Earlier this week, a Thurmont family was sent to the hospital after being involved in a serious accident with a dump truck. According to a report by Your4State.com, the accident occurred on Route 15, near the intersection with Route 26 in Frederick County, Maryland. Evidently, around 2 a.m., the family was traveling down Route 15 when they slammed into the rear end of a dump truck that had stopped in the middle of the road. The dump truck had stopped at a construction site.
All four members of the family were taken to the hospital, three by helicopter and one by ambulance. The driver of the dump truck was also taken to the hospital, but only with minor injuries.
Police are still investigating the cause of the accident, and have not yet determined who was at fault for this serious dump truck accident. However, it is known that the part of Route 15 where the accident happened is experiencing some road closures. What is unclear, however, is whether a closed road was unmarked.
Construction Zone Accidents
In Maryland, there are hundreds of miles of road under construction at any one time. Aside from the other dangers inherent in driving through or near a construction zone, there is also a danger of getting involved in an accident with one of the construction vehicles that is working on the project.
Construction vehicles, like other large trucks, big rigs, and tractor trailers, have the potential to cause enormous damage due to their size and weight. These machines should only be operated by those who have experience operating heavy machinery in order to decrease the risk of something terrible happening.
Dump trucks, in particular, pose additional threats because they often carry extremely heavy and unsecured cargo in the back of the open bed. On occasion a dump truck will drive over a large bump and lose some of their load, spilling it on the road. This can wreak havoc on another motorist’s vehicle, or cause them to get into an accident while trying to avoid the debris on the road.
The dump truck accident described in this case, however, seems to involve a vehicle that was stopped in the middle of the highway. While the story is incomplete as to why that may have occurred, one thing is for certain: if construction vehicles are going to be stopping in the middle of the road, that road should have been closed, or at the very least, signage should have been made visible. If it wasn’t, this may lead to liability due to negligence on the part of the responsible party.
Have You Been Involved in a Construction Zone Accident?
If you have been involved in an accident in a construction zone in Maryland, you should speak with a dedicated Maryland truck accident attorney as soon as possible. It may be that the truck driver, construction company, or even the municipality who hired the crew are liable to you for the damages you sustained as a result of the accident. To learn more about the accident laws in Maryland, contact one of the skilled Maryland personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Truck Driver Side Swipes Police Cruiser on Capital Beltway, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published June 27, 2014.
Trucker Gets into DUI Accident on 301, Another Trucker Gets Hit on the Detour, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published June 6, 2014.