Earlier this week in Charles County, a fatal motorcycle accident claimed the life of one man when he struck the rear side panel of a car that was turning left in front of him. According to a report by Southern Maryland News Net, the accident occurred on Brandywine Road and Carriage Crossing Lane shortly before 8:30 in the evening on May 16th.
Evidently, a Mercedes was heading south on Brandywine Road and was attempting to make a left turn when it was struck in the side rear panel by a Honda motorcycle heading north on Brandywine Road. A third vehicle, a PT Cruiser, also became involved when it ran into some debris caused by the accident.
Emergency crews responded immediately, but the driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two drivers were not transported to the hospital and did not suffer any serious injuries.
Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident to determine who, if anyone, was at fault and if drugs or alcohol were involved.
Determining Fault in Left-Turn Accidents
Left-turn accidents are fairly common, especially on major roads with high speed limits. For the vehicle turning left, it is often difficult to determine how fast the approaching car is traveling. This makes it difficult to determine how much time a driver has to complete the left turn.
In general, the driver making the left turn must yield to any other vehicles traveling in the opposite direction on the same road. This is even the case if the vehicle traveling straight through the intersection is running a yellow or red light. The left-turning vehicle must yield to the other car. However, there may be an exception to that general rule if the car that is continuing straight through the intersection is speeding.
By speeding, the car traveling straight through the intersection may lose the right-of-way and actually be at fault for the accident. However, this determination is one that is often difficult to make without having a witness to the accident.
In any event, determining the fault of a left-turn accident is not always as cut and dry as it may seem. Therefore, if you have been involved in a left-turn accident, you should speak to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to gain a better grasp on whether you may be entitled to recover from the other driver.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If yo or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland motorcycle accident that you believe may have been the fault of another driver, you should speak to a dedicated motorcycle accident attorney at the Maryland personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The dedicated personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen have the experience and knowledge needed to bring almost any Maryland personal injury case, including those based on motorcycle accidents. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Fatal Motorcycle Accident on I-95 Claims One Young Man’s Life, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published May 5, 2014.
Driver Kills Motorcyclist While Texting and Driving and Fined Only $500, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published May 19, 2014.