Front Impact Auto Accidents

Head on Car Crashes in Maryland

One of the most serious types of car accident cases our Baltimore County, Maryland personal injury law firm handles are head-on collisions — also known as front-impact crashes.

It’s the brute physics involved in these types of motor vehicle accidents that makes them so deadly. When a car is hit head on by another vehicle (or hits a stationary object head on), the velocity (forward motion) stops in an instant, exerting extreme force on the human body. When speed is involved, the crash scene of a head on collision is even more devastating.

That’s why when we hear, “There was a head-on collision…” on a Maryland news station, the words that follow usually describe driver and/or passenger deaths or injuries.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a front impact, side impact, or roll over accident, or other car, truck or motorcycle crash in Maryland, please contact an experienced Baltimore County personal injury attorney at The Law Offices of Butschky & Butschky, LLC today. Please don’t wait, as time is not your friend when it comes to auto accident insurance claims and lawsuits in the state of Maryland.

These cases can become complicated very quickly. Your case may involve proceedings in Maryland traffic court, criminal court, and civil court. The other driver’s auto insurance company will already have their attorneys working on their client’s behalf. Contact our experienced Baltimore accident injury attorneys today so we can get the work started to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family.

Call us in Baltimore City at (410) 625-1121 or toll free at (800) 722-6616. We have served the greater Baltimore, Maryland area and the Mid-Atlantic region for more than two decades.

Causes of Front Impact Auto Crashes

U.S. government data for 2009 shows that 33,808 people were killed and 2,217,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes across the nation. In Maryland, a total 547 deaths occurred due to traffic accidents in 2009. Crashes between two vehicles account for roughly one-third of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.

One scenario that can lead to a fatal head-on collision is when someone drives on the wrong side of the road (e.g., driving too fast on Maryland’s winding back roads), goes the wrong way on a one-way Baltimore street, or ignores “WRONG WAY” signs and goes up a highway onramp — and drives on the wrong side of the highway. Wrong way drivers account for 3.1 percent of fatal car, truck, and motorcycle crashes in the U.S.

Other factors that can lead to front-impact crashes are the same top 5 causes of all fatal car accidents in the U.S.:

• Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the posted speed limit (21.3 %)
• Failure to keep in proper lane (17 %)
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (drunk driving) (15.4 %)
• Distracted driving (including eating, talking on cellphones and texting) (9.3 %)
• Failure to yield right of way (6.8 %)

Though airbags and the car engine itself provide some protection in a head-on collision, these types of car accidents — particularly if speeding and alcohol are involved — are often fatal. Those who survive can sustain very serious, life-altering injuries, including broken bones, loss of limb, damage to internal organs, and brain and spine injuries. While “head-on collision” often refers to two cars colliding head on, it can also refer to a single-car accident — where the car, truck, or motorcycle drives head on into an obstacle (such as a tree, utility pole, guardrail, or building).

Other factors that could lead up to a front impact crash in Maryland include drowsy driving, negligent driving, making an improper turn, swerving to avoid an animal in the roadway (a concern for Maryland drivers who may encounter farm animals in the road), or obscured vision (due to rain, snow, sun glare, buildings, trees, or other obstacles).

(Source: FARS/GES 2009 Data Summary.)

If you or a family member has been injured in a front impact or other auto crash in Md., please contact our Baltimore County accident injury lawyers today so we can handle all the legal and insurance details for you, and advocate for your rights in the Maryland courts. You may be entitled to compensation and damages to help with lost wages and medical bills, and to ease your pain and suffering.

The Law Offices of Butschky & Butschky, LLC are headquartered in Sparks, Md., with an office location in Baltimore City. We are proud to serve residents of Baltimore County, Harford County, Carroll County, and Cecil County, Maryland — as well as the greater Mid Atlantic region. Call us for a free consultation today at (800) 722-6616. We look forward to discussing your case with you, and helping you go on with your life.