A Baltimore woman was killed earlier this month in Queen Anne’s County when a car struck the motorcycle she was riding.
State police reported that the collision occurred just before 9 p.m. on Route 18 in Kent Narrows, west of the intersection of Kent Narrows Way South. A Nissan Versa reportedly crossed the yellow center line in the road and struck the motorcycle head-on. Both the car and motorcycle caught fire after the collision.
Maryland State Police said that the driver of the Nissan was transported to a hospital in Queen Anne’s County for treatment. The driver and passenger of the motorcycle were both flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment. The passenger was listed as being in critical condition, while the driver of the motorcycle died a few hours later. The accident remains under investigation by state police.
Sadly, this accident is just one of many to occur within Maryland, and nationwide, in recent weeks due to a driver crossing over the center line.
Accidents such as this one are particularly tragic when they involved motorcycle riders, because, while any sort of collision provides a motorcycle rider with no external protection, a head-on collision arguably presents the most forceful impact of any other sort of collision.
Motorcycles also have a higher fatality rate per mile traveled as compared with automobiles. Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists’ risk of being involved in a fatal crash is 35 times greater than a passenger car.
According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), among the fatal crashes involving two vehicles (at least one of which being a motorcycle):
vehicles, 90 percent of the individuals killed were operators of motorcycles, 8 percent were the passengers of motorcycles, and the remaining 2 percent were occupants of passenger vehicles.
What these statistics clearly indicate is that when motorcycles collide with cars, tragedy is likely to occur, and in 90% of cases it is to the motorcycle driver.
In cases such as this one, where it appears that the driver of the Nissan was at fault, motorcycle riders may be entitled to damages for the negligence of the driver. Whether the actual cause was distracted driving or something else, failure to drive in a safe manner could result in liability, and ultimately garner compensation for the victims of the collision.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Maryland motorcycle accident, contact the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers immediately. Collection of evidence is key, and our attorneys can advise you how best to proceed. We have successfully represented many motorcyclists and their passengers who have been injured due to another driver’s negligence. Contact us today in order to schedule your initial complimentary consultation. You can reach us by calling 1-800-654-1949, or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Speed Possibly to Blame in Death of Motorcyclist on U.S. 1, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published August 7, 2013
Motorcyclist Remains Hospitalized Following Rising Sun Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 26, 2013