Every driver on the road owes a duty of care to the other motorists with whom he or she shares the road. This duty encompasses a wide range of conduct. Some conduct is required under certain circumstances, and other conduct is prohibited. It is up to the motorist to know what to do and act appropriately in the circumstances. One of the duties all drivers have to others on the road is to stop and render assistance to anyone involved in a vehicle accident, regardless of who is at fault and whether it looked as though anyone was injured.
Truck drivers, with their large, cumbersome vehicles, are no exception to this rule. In fact, many duties and “rules of the road” are more strictly enforced against truck drivers, since they are commercial drivers. When a truck driver causes an accident, or is even involved in an accident that was not his or her fault, that driver must stop to exchange information with the other parties involved, as well as to determine if they need any medical assistance. If they do, the truck’s driver is legally responsible to help them obtain that assistance. This may mean just exchanging information if the accident is minor or calling 9-1-1 and waiting for an ambulance to arrive in more serious accidents.
A driver’s failure to live up to this duty may result in that driver being held liable for an accident victim’s injuries.
Police Still Looking for Garbage-Truck Driver Involved in Maryland Hit-and-Run
Earlier this week, a woman was killed when the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a large dump truck. According to one local news report, the accident took place on a Tuesday morning in Forestville, in Prince George’s County.
Evidently, the woman was exiting Interstate 495 on the Pennsylvania Avenue exit when her vehicle made contact with the garbage truck. It is not clear who caused the initial collision. After the two vehicles collided, the woman’s pick-up truck spun out of control and slammed into a pole. When emergency responders arrived on the scene, the woman was dead, and the garbage truck was nowhere to be seen.
Police immediately began an investigation into the whereabouts of the garbage truck, but they have not yet found the truck or the driver. They did note that it is possible that, because of the difference in size of the vehicles involved, the truck driver may not have known that he was involved in an accident.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Truck Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland truck accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Of course, prior to financial recovery, you must be able to prove that the other driver was in some way negligent in either causing the accident or leaving the scene prior to police arrival. In some hit-and-run cases, drivers may claim that they were unaware they were involved in an accident, and it is up to a dedicated attorney to prove that assertion false. For help understanding the law in this complex area, and to discuss your case and injuries with a dedicated truck accident attorney, call 410-654-3600 today and set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Tracy Morgan’s Tragic Accident Brings Truck Driver Fatigue to Center Stage, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published January 20, 2016.
Truck Drivers Will Be Required to Use Electronic Recording for Drive and Rest Times, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published January 13, 2016.