Car Drives Off B-W Parkway Ramp in Greenbelt, Driver Arrested for DUI

           Early this morning, a woman drove her car off the northbound Greenbelt Road ramp on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.  After d riving off the ramp, the car crashed into a wooded area full of trees.  Police arrived after the accident and observed the driver stumbling as she walked.  As a result, police administered a sobriety test, which she failed.  The woman was then arrested for DUI.  Luckily, there were no injuries associated with this crash.

            

            There are drunk drivers on the road every day, yet it is impossible for police officers to catch every single one of them.  Unfortunately, a majority of drunk drivers are not caught and are therefore never penalized for driving under the influence of alcohol.  Oftentimes, the drunk driver crashes into another vehicle or into a pedestrian, causing severe injuries to an innocent person. 

Fatal car accidents that are attributed to drunk drivers happen far too often in Maryland.  The state’s Department of Transportation has a goal of zero deaths on Maryland’s roadways, and they continue to work tirelessly to improve the roads and make them safer for drivers.  Drunk driving related deaths are the worst kind of accident-related death because someone makes an irresponsible decision to drive drunk and then an innocent life is taken away because of that.   Losing a loved one in a fatal car accident is devastating for any family, especially when it could have been prevented.  No amount of money will ever replace losing that person.  In a wrongful death case, the law allows for surviving estates to collect a financial recovery when a negligent party is held liable for the cause of the death.  Compensation for damages can include: loss of services, loss of future income, mental anguish, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and punitive damages.

            

            If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of a drunk driver and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Greenbelt or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

Drunk Driver Kills Another in Head-On Crash Near La Plata and Waldorf

           A 20 year old volunteer firefighter was killed in a devastating head-on collision last night on Route 425 near Tim’s Lane in La Plata, Maryland.  According to Police, alcohol was a factor in the accident for the other driver.  The victim had been a member of the Nanjemoy Volunteer Fire Department for the last five years.

            After investigating the accident, Police determined that a Chevrolet Silverado truck driven by a 23 year old man was heading north on Route 425, but was not driving in a straight line nor staying in a single lane.  As the victim was driving south on Route 425, the truck collided head-on into the victim’s car.  As a result, the victim’s car was thrown off the road into a field, while the truck stayed on the roadway.  The victim died at the scene and the truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

            According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), current data shows there have been 141 drunk driving fatalities in Maryland, which is actually down 13.5% from the prior year.  Last year, legislators strengthened the interlock device laws requiring their use by anyone convicted of drunk driving with a child passenger in the car.  MADD hopes that in 2015, the legislators pass a law requiring ignition interlock devices be used by all drivers who are convicted of drinking and driving with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08.

            Drunk driving fatalities are one of the most preventable types of deadly accidents that occur on the roadways.  A driver avoids this problem by simply not driving if he or she has been drinking alcohol.  There are so many alternative methods of transportation nowadays so that people should never feel the need to have to drive themselves home after drinking.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a drunk driver in Maryland and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on personal injury cases please feel free to contact our office at (301) 854-9000 and schedule an appointment at our office in Greenbelt or throughout Maryland, or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/