Earlier this month, a Maryland man was killed when he was struck by an oncoming car as he was attempting to make a left-hand turn. According to an article by the Baltimore Sun, the accident occurred shortly after five in the afternoon on Route 32, near the intersection with Livestock Rd.
Evidently, the motorcyclist was traveling south when a Jeep pulled out in front of him, attempting to make a left-hand turn from Livestock Road onto Route 32. The two vehicles collided, and the driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency responders. The driver of the Jeep was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police are conducting an investigation into the fatal motorcycle accident. Thus far, they have indicated that it seems that the driver of the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed immediately prior to the accident. Accident reconstruction data is not yet available to tell exactly how fast the motorcyclist may have been going.
Failure-to-Yield Accidents
One of the most common types of fatal motorcycle accidents is failure-to-yield accidents. These accidents occur when the driver of a car, truck, or other vehicle fails to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist, or doesn’t see a motorcyclist before it is too late.
Some of the most common types of failure-to-yield accidents involve the following:
- Merging onto the highway;
- Driving erratically through a parking lot;
- Disregarding a marked “Yield” sign;
- Failing to come to a complete stop at a four-way stop; and, perhaps most commonly,
- Negligently making a left-hand turn in front of an oncoming vehicle.
When a Driver Can Lose the Right of Way
For most drivers in most situations, the right-of-way is instinctive. We know to look to our left and right before making a left-hand turn onto another road. However, there are certain times that a driver may lose his right of way if he is in violation of another traffic law.
For example, in the example above, if the motorcyclist was traveling at too high a rate of speed that the oncoming Jeep could not reasonably anticipate the left turn was dangerous, the motorcyclist may have lost the right of way and may even be determined to be at fault for the accident. Of course, these situations are very fact-specific and require the eye of someone skilled in Maryland traffic laws to determine what outcome is likely. For questions, contact a dedicated Maryland motorcycle accident attorney.
Have You Been Involved in a Left-Hand Turn Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages. However, as discussed above, the laws that determine who is liable in personal injury accidents are often complex and hardly black-and-white. Often, the success of a plaintiff’s case depends on the quality of the representation secured. To speak with one of the dedicated and skilled attorneys at the Maryland law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, call 410-654-3600 today. We will not bill you for our time unless we are able recover for you in your case.
More Blog Posts:
Episcopal Bishop Asked to Resign After Involvement in Fatal Bicycle Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published February 26, 2015.
Motorcyclist Killed in I-795 Accident in Baltimore County, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published April 27, 2015.