Earlier this week in Prince George’s County, a fatal head-on collision occurred when one car crossed the center median and slammed into an oncoming car. According to a report by an ABC affiliate, the accident occurred early Monday morning on Route 210 near East Swan Creek Road. Evidently, a Cadillac was heading southbound on Route 210, Indian Head Highway, when it inexplicably began to shift lanes, eventually crossing into oncoming traffic.
As the Cadillac crossed into oncoming traffic, it crashed head-on into a BMW. Police and emergency crews immediately responded and took both adult male drivers to the hospital. The driver of the BMW was pronounced dead upon arrival. However, the driver of the Cadillac luckily suffered only non-life threatening injuries.
Police have not yet determined the cause of the accident, and an investigation is underway.
Head On Collisions in Maryland
Of all kinds of car accidents, head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous and have the highest fatality rate for obvious reasons. Most often, head-on collisions are caused by one of the following:
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
- Driving while distracted by a cell phone, passenger, etc.;
- Driving while groggy or falling asleep at the wheel;
- Poorly marked signage that doesn’t indicate the traffic pattern;
- Speeding around a curve; and
- Aggressive driving.
As you can see, rarely are head-on collisions free of fault. Whether the fault is on the part of a drunk driver or a municipality for failing to maintain safe signage, there is usually someone who could have avoided the accident.
Determining Fault in Maryland Car Accidents
In many cases, one party will be cited for a traffic citation after an accident. If so, that citation can be used by the accident victim to help prove liability on the part of the other driver. However, if there is an accident with no citation issued, that does not necessarily mean that no one was at fault.
In these cases, it is up to a jury to determine who, if anyone, is at fault for the car accident. Once the jury determines who was at fault for the accident, it is up to the jury to determine what kind of recovery the accident victim should receive.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Car Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland car accident, you should speak to an experienced Maryland car accident attorney as soon as possible to determine the strength of your potential claim. In many cases, plaintiff’s cases are much stronger than they initially believe. The only way to know for sure is to get an initial consultation with an experienced lawyer. There is no cost for the first visit, and in most cases you won’t be responsible for any of the legal bills unless you recover. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 to contact a dedicated Maryland accident attorney.
More Blog Posts:
Pylesville Single-Car Accident Leaves Passenger Dead
, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published May 1, 2014.
Drunk Driver Hits College Student in Baltimore County and Keeps on Driving, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published April 22, 2014.