Archive for the ‘ auto accident ’ Category

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8
May

Study Finds More Passengers In A Car Puts Teen Drivers At Risk

May 8, 2012

Many teens are ready to hit the roads for a summer vacation, and while a road trip with friends may be a rite of passage for some adolescents, it also has the potential to be deadly.

According to WTOP News, a new study conducted by AAA’s Safety Foundation has shown that the more passengers there are in a teenager driver’s vehicle, the higher the driver’s risk of crashing becomes. Researchers studied data collected from 2000 to 2010 and found that a 16 to 17 year-old-driver’s risk of being in an accident jumps by 44 percent when a passenger of the same age is in the vehicle.

The risk doubles when two young passengers are in the vehicle, and quadruples when more than three are in the vehicle. On the other end of the spectrum, the risk of having an accident decreases by 62 percent when a passenger 35 or older is in the vehicle.

The study also found that summer months are the most deadly time of year for teenagers. An average of 422 teens die each month during the summer, compared to an average of 363 that are killed during the remainder of the year.

How can parents protect their teen drivers from being involved in a Maryland Car Accident? The Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers suggest that parents limit how many passengers are allowed in their teen’s vehicle at a single time.

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2
May

Texting And Driving As Dangerous As Ever For Teens

May 1, 2012

Many Americans don’t understand the dangers of using a handheld device while driving. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, several new studies show that the use of these devices can be detrimental to a driver’s ability, especially among young and inexperienced teen drivers.

The first study examined whether the position of a cellphone while texting makes a difference in a driver’s ability. A total of 22 teens used a simulator to test their skills behind the wheel while texting under three different conditions. They first drove without using a phone. They then drove while texting and concealing the phone, simulating conditions in states where the use of handheld devices while driving are banned. Finally, they drove and texted in their preferred position.

Researchers found that texting teens, regardless of the phones position, were four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

More disturbing is the study that found teens who think about their cellphones while driving are more likely to be involved in a crash. The study polled results gathered from 384 University of Washington students and found that those with an emotional attachment to their phones were more likely to have been involved in car accidents.

The Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers suggest that the best way to combat this growing problem of Maryland Car Accidents is for parents to discuss the dangers of texting and driving with their children.

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13
Mar

Automakers Meet With DOT To Discuss Reducing Distracted Driving Risks

March 13, 2012

The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration estimates that 20 percent of all vehicle crashes resulting in injuries and 16 percent of all fatal crashes were attributed to distractions, such as GPS devices or cellphones. These estimates rose six percent over a four year time period.

In an effort to help curb these numbers, four major automakers met with Department of Transportation officials Monday to discuss new technologies that may help prevent drivers from becoming distracted. ABC 7 News reports that executives from BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, and General Motors were all in attendance at the meeting.

The hot topic of discussion at the meeting was new and improved guidelines for in-car devices that would eliminate a driver’s need to type an address into a GPS unit as well as block a driver from browsing the Internet.

Currently, most in-dash devices require an average of 10 glances, each averaging around two seconds, to process the information. Automakers are hoping to reduce that average to six glances.

“We need to take steps to prevent them from doing something that would take their mind, their eyes, and their hands off the task,” said Tom Bologa, a spokesman for BMW of North America.

The Washington DC Car Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers would like to remind motorists that texting while driving is illegal within the district and is never worth the fines and risk for potential accidents and injuries.

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24
Jan

Judge Upholds State Law In Maryland Wrongful Death Case

January 24, 2012

Justice will not come for one Maryland family until a state drunk driving liability law is changed. According to NBC 4 News-Washington, the parents of a 10-year-old girl who was killed by an over served bar patron who drove home after having 18 drinks, cannot file a $3.25 million lawsuit against the bar that over served the drunk driver because state law protects bars from being held liable for drunk driving accidents.

The accident happened in December of 2010, when a driver left the Dogfish Head Ale House in Gaithersburg, Maryland, after consuming large amounts of alcohol. Just after getting onto I-270 though, he collided with a Jeep. The crash killed the young girl riding in that vehicle.

Despite the upsetting decision Friday by the judge ruling to uphold the law, he did write a recommendation that the court of appeals examine the case further. The court of appeals could then overturn the decision, allowing victim’s families to hold an establishment accountable for over serving patrons when injury or wrongful death results.

The Maryland wrongful death attorneys with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers understand the importance of being able to prove liability in a wrongful death case. If you have lost a loved one because of someone else’s mistake, we may be able to help. Contact an experienced attorney today.

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19
Jan

Drunk Driver Hits And Kills Boy In Alexandria; Injures Mother

January 17, 2012

The man responsible for hitting and killing an 8-year-old boy in Alexandria, Virginia, Sunday afternoon, as well as severely injuring the boy’s mother, was due in court today to face charges of DUI Manslaughter and other crimes. Reports from ABC 7 News say the accident took place as the woman and boy walked westbound along Duke Street.

The Alexandria Police Department reported that the 22-year-old driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.15%, nearly double the legal limit, when he veered his 1994 Honda Accord of the right side of the road, just before the I-395 overpass. It was there that he struck the young boy and his mother. The child was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while his mother suffered broken legs and a fractured pelvis. She was taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where she was last listed in stable condition.

The driver remained at the scene of the crash and was arrested after failing field sobriety tests.

A judge ruled this morning that the driver would be held without bond until a trial can begin February 13. He will then face not only the DUI manslaughter charge, but also charges of DUI maiming, reckless driving and driving without a license following an investigation.

The Washington, D.C. Wrongful Death Attorneys with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers understand the difficulties families face after losing a loved one to an untimely accident caused by another person’s negligence. We’re here to help.

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3
Jan

Two Killed, Three Injured In Alcohol Related Maryland Crash

January 3, 2012

Alcohol is being blamed for an accident in Bethesda, Maryland, that took the lives of two young people and injured three others on New Years Day. According to WUSA 9 News, the car crash happened at around 3:00 AM Sunday along the westbound lanes of Jones Bridge Road.

Neighbors said they thought it was an explosion or a roof collapse that they heard when the driver of the 2007 White Chevy Trailblazer, driven by a 22-year-old man, left the road and went over a sidewalk and down an embankment. The SUV crashed through a fence before hitting a large tree head-on. A 20-year-old male in the front passenger seat was instantly killed in the crash, along with an 18-year-old girl who was in the rear passenger seat.

Two other passengers in the vehicle suffered non-life threatening injuries and were taken to nearby Suburban Hospital for treatment. The driver of the vehicle was critically injured in the crash and was airlifted to Shock Trauma in Baltimore to receive treatment. Charges are pending against the driver once he is released.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle accidents are the single leading cause of death for American teenagers. Of those accidents, they say that 60 percent were alcohol related.

The Maryland auto accident attorneys with ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers would like to urge parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of not only driving drunk, but also riding in a car with someone who has been drinking.

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6
Dec

Driver Injured In Tanker Crash Route 3

December 6, 2011

Disaster was narrowly averted Monday night in Prince George’s County after a tanker truck, box truck and car were involved in a collision. According to ABC 2 News, the crash happened at around 9:40 PM along the southbound lanes of Route 3 near Bowie, Maryland.

Prince George County Fire and Rescue Spokesperson Mark Brady said that 85 law enforcement and rescue personnel were dispatched to the grizzly scene on the damp and cold winter evening. The accident happened when a tanker truck carrying nearly 9,000 gallons of fuel was struck by two other vehicles and overturned. The impact of the collision caused the tank to rupture and nearly 100 gallons of fuel had spilled onto the highway. Luckily rescue and hazardous material (HAZMAT) crews were able to contain the area before a fire erupted. The area was cleaned up and traffic began moving just before rush hour Tuesday morning.

The driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries he sustained in the crash and was last listed in good condition. Maryland State Police are investigating the crash further.

The Maryland Truck Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo have decades of experience handling commercial vehicles accident cases. To better understand the dangers large trucks pose on the road, we ask that you watch the following video.  If you have been hurt and need guidance, contact us today!

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15
Nov

New Study Shows D.C. Drivers Are Slowing Down

November 15, 2011

A new study by the private auto-club, AAA, has found that speed cameras may not necessarily be the answer to making the District of Columbia’s streets safer, but rather, a combination of better engineering, education, and enforcement may hold the key. WTOP News reported that the study comes at a time just before city council is set to debate a citywide 15 MPH speed limit.

Researchers concluded from the culminated data that drivers are going slower along 70 percent of the roads they monitored over a four-year period at 193 monitoring stations across the city, including commuter hotspots Anacostia Freeway, Memorial Bridge, Canal Street, and 16th Street. The group also managed to highlight areas that have benefited from–and areas in need of–speed and traffic management techniques. Some of those methods included speed bumps and roundabouts.

The city says it has stepped up efforts in enforcement of speeding in the area by adding more patrols, while the city’s hundreds of speed cameras issued a half million tickets to drivers last year.

The Washington, DC Auto Accident Attorneys with ChasenBoscolo are encouraged by the conclusions of the new study and would like to urge drivers to continue to slow down; as it is the best way to keep yourself and others safe. If you have been injured in an accident at no fault of your own though, feel free to contact us immediately to discuss any questions you may have about your case.

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1
Nov

Two People Killed, Another Injured In Upper Marlboro Car Crash

November 1, 2011

Two people were killed and another person was hurt in a car accident Monday night in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. According to NBC-Washington, the crash happened just after 10:00 PM at the intersection of Woodyard and Perrywood Roads.

The 23-year-old driver of a 2009 Kia Spectra was racing north along the rural road when he approached another vehicle from behind and attempted to pass it, even though it was a no passing zone. Unfortunately, the young driver misjudged the time it would take to pass the vehicle and collided head-on with a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by a 52-year-old woman that was traveling southbound. Because a driver was following too closely and did not have time to stop, the initial impact of the two vehicles was immediately followed by the jarring smash of a 2011 Ford Fusion plowing into the rear-end of the Mitsubishi SUV. Both drivers involved in the head-on collision were declared dead at the scene of the crash. The driver of the Ford Fusion survived though, and was taken to an area hospital where he was last listed in stable condition.

Authorities believe speed and wet conditions were both factors in the crash.

The Maryland Auto Accident Lawyers with ChasenBoscolo often handle cases for accident victims who were injured because of another person’s illegal driving. If you have questions about an accident that happened to you, fill out our free initial contact request form.

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20
Sep

Death of Boy at Intersection Prompts Town to Call for Change

September 20, 2011

The death of a well-known high school student has prompted the community of Centreville, Maryland, to band together in an effort to persuade state lawmakers to make changes to the intersection where the boy died. According to WBAL 11 News, the intersection of Routes 301 and 304 has long been seen as dangerous and deadly to local residents and they say the conditions need to be addressed correctly.

The 15-year-old Queen Anne’s County resident was riding to school along with two other friends Friday morning when a car did not properly yield at the intersection. The collision caused the car the boy was riding in to careen off the road and slam into a guard rail. The student was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two passengers were transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma for treatment.

Nearly 700 community members have since petitioned state lawmakers to fund and build a bypass over the stretch of road that lacks stop signs. The State Highway Administration says an overpass is out of budget at an estimated cost of $60 million, but has begun plans to build J-turns in the area to slow traffic at a cost of $1.3 million to taxpayers. One area resident stated in defiance, “The J-turn is just going to move the problem, not solve it.”

The Maryland Auto Accident Attorneys with ChasenBoscolo help victims and their family members every day. If you have questions regarding an accident you were involved in, contact them today!

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