcement may only ticket drivers for texting if they're pulled over for some other primary offense.

Teen Drivers in Maryland: Young novice drivers are among the most dangerous on Maryland roads and highways. Teenage drivers lack the years of driving experience and maturity of adult drivers -- putting themselves, their passengers and other motorists at increased risk on Md. city streets, back roads and highways. The combination of teens, alcohol, and multiple passengers in a motor vehicle can be deadly.

Maryland Auto Crashes with Farm Equipment: Maryland's many miles of winding back roads can pose a challenge to urban and suburban drivers -- particularly those who aren't prepared to meet a tractor, combine or other agricultural vehicle, or livestock in the roadway. Car crashes with these farm vehicles and large animals can be disastrous.

Maryland Road and Highway Congestion: Maryland motorists, your driving frustrations are real. Road congestion in and around Baltimore County remains some of the most frustrating in the nation. A CBS Baltimore report named I-70 in Frederick, Md. the eleventh most congested roadway in the nation. Road construction, which will eventually improve Maryland highway driving, nonetheless poses driving accident hazards for motorists, road construction workers, and police working details in road construction zones. Parts of the Baltimore Beltway / I-695 were ranked 92nd most congested in the nation.

We've a long ways to go to make zero fatalities a reality on our nation's and our Maryland roadways. Have a safe and happy New Year.

Sources:

Md. Traffic Deaths Down 10 Percent
CBS Baltimore Dec. 8, 2011

New Road Congestion Study Names I-70 Nation’s 11th Worst
CBS Baltimore Nov. 15, 2011

Should Maryland Laws Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving Get Even Tougher?

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made a bold recommendation -- one that urges states to take another look at their driving laws and has the driving public talking about individual rights versus public safety.

In the wake of several fatal distracted driving traffic accidents, the NTSB proposed an all-out, nationwide ban on talking and texting on cell phones while driving. That would mean no talking on either hand-held or hands-free cell phones and no texting, for any drivers of any age, except in the case of an emergency.

The NTSB recommendation came following examination of a 2010 case in Missouri, where a young man who had reportedly been texting for several minutes crashed his pickup truck into a commercial truck that had slowed down for road construction -- setting in motion a chain reaction crash that involved two school buses. The pickup truck driver and a teenage passenger on one of the buses were killed, and close to 40 people were injured, some seriously.

Traffic safety advocates remind consumers that until recently, cell phones weren't even invented. However consumers today expect all the comforts and conveniences of home and office to travel with them when they get behind the wheel. Today's cars, trucks, and SUVs can come outfitted with GPS devices, in-car computers, DVD and MP3 players, satellite radios, and a host of other high-tech gadgetry. This makes your father's distracted driving -- eating a sandwich or fiddling with the radio -- seem rather primitive by comparison.

The NTSB asserts that cell phones and other hand-held devices have become a serious and deadly driving distraction, added on top of other risky distracted driving behaviors. As experienced Baltimore County, Maryland car accident injury attorneys, we'd agree with that statement. Driving on Maryland highways, city streets, and back roads is challenging enough without cell phones and texting in the mix.

Maryland Bans on Cell Phone Use and Texting While Driving
Maryland actually has some of the more restrictive laws in the country when it comes to cell phone usage and driving. Texting is outright banned for all drivers in Maryland, as is the use of hand-held cell phones. All cell phones are banned for novice drivers (under 18). However the all-cellphone ban does not, at this time, extend to school bus drivers in Md.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the Maryland "…General Assembly expanded its ban on texting to include reading them and not just writing them." However at this time, cell phone infractions are regarded in Maryland as secondary offenses -- that is, police cannot stop and ticket drivers for using cell phones as the primary offense. They can only do so if stopping motorists for some other primary offense. Time will tell if Maryland driving laws regarding cell phone use will become even stricter.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates some 4,000 traffic deaths occurred in the U.S. last year due to some form of distracted driving, including cell phone use and texting. Individual states must now decide how much weight to put on the NTSB's recommendation.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney article:

Baltimore County Democrat Pushing Maryland Bill to Toughen Distracted Driving Law (Feb. 2011)

Sources:

The NTSB's call for action
The Baltimore Sun Dec. 14, 2011

NTSB urges nationwide ban on cell phone use while driving
The Washington Post Dec. 13, 2011

Related Web Resources:

Governors Highway Safety Administration Dec. 2011:
Cell Phone Laws by State
Maryland Highway Safety Laws

NTSB: Highway Accident Report : Collision Involving Two School Buses

Maryland Workers' Compensation Cost of Living Rate Adjustments for 2012

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:33:32 -0500

What would happen to you and your family if you were hurt on the job and temporarily or permanently disabled? For construction workers, electricians, machinists, farmers, truck drivers, and others in high-risk occupations, surviving a Maryland work accident can be just the start of an uphill battle. Keeping up with day-to-day medical and living expenses, while recovering from a work-related accident, can be an enormous struggle for injured Md. workers and their families.

Harford County, Md. work comp injury lawyers know families may struggle just to get by in the wake of a work related accident. This is why we work hard to relieve injured Maryland workers and their families of the burden of dealing with their Maryland Workers' Compensation claims and well as related legal claims and lawsuits.

How much money can a Maryland injured worker expect to receive when filing a Workers' Comp claim on their own? The Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission posted its Workers' Compensation Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for the New Year. Let's take a look at a few numbers and consider what that could mean for injured Md. workers and their families.

In 2011, the cost of living adjustment for people with permanent total disability went down (by -.04 percent), after decades of yearly increases. That speaks to state of the economy AND the challenges for injured Maryland workers to receive ample compensation to get by. However…

The cost of living rate for people with total permanent disability will increase by 1.6 percent for 2012.

The Average Weekly Wage of workers covered by Maryland Unemployment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010 is $965.

However, an injured worker should not expect to necessarily receive compensation equal to 100 percent of their salary earned prior to the Maryland work accident. Here's where things can get very complicated, very quickly.

For example, for Temporary Total Disability and Partial Total Disability, the State of Maryland may award an injured worker, "Two-thirds of the employee’s Average Weekly Wage not to exceed 100% of the State Average Weekly Wage or $965.00." Rates for Permanent Partial Disability and Temporary Partial Disability are set at varying percentages, and compensation may be awarded for a certain number of weeks (e.g., less than, equal to, or greater than 75 weeks). Death Benefits are calculated with a separate formula considering the deceased employee's income, state average wage, and family dependents.

Peruse the Maryland Workers' Compensation documents referenced below, and you'll get an idea of how quickly things can become complicated for an injured worker in Md. When less money is coming in and medical bills start piling up, injured workers and their families can suffer financial hardship. This is why we strongly urge anyone hurt on the job in Maryland to contact an experienced Maryland Work Comp injury lawyer. We know the players -- including the Md. Workers' Compensation Commission, the insurance companies, and our colleagues in court -- and we know how to pursue the maximum benefits allowable by law for our clients.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney article:

How MD Workers' Compensation Works with a Motor Vehicle Accident Liability Claim

Sources:

Maryland Workers' Compensation Rates

Informational Notice: Annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA):
State of Maryland Workers' Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Rates (PDF)

MARYLAND WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION:
MAXIMUM RATE OF BENEFITS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2012 (PDF)

Feds Shut Down Maryland Trucking Company Due to Work and Driving Safety Hazards

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:06:12 -0500

How many large commercial trucks passed you on your way to or from work today? When a tractor trailer rumbles past you on the Baltimore Beltway or other Maryland highway, you probably don't think much about the driver's condition or the vehicle's maintenance record. You just assume the driver has had enough sleep and the truck itself is in good working order.

However the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does think about and regulate such highway driving safety issues.

The ability of big rig drivers to safely pilot large cargo-hauling trucks for long hours -- and the sound mechanical repair and maintenance of the trucks themselves -- directly impact the safety of both commercial truck drivers and the motorists who share the roads with them. This month, a Maryland trucking firm was ordered to cease operations immediately due to potential safety hazards.

The FMCSA issued a press release on Nov. 16, 2011, citing "Maryland-based Gunthers Transport, LLC an imminent hazard to public safety." The agency ordered the trucking company to immediately cease all transportation services, issuing an "imminent hazard out-of-service order against Gunthers following an exhaustive review of the company’s operations, which found multiple hours-of-service and vehicle maintenance violations."

As an experienced Baltimore County truck accident lawyer knows from work with clients in Maryland -- a commercial truck accident can be disastrous. The sheer size of these highway giants puts other motorists at a serious disadvantage when a commercial truck traffic accident with passenger cars occurs.

The FMCSA order to the Maryland trucking company prohibits them from operating within or outside the state of Md. The agency investigation cited the company for violations in several safety categories, including Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving, Driver Fitness, and Vehicle Maintenance.

Maryland work injury attorneys are familiar with Md. Workers Comp cases where drivers of commercial vehicles are injured during the course of their jobs. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates how many hours commercial truck drivers may work before they are required to log out and take a break. This is not only for their own safety but for those of the driving public who share the highways, city streets and back roads with them.

The Baltimore Sun reported that federal transportation authorities only occasionally issue orders for a company to cease operation due to safety infractions. In addition, the Sun reported that the Maryland trucking company in question had been under investigation by the Federal authorities for two years. The Sun cites a case in 1995 where the truck company president had been fined $170K and ordered to 30 mos. in prison due to falsifying records.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney articles:

Maryland Car Accidents While at Work : How MD Workers' Compensation Works with a Motor Vehicle Accident Liability Claim

Truckers Reality Show Reveals Hazards of Big Rig Hauling -- On Any Road

Sources:

Maryland Trucking Company Declared "Imminent Hazard to the Public," Ordered to Immediately Cease Operations
FMCSA Press Release Nov. 16, 2011

Md. trucking firm called 'imminent hazard,' ordered off roads
The Baltimore Sun Nov. 16, 2011

Maryland trucking firm called ‘imminent hazard,’ shut down
Fleet Owner Nov. 22, 2011

As Maryland Thanksgiving Traffic Increases, So Do Risks of Drunk Driving Accidents

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:08:14 -0500

When it comes to tragic stories about injury and death on Maryland roads and highways, an experienced Hunt Valley, Md. personal injury lawyer has heard plenty. Our job is to help grieving clients through the legal process when a loved one has been injured or killed in a traffic crash, and another party is held liable. The stories we hear are heartbreaking, especially when traffic accidents could have been prevented. Drunk driving crashes fall in this category. A moment of poor judgment can lead to a life of heartache and regret -- on all sides.

While the holidays are a joyous time, each one brings the risk of celebrants drinking too much and getting behind the wheel. With Thanksgiving being the most heavily travelled time of year, the risk of being in a serious Maryland car accident -- whether caused by someone driving under the influence of alcohol, distracted driving, speeding, or other risk factors -- increases. In fact, the volume of cars and trucks on MD roadways is expected to increase this Thanksgiving week.

AAA predicts a 3.5 percent increase in overall 2011 Thanksgiving travel (including auto travel, air travel, and travel by rail), The Baltimore Sun reports.

For Maryland, AAA projects that 871,000 residents will travel 50 miles or more between Wednesday and Sunday to get where they need to go for Thanksgiving. Of that number, a whopping 799,000 are expected to travel by automobile. That's a whole lot of Marylanders traversing the state via highways, city streets, secondary roads, and rural Maryland back roads -- many tired and in a rush. Throw alcohol in the mix and you can understand why the Thanksgiving holiday comes with additional road travel risks.

Car accident injury attorneys are naturally concerned about Maryland drunk driving (DUI) crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday week. Many people enjoy celebrating the holiday feast with some beer, wine, or cocktails. It's football season, and for many Baltimore Ravens and Md. college football fans, beer and games go together like chips and dip. The problem arises when people consume alcohol and then think they're fine to get in their cars and drive home or someplace else.

Maryland Drunk Driving Statistics
Roughly one in three traffic accident deaths in Maryland involves alcohol-impaired driving. While overall car crash fatalities in Maryland have statistically been on the decline -- 547 deaths in 2009 compared to 591 deaths in 2008 -- the percentage of deadly crashes involving drunken driving has risen -- from 25 percent (145 deaths) in 2008 to 30 percent (162 deaths) in 2009. (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland 2005 - 2009)

So be safe out there this Thanksgiving season. Maryland State Police will be out in force looking to stop motorists driving under the influence of alcohol, before they ruin their own -- or some other innocent family's -- holiday.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney articles:

Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents in Baltimore, Maryland This Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 22, 2011)

Lessons Learned Abroad: Why Auto Accident Death Rates Are Lower in Europe Than in the U.S. (Sept. 15, 2011)

Source:

AAA projects 3.5 percent holiday travel rise
The Baltimore Sun Nov. 18, 2011

Related Web Resources:

The Baltimore Sun: Commuting and Traffic Resources

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Working Overtime : Drowsy Driving a Serious Risk for Truckers and Other Maryland Motorists

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:55:50 -0500

Have you ever driven home from a long day at work or an evening engagement, yawning as the miles clicked by? Maybe you grabbed a cup of coffee to stay alert, or opened the car window to breathe some cold fresh air. Most Maryland drivers, if they're being honest, would admit to occasionally driving tired…when they'd prefer to be at home in bed, rather than navigating Baltimore County, Md. roadways.

This week is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. The AAA Foundation released a report that sheds new light on the problem of drowsy driving and risk of car accidents.

While nearly all Americans consider drowsy driving to be a serious safety hazard for themselves and other motorists (96% in the AAA study) -- one in three admits to driving drowsy recently. Those who admitted to driving fatigued weren't just talking about feeling a little bit tired: They said they had trouble keeping their eyes open on the road. In fact, the organization's research found that two out of every five drivers (41%) admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, with one in ten revealing this had happened in the past year.

It's tough enough navigating Maryland's back roads, Baltimore city streets, and area bridges and highways without wondering if the driver in the next lane is awake.

The AAA and other driving safety advocates compare the symptoms of drowsy driving to those of drunk driving in terms of risk for serious and fatal auto accidents. For example, drowsy drivers experience problems with vision, judgment, and reaction time. They may miss their exits or become lost and confused.

The problem of driving drowsy is a concern for all U.S. drivers -- particularly those who drive for work in jobs that require long hours on the road. This includes sales people, commuters who travel long distances to their office jobs, and some contractors. Commercial truckers are at particular risk, given their long hours spent hauling heavy cargo across the state of Maryland and the country.

Catastrophic truck accidents can and do happen when a tractor-trailer driver takes his or her attention off the road, even for a second. This is why the U.S. Dept. of Transportation regulates how many hours truckers may drive before they are required by law to take a break. The Hours-of-Service regulations put limits in place for when and how long commercial motor vehicle drivers may drive.

AAA hopes to raise public awareness about the hazards of drowsy driving for all motorists. Their study found that one of every six fatal automotive crashes and one in eight crashes causing serious injury involved a drowsy driver. As Hunt Valley, Md. accident injury attorneys, we're well aware of the risks of driving in our state. Staying alert is the first rule of defensive driving.

AAA and the National Sleep Foundation recommend being aware of the warning signs that you're just too tired to safely drive…and planning ahead so that you're not getting behind the wheel when you should be getting under the covers. See links below for further discussion and suggestions.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney article:

More States Follow Maryland Ban on Texting While Driving

Sources:

AAA Study: 1 in 3 Drivers Admit to Recent Drowsy Driving
TheTrucker.com Nov. 7, 2011

How to Avoid Drowsy Driving (PDF brochure)
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Related Web Resources:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
Hours of Service Regulations

National Sleep Foundation

When Police Officers Deliver Tragic News : Someone Has Been Killed in a Maryland Drunk Driving Accident

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:27:25 -0500

In our 20+ years of work as Baltimore County, Maryland drunk driver accident injury lawyers, we've seen firsthand the terrible toll drunk driving crashes take on individuals and families. In an instant, lives are changed forever. In 2009, 162 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes in Maryland -- an increase from the 145 Md. drunk-driving fatalities in 2008*. People who survive these crashes may suffer serious injuries, including debilitating brain and spine injuries. All because someone got behind the wheel and drove under the influence of alcohol in Maryland.

Baltimore County, Md. injury attorneys understand the grief families suffer when a drunk driving crash claims the life of a loved one. Maryland law enforcers also work with families who suffer tremendous loss in these traffic crashes. In fact, police are charged with the unimaginably difficult task of informing a family that a loved one has been killed in a drunk driving crash.

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) announced a new training program to help law enforcement learn how to inform families of a drunk driving related death. MADD found that police officers are often not adequately trained to deliver such unthinkable news. According to a MADD blog article:

A 2001 University of Florida study found that 41 percent of death notifiers had received neither classroom nor experiential training in death notification, although 70 percent had performed at least one notification. As a result, most victims report that this type of early interaction added grief to their experience, rather than making it easier.

MADD works to train law enforcement on compassionate ways to deliver death notifications and to offer families resources to deal with their grief. The organization recently announced plans to create an online course for Oct. 2012 that will help "train officers, first responders, social workers and medical personnel on how to compassionately deliver death notifications."

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) works to raise public awareness about preventing drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel. The organization lobbies lawmakers to strengthen laws against drunk driving. MADD's National President, Jan Withers, who comes from Maryland, campaigned to lower the illegal limit of blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers from a .10 BAC to a .08 BAC, both on the national level and in our state of Maryland. MADD also puts human faces on drunk driving fatality statistics.

As Sparks, Maryland DUI / DWI accident injury attorneys, we sympathize with our clients and with every family who has suffered a loss due to a drunk driver.

*Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland : 2005-2009 (PDF)

Related Maryland Injury Attorney article:

Maryland Governor Aims to Curb Drunk Driving Traffic Accidents and Deaths (Feb. 5, 2010)

Sources:

Preparing officers for a life altering task
MADD Oct. 26, 2011

Police trained in delivering tragic news
USA Today Oct. 25, 2011

Baltimore Grand Jury Indicts Two in Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Traffic Accident Deaths

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:16:41 -0500

According to local media reports, a Baltimore, Maryland grand jury has indicted a man and woman in a hit and run pedestrian accident that left two young people dead.

The Baltimore Sun reports that a man and woman from Anne Arundel County, Md., have been indicted in the deaths of two teenage girls. The teenagers were struck by an automobile while attempting to cross Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near I-395 in Baltimore City. A 28-year-old Maryland man has been charged with two counts each of automobile manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death, as well as one count of driving under the influence of alcohol. A 26-year-old woman has been charged as an accessory after the fact.

Families may consult with Baltimore County accident injury lawyers when loved ones are injured or killed in auto or pedestrian accidents -- including those cases that are tried in criminal court. In Maryland, civil lawsuits may follow car accident cases where criminal charges have been filed against the drivers and other parties. Suing for damages in the Maryland Civil Court System allows families who have been hurt to seek compensation from those held responsible. (See link to related Maryland accident attorney article below for more on how civil lawsuits apply to criminal cases in traffic accidents in Md.)

According to media reports in this case, it is unclear who was behind the wheel when this fatal car crash and pedestrian accident occurred in Baltimore, Md. Both individuals charged in this case reportedly had prior speeding offenses. Police reportedly stopped the auto in question after it fled the hit and run accident scene, when police noticed the vehicle was damaged. The teen pedestrians killed were reportedly friends and neighbors.

Speeding and driving under the influence are major causes of fatal motor vehicle accidents in Maryland. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2009, of the total 547 traffic crash deaths in Maryland -- 162 were alcohol-related driving fatalities and 184 were speeding-related traffic fatalities. The combination of alcohol and speed is deadly on our Baltimore streets and surrounding highways. For 2009, there were 113 pedestrian accidents in Maryland.

The issue of hit and run traffic accidents has been studied by law enforcement and psychologists, to determine the reasons why people flee the scene of an accident. Maryland motor vehicle law requires drivers to remain at scene of traffic accidents resulting in bodily injury or death (2010 Maryland Code TRANSPORTATION, TITLE 20 - VEHICLE LAWS - ACCIDENTS AND ACCIDENT REPORTS, Section 20-102).

Related Maryland Injury Attorney article:

Baltimore, Maryland Auto Accident Liability : Civil Lawsuits vs. Criminal Cases

Sources:

Indictments for pair in Md. hit-and-run that killed two
Associated Press in The Washington Post Sept. 20, 2011

1 arrested, 1 indicted in hit-and-run that killed two teens
The Baltimore Sun Sept. 20, 2011

Related Web Resource:

NHTSA Pedestrian Safety Portal

The Number-One Killer of Kids and Young Adults in Maryland

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:25:07 -0500

Maryland parents have a lot to think about. There's the rough economy, job security, the down housing market, and making sure their children get a good education. Then, there's the daily grind of getting kids to and from school as well as their numerous extra-curricular activities. When teens finally get their Maryland driver's licenses, it can come as both a relief to schedule-frazzled parents -- and another reason for worry.

Parents who think about their children's safety in motor vehicles on Maryland's highways, city streets, and rural back roads have cause for concern.

According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Administration,

"traffic crashes are the number one killer of people between the ages of 4 to 34.… Each year traffic crashes kill more people in Maryland than homicides."

In fact, Maryland public safety officials now use the term "crashes" rather than "car accidents," "truck accidents," "motorcycle accidents," etc. -- as they believe 90 percent of motor vehicle crashes can, in fact, be prevented. The latest data posted on the Maryland MVA website (covering 2003 through 2007) estimates a five-year average of 580 fatal crashes in Md. per year.

(Note: That yearly average of "580 fatal crashes" may now be a bit high, as fatal traffic accidents have been declining in Maryland and nationally. More recent statistics for Maryland support this trend. NHTSA reported 591 total traffic deaths in Maryland in 2008 and 547 deaths in 2009.)

However the Maryland MVA goes on to report statistics that show we still have a long way to go to reach zero deaths on our state's roadways. For the year 2007…

> Maryland experienced 100,943 motor vehicle crashes
> More than 50,000 people were injured and 615 killed in those automobile crashes

As experienced Baltimore County, car crash injury lawyers, we know of both the human and the financial toll these Md. accidents take on families.

The High Costs of Car Accidents
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report this summer estimating the total cost in the U.S. due to motor vehicle accidents to be an astounding $99 billion a year -- or more than $500 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. The costs incurred during motor vehicle accidents include medical care, emergency and police services, property damage, lost productivity, and quality of life. Cars and light trucks made up 70 percent of the accidents, followed by motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle accidents.

It's sobering to think that the number-one killer of kids and young adults in Maryland is motor vehicle crashes. Despite national and state campaigns to reduce that deadly toll, we still have more work to do to make driving in Maryland safer for everyone.

A Baltimore car accident injury attorney works with families when a loved one has been killed or injured in a Maryland car crash. An experienced personal injury lawyer is an absolute must, when dealing with the seasoned insurance executives and top-notch attorneys typically assigned to defend these most serious of claims.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney articles:

Heads Up Maryland Parents : Teen Car Accident Rates Go Down When Parents Set Road Rules

Maryland Highway Traffic Safety Gets a Green Light, But Teen Drivers Need Tougher Regulations to Prevent Auto Accidents

Sources:

Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration : Maryland Crash Statistics

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland : 2005 - 2009 (PDF)

CDC Study Finds Annual Cost of Motor Vehicle Crashes Exceeds $99 Billion

Lessons Learned Abroad: Why Auto Accident Death Rates Are Lower in Europe Than in the U.S.

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:18:09 -0500

There's been some encouraging news regarding U.S. traffic safety: National motor vehicle crash fatality numbers are down to the lowest levels in years (an estimated 32,788 deaths for 2010). The same holds true for Maryland auto accident deaths (547 fatalities in 2009).

The gains are attributed to a number of factors, including safer vehicles with more technology enhanced safety features; increased public awareness and usage of safety devices such as seat belts, child car seats, and motorcycle helmets; and greater enforcement of driving and traffic laws to prevent car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents from happening in the first place.

Traffic cameras are one tool that law enforcement uses to deter and catch speeders and other dangerous drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that Maryland is one state where traffic cameras are, in fact, discouraging drivers from speeding -- one of the leading causes of serious and fatal car crashes (see link to related articles about Maryland speed cams, below). The IIHS writes:

Institute studies in Maryland and Arizona found that the proportion of drivers exceeding speed limits by more than 10 mph fell by 70 percent and 95 percent, respectively, after cameras were introduced. Speeds also fell on roads outside the enforcement area (IIHS Status Report, Jan. 31, 2008).

As a Baltimore County wrongful death lawyer knows from work with grieving clients -- one death on the Maryland roads is one too many, and enough to change the lives of families forever. Despite the gains of recent years in preventing accidents and saving lives, the U.S. lags behind Europe in decreasing auto accident fatality rates even further. A Transportation Research Board (TRB) study that found that motor vehicle accident "deaths in most other high-income countries are dropping much faster than in the U.S."

In Europe, car accident fatality rates are lower per vehicle mile travelled, as compared to in the U.S. The study attributes the lives saved to wider acceptance and usage of traffic cameras, roadway design features such as roundabouts (rotaries), universal motorcycle helmet laws, lower illegal blood alcohol concentration levels and more frequent roadside testing for drunk driving, and a more aggressive approach to drivers who speed.

The study also noted that while U.S. federal, state, and local agencies all have a hand in driving safety programs -- European countries tend to have one central road safety agency that coordinates all programs. The IIHS quotes the TRB study authors: "No U.S. speed management program today is comparable in scale, visibility, and political commitment to the most ambitious programs in other countries." Countries beating us in the race to save lives on roadways include Australia, France, Sweden, and the U.K. Clearly there's much more work to be done in the U.S.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney Articles:

Deterring Baltimore County Traffic Accidents: Speed Camera Laws Go Into Effect (Oct. 7, 2009)

Baltimore Traffic Accident Prevention: Speed Cameras May Snap Offenders at Schools and Construction Sites (July 21, 2009)

Sources:

U.S. Trails Other Wealthy Nations on Road Safety Gains (PDF)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Status Report, Vol. 46, No. 7, Aug. 18, 2011

Achieving Traffic Safety Goals in the United States: Lessons from Other Nations
Transportation Research Board of the National Academies

No Job in Maryland Worth Dying For : BLS Releases Preliminary Work Related Fatality Data for 2010

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:16:26 -0500

Did you know that in the U.S., an average of 12 people die on the job every day? As an experienced Baltimore County work injury lawyer will tell you -- no one heads off to work in Maryland not expecting to make it home for dinner that night.

But for people in dangerous jobs, including shipyard workers, commercial truck drivers, farm and agricultural workers, and those in the construction fields, serious and fatal work accidents can and do happen in Maryland.

New Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that the U.S. as a whole showed little change in the overall number of workers killed on the job last year as compared to 2009. Preliminary results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries show that in 2010, an estimated 4,547 workers died from work-related injuries, down from 4,551 fatal work injuries in 2009. Some improvements…

--Fatal construction work injuries in the private construction sector declined by 10 percent in the past year, with an overall 40 percent reduction in construction work deaths since 2006. Fatal falls -- which account for a large number of construction related deaths, were down by 2 percent in 2010 (from 645 in 2009 to 635 in 2010).

--Homicides in the workplace were down by 7 percent to the lowest nos. ever recorded in this category, however women involved in workplace homicides increased by 13 percent.

--Transportation accidents decreased slightly in 2010 relative to 2009, but still accounted for nearly 2 out of every 5 fatal work injuries in 2010. Long haul commercial truck drivers are among those at risk of serious and fatal work-related accidents.

However some industries showed increased worker deaths. For example, fatalities in the mining industry rose last year, in part due to multiple fatality accidents, including the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana and the Upper Big Branch coal mine explosion in W. Va. In addition, work-related fatalities resulting from fires more than doubled from 53 in 2009 to 109 in 2010. Those are the highest numbers since 2003.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis made the following statement: "No worker should have to sacrifice his or her life to earn a living. When the Occupational Safety and Health Act [OSHA] was passed in 1970, the National Safety Council estimated that 14,000 workers died each year on the job. Now, with a workforce that has doubled in size, the annual number of fatalities has dropped significantly. But it's not enough. We cannot relent from our enforcement of laws that keep our nation's workers safe. One worker killed or injured on the job is one too many."

That last statement is echoed by Maryland workers compensation attorneys, who work with grieving families when a loved one is injured or killed on the job in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, or elsewhere in Maryland.

Related Maryland Injury Attorney Articles:

Maryland Workers Compensation: The Top 3 Reasons Employers Tell Injured Workers Not to File (And Why You Shouldn't Listen to Them)

Maryland Car Accidents While at Work : How MD Workers' Compensation Works with a Motor Vehicle Accident Liability Claim

Is Your Maryland Workplace Unsafe? OSHA Announces Plans to Improve Whistleblower Protection Program (Aug. 4, 2011)

Source:

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2010
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
News Release Aug. 25, 2011

Maryland Motorcycle Accident Fatalities : The Statistics Tell Part of the Story

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:00:00 -0500

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that Maryland motorcycle traffic accident deaths reached a five-year low in 2009 -- at 69 motorcycle crash fatalities in 2009, compared to 91 deaths in 2008, and 96 deaths in 2007. Data is still pending for 2010, although preliminary data released by the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) showed an uptick in motorcycle accident deaths in Maryland for the first nine months of 2010.

Other statistics of note, from the GHSA report:

> Motorcycle traffic accident fatalities for all of 2010 nationwide are expected to be 4,376 or fewer -- a decrease of at least 2% from the 4,465 fatalities of 2009.

> The year 2009 saw an encouraging decline in motorcycle accident deaths nationwide -- down by 16%. Prior to 2009, the US experienced 11 straight years of increases that more than doubled motorcyclist fatalities from 2,116 in 1997 to 5,312 in 2008. The GHSA credits the reduction in biker road deaths to state helmet laws, law and traffic enforcement, motorcycle operator training programs, and increased public awareness regarding driving safety.

> The GHSA study looked at the first nine months of the year. Maryland had 59 motorcycle accident deaths in the first nine months of 2009, and 61 motorcycle accident deaths for the same months in 2010. The numbers could go up as data for the remainder of 2010 become available.

> Use of DOT-compliant helmets dropped alarmingly in 2010, down by 13% nationally. Helmets can protect motorcyclists from suffering deadly and debilitating head injuries in traffic crashes.

(Maryland, it's worth noting, is among 20 states and Washington, DC, that have universal motorcycle helmet laws on the books. Some states only require helmets to be worn by younger riders and passengers, while still other states have no helmet laws at all. Helmet use remains higher in states with universal helmet laws, not surprisingly.)

Experienced Baltimore County motorcycle accident lawyers know from their work with Maryland clients -- motorcycle accident injuries can be devastating, and fatal. Motorcycle operators and passengers are physically more vulnerable when a traffic accident with a car, SUV, or truck occurs. Single-vehicle motorcycle crashes -- where the motorcyclist loses control of the bike and strikes the pavement, highway barrier, trees, or other objects -- also account for a large percentage of motorcyclist accident deaths (44% reported by NHTSA in 2005).

The GHSA theorizes that increased motorcycle travel could account for why the reductions in motorcycle accident fatalities have levelled off. The GHSA concludes, "To prevent an increase in motorcyclist fatalities in 2011, states should work to increase helmet use, provide motorcycle operator training to all who need or seek it, and reduce motorcyclist alcohol impairment and speeding."

Traffic accident statistics help law enforcement and public safety advocates get a picture of what's working to save lives, from state to state. But statistics don't always reveal the human side of the story. A Maryland motorcycle accident attorney knows from work with bereaved families -- even one motorcycle crash fatality is one too many. Given Maryland's alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased in 2009 (up to 162 deaths in 2009, compared to 145 deaths in 2008) -- we still have plenty of work to do when it comes to making Maryland roads and highways safer for automobiles, pedestrians, and motorcycles.

Sources:

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland: 2005 - 2009 (PDF)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities by State: 2010 Preliminary Data (PDF)
Governors Highway Safety Administration

Fatal Two-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes (PDF)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Sept. 2007

Related Web Resource:

Maryland Choose Safety for Life Campaigns : Motorcycle Safety