Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
The early morning hours of May 28 was not a good time to be traveling southbound on 301. According to a report by the Star Democrat, a truck driver was involved in an accident at around four in the morning that blocked all three southbound lanes near Millington.
Evidently, the truck driver got into an accident that resulted in the truck overturning in the middle of the highway. Responding officers cited the driver for driving under the influence. Due to the blockage of all three lanes of southbound traffic, traffic authorities had to come up with a detour. They chose to reroute drivers down Route 544.
A few minutes later, a truck driver stopped to ask police for directions because he was unfamiliar with the area. Police directed the driver to head west onto Route 544. However, as he did so, he was struck by another semi-truck. This accident blocked the intersection of Route 544 and 301, so a second detour than had to be arranged.
In all, no one was seriously injured in either of the two accidents. By 8 a.m., all affected roads were open, and traffic was allowed to proceed as normal.
Drunk Driving on Maryland Roads
Truck drivers, as professional drivers, should know better than anyone the dangers of intoxicated driving. However, each year there are hundreds of DUIs issued to those who hold commercial driver licenses. Of course, a conviction for a DUI can result in the revocation of a CDL, but in addition it can result in the liability for any and all property damage and personal injuries caused by the drunk driving accident.
In Maryland, regular drivers cannot operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater. However, truck drivers and all others with commercial driver licenses may not legally operate a vehicle if their blood alcohol content is .04 or greater. Depending on the person, this limit may be reached by consuming two to three drinks.
Liability in Drunk Driving Accidents
Thankfully, the law understands the difficulties of being a drunk driving accident victim and makes recovering for your injuries as easy as possible. By pointing to the fact that a truck driver was in violation of the law when he was involved in the accident, an accident victim can more easily make out his or her case for negligence. This legal theory is called “negligence per se.”
Have You Been injured By a Drunk Trucker?
If you have been injured in a DUI accident involving a truck driver, you may very well be entitled to substantial monetary damages to compensate you for your property damage and personal injuries. With the assistance of a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney, you may be able to make out a case for negligence per se by pointing to the law’s prohibition against drunk driving. To find out more about the Maryland laws that allow accident victims to recover for their injuries, click here, or call 410-654-3600 today to schedule your free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Residents Forced to Evacuate After Propane Tanker Accident, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published May 9, 2014.
Tractor-Trailer Runs Stop Sign and Crashes into School Bus, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published May 2, 2014.