Automobile Accidents

September 15, 2024

Back to School 2024: Maryland School Zone Related Traffic Laws

Summer has once again gone by too fast, and — to the chagrin of Maryland’s school-aged children — school is back in session.

For Maryland kids and parents, back to school means adjusting to new schedules, getting used to new teachers, reconnecting with classmates, and growing up just a little bit more. For Maryland motorists, it also means being aware of school buses back on the road and children walking to and from school, moving quickly on and off the sidewalks.

Unfortunately, in the U.S., school transportation-related traffic accidents account for an average 111 deaths a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Young pedestrians are particularly vulnerable: Between 2012 and 2021, more than half (53 percent) of school-aged pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes were between 5 and 10 years old.

Maryland school zones and school buses have a specific set of traffic regulations to ensure school children get to and from school safely. Let’s take a look at some current Maryland traffic laws designed to protect school children on and off the school bus and in and around school zones.

April 28, 2023

Do new automotive technologies prevent traffic accidents?

by Jeff Butschky

Anyone who has purchased a new motor vehicle in the last 10 years knows these sure aren’t your grandparents’ trusty old sedans. Today’s driver assistance technologies are designed to make driving easier and safer, with the potential to save thousands of lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2020, sadly, 38,824 people died in motor vehicle crashes — many of which were tied to human error.

Today’s car tech includes warning systems that alert drivers to potential accidents before they happen, as well as collision intervention systems that can react and brake faster than a driver. We even have driving control assistance technologies designed to keep our cars a safe distance from others and make sure we’re staying in our lanes.

How are these new automotive technologies impacting driving safety? Continue Reading

July 18, 2022

Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident Fatalities Up During COVID-19 Pandemic

by Jeff Butschky

In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer vehicles were on our nation’s roadways, as people worked from home, schools and businesses closed their doors, and states issued stay-at-home orders and other emergency restrictions. Now, two-and-a-half years into dealing with the coronavirus, professionals are returning to their offices, schools are back to onsite learning, businesses have resumed operations, and public health restrictions have eased or been lifted.

If life is getting back to normal, then why are motor vehicle accident fatality rates the highest they’ve been in years? This disturbing national trend can be seen here in Maryland, where 255 auto accident deaths have already occurred as of July 1, 2022, according to Zero Deaths Maryland.

October 29, 2021

Top Cause of Maryland Traffic Accidents? You Guessed It: Distracted Driving

by Jeff Butschky

Maryland’s cell phone laws prohibit the use of hand-held cellphones and texting while driving. Despite these strict laws, we still see plenty of people talking on their phones and texting while driving. And that’s not all. Distracted driving includes anything taking the driver’s attention off the road, including eating; reading a book or newspaper; adjusting onboard infotainment systems; shaving, putting on makeup, and other act of personal grooming; attending to pets and children; and a host of other distracting activities.

Today’s modern vehicles have all the comforts and conveniences of home and office. Unfortunately, all these distractions can lead to auto accidents that could have been prevented.

Zero Deaths Maryland reports 115,916 Maryland traffic accidents in 2019, with 32,918 injury crashes and 48,656 people injured in those accidents. The group also reported 82,503 property damage crashes in 2019. With all the ways drivers can be distracted in their automobiles, it’s no surprise to learn that distracted driving is among the top causes of auto accidents in Maryland. While not the sole cause of accidents with injury and death on our roadways, distracted driving is at the top. The latest data from Zero Deaths Maryland shows…

September 23, 2021

Auto Accident Deaths Rise During COVID-19 Pandemic, Despite People Driving Less

by Jeff Butschky

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that despite people driving less during the COVID-19 pandemic, motor vehicle accident fatalities have actually increased.

NHTSA estimates for 2020 show that 38,680 people died in U.S. motor vehicle traffic crashes — the largest projected number of fatalities since 2007. This figure represents an increase of about 7.2 percent over the 36,096 crash fatalities reported in 2019.

This rise in traffic accident deaths is in contrast to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) report that overall vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2020 decreased by about 13.2 percent, compared to miles traveled in 2019. The decrease in driving during the 2020 coronavirus crisis can be attributed to a number of factors, including…

July 13, 2021

Maryland Auto Accident Injury Insurance Claims Still Moving Slow Due to COVID-19

by Jeff Butschky

In late May, we reported on how the Maryland courts have continued to move through their phased reopening plan. The good news is during Phase V, the courts have resumed full operations (with some social distancing and public health safety measures still in place), including jury trials — many of which had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The not-so-great news is despite the Maryland courts’ efforts to get back to business as usual (which can move at a glacial pace), insurance claims continue to be backlogged. This can be a source of great frustration for Marylanders with auto accident injury claims. Being injured due to another driver’s negligence or recklessness is bad enough. Waiting for insurance claims to be processed and badly needed compensation payments to be made just adds insult to injury.

This is one more reason why we urge anyone with a motor vehicle accident claim to consult with an experienced Maryland injury attorney who knows how to deal with the insurance companies. The current backlog of insurance claims is due to a number of factors….

December 17, 2020

New Maryland Motor Vehicle Laws for 2020 Now in Effect

by Jeff Butschky

Several new Maryland motor vehicle laws went into effect on October 1, 2020 — on issues ranging from motor vehicle insurance coverage to license plate border violations, to electronic sales of motor vehicles, and emissions law exceptions for active duty military personnel.

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) reports of the 300 bills it monitored in the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session, 35 have a direct impact on the department, its customers, transportation-related issues, and potentially—your driving. Here are a few of the new Maryland traffic laws now in effect.

November 25, 2019

Maryland Thanksgiving Week Traffic Predicted Highest Since 2005

by Jeff Butschky

Maryland road warriors… If you’re heading out of town or state for Thanksgiving, expect plenty of company. AAA reports that nationally, motor vehicle travel for Thanksgiving week 2019 is expected to increase by 3 percent compared to last year – with some 49.3 million cars hitting the road in the U.S.

Sounds inviting? AAA Mid-Atlantic reports that the majority of Marylanders traveling for Thanksgiving will be hitting the road – with 1,042,500 residents (91 percent of state travelers) getting to their destination by auto. To avoid a motor vehicle accident or other problems on the road this Thanksgiving, AAA and the Travel Channel offer some good-sense travel advice…

August 30, 2019

Maryland Driver’s Licenses and the Real ID : One Million Drivers Need to File Documentation

by Jeff Butschky

If you’ve heard about the Real ID but aren’t sure what it is and whether you have one, you’re not alone. However, this directly affects your Maryland Driver’s License, and if you haven’t filed the required documentation, you may be at risk for having your license recalled. Here’s some information about what the Real ID is and what you’ll need to do to be compliant.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. Congress passed the Real ID Act establishing federal standards for drivers’ licenses and ID cards. Tragically, 18 of the terrorists responsible for this heinous act were able to board the airplanes they hijacked using state IDs obtained fraudulently. Now, everyone will need a Real ID license or ID card for certain federal activities, such as entering a federal building or boarding a domestic commercial flight.

According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) website, “Enforcement of the REAL ID Act at the card level begins on October 1, 2020. Maryland has been Real ID compliant since 2011.” However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notified the MVA that nearly a million Maryland drivers have not filed the required documentation for their Real ID driver’s licenses to be compliant.

June 11, 2019

Warning Maryland Parents: AAA’s “100 Deadliest Days” for Teenage Drivers Underway

by Jeff Butschky

School’s out for summer! And that means more novice teenage drivers out on our Maryland back roads, city streets and highways. For parents and all Maryland motorists, this should be cause for concern.

The AAA reports that novice drivers are at greater risk for serious motor vehicle accidents, with an average of nearly 700 deaths in the U.S. each year from traffic crashes involving teen drivers. According to AAA, the school summer vacation period between Memorial Day and Labor Day represents the “100 deadliest days” on our roadways. In the last five years—during this deadly time frame—nearly 3,500 people have been killed on our nation’s roadways as a result of auto accidents involving teenage drivers.

AAA lists some of the risk factors that can lead to teenage drivers being involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents: