Over the last two days, at least people have been killed in Washington area motor vehicle crashes. AAA says that we currently in the deadliest driving period of the year through the Labor Day weekend. Part of this can be attributed to there being so many people on the road driving long distances because its the summer holiday season. Unfortunately, reports AAA, some motorists that are in vacation mode may forget to be as vigilant while driving, which can lead to fatal DC car crashes.
On 4am on Friday, a driver of a 2004 Mercedes-Benz lost control of the vehicle in a Southeast Washington car crash. The auto hit a utility pole before bursting into flames. The bodies of two juveniles were retrieved from the vehicle. That same day, a St. Mary’s County motorcycle crash claimed the life of Devin Sweeting, who sustained multiple pelvic fractures when his bike left Route 5, hit a cement culvert, skidded on its side for approximately 170 feet, before hitting a utility pole. Sweeting was pronounced dead at a Baltimore hospital.
Several hours later, two people died in a Montgomery County car crash that also involved the vehicle leaving the road and bursting into flames. Not long after that an adult and a teenager were killed in a Prince George’s County SUV accident on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The vehicle went off the road before crashing into a large tree. Five other kids and one adult were transported to local hospitals in critical condition. One of these children, a 3-month-old baby, was later pronounced dead.
Single-Car Crashes
Washington DC car crashes involving just one auto can be just as deadly as motor vehicle crashes involving two vehicles or more. Common causes of DC single-car crashes:
• Speeding
• Road defects
• Poor weather conditions
• Auto defects
• Distracted driving
• Texting or talking on a cell phone
• Driver inexperience
• Drunk driving
An experienced Washington DC personal injury law firm can help you determine who should be held liable for the single-car crash. In some cases, it is a negligent driver. In other instances, the motorist was not at fault at all and crashed the vehicle because other parties were careless, reckless, or made other mistakes.
8 die in Washington area vehicle crashes, The Washington Post, August 13, 2011
Related Web Resources:
District Department of Transportation
Washington DC Traffic Information, Federal Highway Transportation
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
More Blog Posts:
Chevy Chase Driver Found Guilty of Negligence Homicide in Washington DC Car Crash that Killed Howard County Woman, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, June 28, 2011
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in Anne Arundel County taking Toll on Maryland Pedestrians and Cyclists, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, August 8, 2011
Baltimore Auto Accident News: Maryland Woman Dies in Single-car Anne Arundel County Rollover Crash, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, August 11, 2011