Maryland Bus Accident Lawyer: Megabus Crashes into Car and Kills One Person

          Yesterday morning, two people were in a car that was driving on I-695 and merging onto I-295 north. At that time, they lost control of their car and slid into other lanes of oncoming traffic.  A Megabus that was carrying 18 passengers on its way to New York City crashed into the vehicle.  The driver of the car was taken to shock trauma with serious injuries and the passenger became trapped in the vehicle.  Tragically, she later died at the scene due to her extensive injuries.

            Preliminary investigations do not appear to show any negligence on the part of the Megabus driver, but this accident does show the horrific consequences of accidents involving buses.  Just like large trucks and tractor trailers, buses are very large and powerful and cannot stop suddenly to avoid an accident.  In addition, a majority of buses do not have seatbelts for passengers to wear, therefore, in the event of a rollover accident, passengers have no way to protect or secure themselves.

Police are still investigating this accident to determine how and why the vehicle lost control and skidded all the way into the fast lane.  Fortunately, none of the 18 passengers onboard the bus were injured in this accident.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in a bus accident that is caused by the fault or negligence of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office location in Glen Burnie or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Bus-Accidents.shtml

Accident Involving School Bus in Frederick, Maryland Injures Three

            Yesterday, a school bus and another vehicle crashed in Frederick, Maryland at Route 355 and New Technology Way.  Three people were injured as a result of the accident.  Fortunately, none of the injured included children because the bus was empty at the time of the accident.  The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.

            

            This is yet another accident involving a school bus, which is a phenomenon that continues to increase in frequency.  Currently, there is much debate going on concerning seatbelts on school buses.  Many parents and officials believe that school buses should have seatbelts because they transport children of all ages who can easily be injured if the bus is involved in an accident.  Without seatbelts on school buses, when a bus is involved in an accident, there is absolutely nothing to keep the children from being flung all over the bus.  Just recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the first time is recommending school buses install three-point seatbelts.  In prior years, officials at the NHTSA had a firm stance that seatbelts were not necessary on school buses because they were safe without them.  There still is no federal law requiring seatbelts on school buses, but this change in the stance of the NHTSA on seatbelts in school buses is important to acknowledge.  It is certainly a step in the right direction to better protect our children on school buses. 

            

           Right now, it is up to individual states and school district to decide whether to install seatbelts on buses.  While the cost is high to add seatbelts to all school buses, it is small in comparison to the loss of innocent children’s’ lives.  It will be interesting to see how states respond to this change on the idea of seatbelts on school buses.  Maryland officials have indicated they do not have plans to require seatbelts on school buses any time soon.  As more and more accidents involving school buses occur across the state, and more and more children are injured or killed in these accidents, maybe Maryland officials will change their stance on seatbelts as well.

            

          If you have a child that has been injured or killed in a school bus accident due to the negligence or fault of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Frederick or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Bus-Accidents.shtml

Maryland Transportation Statistics Show Decline in Accidents

           The most recent statistics compiled by Maryland’s Department of Transportation show a decrease in the number of car accidents between 2013 and 2014.  For FY2013, 3,456 car accidents occurred on Maryland’s roads.  However, in FY2014, that number decreased to 3,052 car accidents.  Another interesting statistic is the total ridership numbers in FY2013 versus FY2014 for public transportation.  In 2013, the number was 119,259,611, the highest it has ever been, but in 2014, that number dropped to 113,803,902.  The drop in car accidents cannot be attributed to fewer people driving cars and choosing to take public transportation because total ridership decreased significantly.

            Preliminary numbers from 2013 for traffic fatalities in Maryland show 466 highway deaths, the lowest since 1961. (Note: 2014 statistics still being compiled).  The 2013 number is a decrease of 45 deaths from 2012.  Maryland continues to improve safety on its roadways by passing new laws to combat distracted driving and constantly improving highways and bridges.  With a goal of zero highway deaths on Maryland roadways, Maryland’s transportation officials and law enforcement are “encourage by the drop in traffic-related fatalities, but [know] there is still work to be done.”  Maryland’s plan to reduce traffic fatalities is the Strategic Highway Safety Plan.  This plan focuses on five areas: aggressive driving prevention, distracted driving prevention, highway infrastructure, occupant protection, and pedestrian safety.

            As police crack down on distracted and aggressive drivers, officials continue to improve roadways, and auto manufacturers continue to make cars safer, these numbers should continue to decrease over the next several years.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car, truck, or bus accident or has died as a result of their injury suffered in a Maryland crash, and would like more information, please call us at (301) 854-9000 for a free case evaluation or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml  

Silver Spring Transit Center to Finally be Completed in May

           Montgomery County’s public transportation is a popular choice, and in some cases an only option, for many Silver Spring residents.  Work on a proposed Silver Spring Transit Center began in 2008 with an expected completion date in 2010.  This new state-of-the-art transit center would service metro lines, MARC commuter trains, taxis, and buses, and would increase bus ridership by 7%.  However, the project ran into some serious problems with construction and design flaws.  The project is now four years behind schedule and $50 million over budget.  Although this new transit center will feature three floors and an organized layout for the various forms of transportation, it is still possible that with increased traffic there will be bus accidents.  Bus accidents often result in serious injuries because there are no seatbelts and buses can easily roll over in high impact crashes.

            The experienced attorneys at Portner & Shure have handled several bus accident cases, including school buses, public buses, and privately chartered buses.  Each type of bus accident has its own challenges, which is why it is crucial that you hire attorneys experienced in the area of bus accidents.  Common causes of bus accidents include: bus driver negligence, bus driver fatigue, failure to stop at a stop sign or traffic light, improper bus maintenance, and dangerous weather conditions.

            In addition, with the construction and design flaws of the new transit center, it is possible that someone could get injured if something is not properly repaired before the building opens.  Portner & Shure also specializes in personal injury cases where another party is at fault or negligent.  In these types of circumstances, our top-rated Silver Spring accident attorneys will investigate to determine if another party is at fault.  If the injury is due to a construction defect, your attorney must determine if the construction company knew of the defect and chose not to fix it, or if they just were not aware of the problem.  You likely have a stronger case if it can be proven that the construction company had knowledge of the defect and refused to repair it. 

            If you or a family member have been injured in a bus accident in Silver Spring, Maryland and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on bus accidents please feel free to contact our office at (301) 854-9000 or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Bus-Accidents.shtml