Right-of-Way Accidents

Drunk Driver Charged with DUI after Injuring Montgomery Co. Firefighter at Scene of Earlier Accident

October 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some of the most dangerous situations encountered on most any expressway, beltway or highway are construction zones and accident scenes where road workers or EMS personnel must perform their jobs in close proximity to passing cars and trucks. Despite caution placards and warning signs placed ahead of roadway construction zones — or flashing emergency vehicle lights and flares near active crash sites — some drivers are far too distracted to operate their vehicle safely, often completely ignoring the dangers of driving too fast through a reduced speed zone.

Many distracted or otherwise impaired drivers manage not to cause an accident; but sadly, many other violators are not nearly so lucky. Commuters who drive past long-term construction zones on a daily basis can become more annoyed by the situation and less concerned about the threat of pedestrian accidents along the roadside. And while motorists may be disdainful of construction sites as impediments to their daily commute, coming upon an active crash scene — with the attendant police vehicles, fire trucks and rescue personnel — most thoughtful drivers should understand the gravity of the situation and slow down to a safe passing speed.

Unfortunately, numerous police officers and firefighters are killed or injured every year by drivers who fail to slow down for, or yield the right-of-way to first responders. This sad and all-too-familiar scenario was repeated in early September this year along a stretch of I-495 in Silver Spring, MD, where State Troopers from the Rockville Barrack had responded to a late-night traffic accident between a semi tractor-trailer rig and Lexus passenger car, causing several lanes of I-495 to be closured down.

Court Determines Defendant’s “Wave On” Gesture to Plaintiff Was Not the Proximate Cause of Subsequent Car Accident

August 16, 2017 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Many of us have the experience of sitting in a busy intersection, when a motorist approaching in the opposite direction is attempting to make a left turn through what seems like a solid line of cars. In this situation, it is common for the turning driver to look at one of the cars in the line of traffic in hopes of getting some feedback about whether it is safe to proceed with the turn.

In a recent personal injury case, the court had to determine if a defendant’s “wave on” gesture was the cause of an accident that injured the plaintiff. The case is important for Maryland car accident victims to understand because it illustrates how Maryland courts may interpret the causation element of a personal injury case.

The Facts of the Case

The plaintiff was an on-duty police officer returning to the police barracks. The plaintiff was traveling westbound, and as he approached the barracks parking lot, he needed to make a left hand turn across two eastbound lanes of traffic. The defendant was traveling on the same road in the opposite direction.

Three Hospitalized in Route 155 Roll-Over Accident

August 6, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week near Havre de Grace, a two-vehicle accident on Route 155 sent three people to the hospital. According to a report by the Baltimore Sun, the accident occurred at 5:06, near where Route 155 meets Paradise Road.

Evidently, a woman driving in a Toyota Corolla was heading west on Route 155 when she tried to make a left onto Paradise Road. However, she failed to yield to an oncoming eastbound truck. The truck struck the Corolla in the middle of the passenger side of the vehicle, causing it to spin into the intersection. The truck careened out of control for a few moments before running off the road and up an embankment. The truck finally overturned, trapping the occupants inside.

The woman driving the Corolla was also trapped inside her vehicle and needed to wait for emergency crews to help get her out. She sustained a head injury and was admitted into a nearby hospital. The other driver, as well as his passenger, were also taken to the hospital for the injuries they sustained in the accident. Everyone is expected to survive.