Winter driving presents its own particular danger to the driving public. Slippery conditions can lead to single-car or multi-vehicle accidents, while poor visibility can result in serious injury accidents as well. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney and Maryland motorist myself, I know the potential for property damage and physical harm that cold-weather driving can cause. Large trucks, such as semi tractor-trailer rigs, delivery trucks and heating oil tanker trucks can also pose addition danger on the road.
Earlier this month, a woman was injured in a trucking-related accident when her car was hit by a Garrett County snow plow operated by the county’s roads department. According to reports, Deanna Louise Schroyer, a 46-year-old Friendsville resident, was driving her GMC Sierra pickup truck along Bear Creek Road just before 10am when she apparently drifted into the oncoming lane just as the plow was approaching.
According to Maryland State Police, the Northern Garrett Rescue Squad and the Accident Volunteer Fire Department responded to the accident after being alerted by the Garrett County 911 center. Once on the scene they treated both drivers.
Schroyer was transported to Western Maryland Regional Medical Center in Cumberland following the crash with unknown injuries. The driver of the plow, 50-year-old Ricky Nugent of Grantsville, MD, was unhurt in the accident. He was reportedly driving a county-owned 2000 Sterling dump truck fitted with a snow plow for clearing roads in the area.
News reports indicate that the state police issued a citation to Schroyer charging her with failure to drive right of center.
Woman injured in snowplow crash, Times-News.com, January 7, 2010