When an emergency vehicle blares signals or flashes its emergency lights, it’s a cue for other vehicles to get out of the way. Accidents involving emergency vehicles happen at a substantial rate for various reasons. Emergency vehicles include ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars. Emergency vehicles may be traveling at higher speeds in order to respond to emergency situations and also may have to maneuver through traffic to reach their destination.
As such, this can lead to accidents involving other cars, trucks, and pedestrians. Some studies have shown that there’s an increased risk of crashes when emergency vehicles put on their lights and sirens. It may be an instinct to start to panic when emergency lights are blaring, and it may lead some to make sudden maneuvers in order to get out of the way of emergency vehicles. It is always important to pay close attention to surroundings, including checking mirrors if driving a vehicle and listening for any emergency sirens. Additionally, it is important to check your surroundings and to safely pull to the side or move out of the emergency vehicle’s way in a safe manner.
According to the National Safety Council, in 2020, 180 people died in crashes involving emergency vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, the majority of these deaths were occupants of non-emergency vehicles. In recent news, an ambulance was transporting a patient in Malta, New York when there was a collision with a box truck. The box truck attempted to make a U-turn when the ambulance slammed into it. In addition, snowy conditions on the road prevented the ambulance from stopping. The ambulance slid into a ditch and caught fire after the patient was removed from the vehicle. The patient and ambulance crew were taken to a local hospital by another ambulance for treatment of injuries. Fire crews put out the fire.
Who is liable for ambulance accidents?
In any accident, including truck accidents, determining fault can be a tricky thing to do. With ambulances, it can be even trickier to determine who is responsible for an accident, especially given that some ambulances are operated by government agencies while others may not be. Because the law can be tricky, having a personal injury attorney experienced in handling these types of suits can be essential to helping you recover damages.
Have You Suffered Injuries in a Maryland Truck Accident?
If you or someone you love has suffered injuries after a truck accident in Maryland in Prince George’s, Charles, Baltimore, or Montgomery County, contact the lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen LLC today. Our firm has attorneys with years of experience handling some of the most complicated personal injury cases, and our attorneys are ready to use their expertise to help you. Figuring out which steps to take in a lawsuit can be daunting, but you don’t have to figure this out alone. Contact us with any questions, and see if we can help with your claim. Call us today at 800-654-1949 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.