We touched on this in a previous item, but the problem of hit-and-run automobile and commercial truck collisions is nothing to take lightly, especially in urban areas like Annapolis, Frederick and Washington, D.C. The question for more people is why would someone who apparently knows full well that he or she just struck another person with a motor vehicle not stop to lend aid or at the very least call 911 to report the incident and wait at the scene of the crash until the police arrive.
Personal responsibility, or the lack of it, is the underlying issue here. As members of society we all have a responsibility to our neighbors and fellow citizens. Without this basic trait, an individual shows that he may have less of an appreciation for life and the rules of a civilized society than those around him.
Of course, self preservation can be one explanation for running from the scene of a hit-and-run accident, especially one that proves fatal to the victim, but this is not looked upon by the community as a redeeming characteristic; nor does law enforcement or the judicial system find such behavior acceptable. As Baltimore car and motorcycle accident attorneys, as well as Maryland personal injury lawyers, we find it a sad commentary on our modern times when we see so many cases of fatal and near-fatal hit-and-run crashes across this state.
A recent article lists a number of serious traffic accidents that have occurred during the past year in the county. These accidents have killed numerous people and left others seriously injured. There is little excuse for the actions of those responsible, yet the list is bound to get longer as the year comes to an end. We can only hope that the trend my reverse at some point, but that is something no one can predict.
According to a news article, just since mid-July there have been more than six hit-and-run traffic accidents in Anne Arundel county, which took the lives of two individuals and injured another four people. These accidents included the following:
July 14 — A 41-year-old Glen Burnie bicyclist was injured during an early-morning collision along a stretch of Crain Highway near the intersection of Georgia Ave. The crash, which occurred in Glen Burnie, involved an unknown gray vehicle — maybe a Saturn or Chevrolet passenger car — that reportedly struck the cyclist from behind, after which the driver allegedly left the scene of the accident.
July 14 — A 25-year-old bike rider was killed at the intersection of Ritchie Hwy and Bon Air Ave. in Brooklyn Park. The victim, a local resident, was riding his bicycle across the roadway when he was struck by a black-colored sport utility vehicle heading northbound. Police believe that the SUV was either a Ford Escape or Jeep Liberty model with likely damage to its front-right headlamp, hood and windshield area.
September 2 — A 55-year-old pedestrian was struck and injured by a hit-and-run driver on a stretch of Generals Highway in Crownsville, MD. The local man was reportedly walking south along the right shoulder at the time of the impact. According to police the victim suffered severe leg injuries. Following the collision, the man had to crawl for a couple of hours to reach help at a nearby house. Police did not have a description of the vehicle that his the man on foot, however they believe that it may have been a yellow-colored vehicle.
Recent hit-and-runs in the county, HometownAnnapolis.com, September 29, 2011