Maryland Law Blog

No motorist sharing the road with tractor-trailer drivers can make the trip entirely safe. However, there are safety tips that motorists can utilize to help avoid a collision with a large truck. Tractor-trailers can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Differences in visibility, maneuverability, and braking distances all make the rules for large trucks different than those for drivers of passenger cars. However, passenger car drivers can significantly increase their risk of a truck accident unless they follow a few simple rules for sharing the road safely.

1. Respect a truck’s blind spots. Trucks usually have large blind spots directly behind and in front of them, as well as on each side. Some trucks even post a diagram on the back of the trailer showing which zones to avoid. To maximize the chance a truck driver will see you, always stay where you can see the truck driver or the truck’s mirrors.


2. Do not brake suddenly in front of a truck. Trucks need considerably more space to stop than passenger vehicles. Always leave plenty of room between your car and a truck. If you are passing a truck, wait until you can see the truck’s entire front end in your mirrors before you move into the lane in front of the truck.


3. Never tailgate a truck. The back of most commercial tractor-trailers is so high that the hood of most passenger cars will pass beneath it. This deprives you of the safety provided by your car’s “crumple zones” and puts the point of impact on the windshield, directly in front of your face. Always leave plenty of space between your car and the truck in front of you. This space gives you room to stop and makes it easier for you to see upcoming hazards, as well as for the truck driver to see you.

Truck accidents occur every day on U.S. highways. Unfortunately, many prove fatal. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident with a large truck, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Washington DC accident attorneys at Meng & Alpert LLC. Our attorneys can fight to hold negligent parties accountable and get you the compensation you need to pay medical bills, compensate for lost wages, and much more. Call the personal injury lawyers of Meng & Alpert today at 866-444-6363 for a free and confidential case evaluation today.

On February 26, 2010 at approximately 11:20 p.m., a semi traveling along I-95 struck a husband and wife standing on the side of the interstate. According to a Baltimore Sun article, the couple had been traveling in separate vehicles along the highway when they pulled over and exited along the side of the highway. Investigators are unclear as to why the couple pulled over.

Based on the article, the 38-year-old husband, driving a Dodge Charger, exited his vehicle and reportedly went to meet his 39-year-old wife who was standing outside of her Dodge Durango along the northbound lanes of I-95 in Harford County. State police report that a tractor-trailer drove by and struck the couple while they stood together on the side of the roadway.

Although Emergency Medical teams rushed to aid the injured couple, the husband’s injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The wife was transported to Maryland Shock Trauma Center and was in critical condition. Police shut down the northbound lanes until early the following morning to investigate the cause of the truck crash in Maryland.

Continue reading "Semi Kills Husband, Seriously Injures Wife" »

Kaitlyn Wilson, 17, was killed in a car versus dump truck collision in Jefferson, Maryland, on November 5, 2008, according to this Gazette news article. Kaitlyn was a passenger in a Honda Civic driven by another 17-year-old, who suffered serious injuries, but survived. Police say the girls were traveling north of Holter Road and the dump truck was heading east on Route 180 when they collided. People who saw the horrific accident say the teenagers were trapped inside, but firefighters quickly extricated them from the vehicle.

According to the article, criminal charges are pending against the 17-year-old driver who police say did not stop at a red light at Jefferson Pike (Route 180). The car then ended up colliding with a State Highway Administration dump truck that was traveling east on Route 180. The dump truck was on top of the front passenger side of the Civic and had crushed Kaitlyn. Both the occupants of the dump truck suffered only minor or non life threatening injuries. Officials also said speed and alcohol were not factors in this Maryland automobile crash.

When you are involved in an auto accident of any kind, it is essential that you take prompt measures to preserve evidence, investigate the accident in question, and have physicians or other witnesses thoroughly evaluate any injuries. If you have been a victim of a recent Washington DC automobile accident, do not hesitate to call upon personal injury attorneys who are skilled and experienced in motor vehicle accident cases to assess your situation and determine the best methods for you to obtain any compensation available for the damages you suffered.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Maryland auto accident because of someone else’s negligence, please contact an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorney in Maryland as soon as possible. For more information on auto accidents, please consult our website.

Seven people were injured in a Howard County bus versus tractor trailer crash on southbound U. S. Route 1, according to this Associated Press news report. The crash occurred at Dorsey Road in Elkridge, officials said. The driver of the tractor trailer apparently attempted to make a wide turn into a gas station from the left lane and hit the Howard County transit bus in the process.

It is indeed fortunate that this serious truck crash did not result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Based solely on the facts presented in the AP Report, it appears that the driver of the tractor trailer may not have been paying attention to the bus as he made that turn into the gas station. If this turns out to be the case, the truck driver as well as the trucking company may be held responsible for the accident and injuries caused to the bus driver and passengers.

Police said the bus driver and six passengers including one child, were taken to an area hospital with non life threatening injuries. The driver of the big rig was reportedly uninjured. The truck driver has not been charged pending a police investigation.

Tractor trailer accidents can be devastating especially when they involve passenger vehicles. Tractor trailers can carry freight of up to 80,000 pounds, which makes these vehicles extremely large and heavy. These truck accidents in Maryland result in catastrophic injuries if not death, mostly to the occupants of the other vehicle. The occupants of the big rig are usually uninjured.

For more information on types of commercial truck accidents, please refer to our website.