New stats should certainly be enough to shake Maryland residents awake to the risks of a car accident on local roads.
Based on information from the Harford County Sherriff’s Office and local barracks of the Maryland State Police, 30 individuals died on county roads during 2012. This is a low estimate too, as accidents that prove to be a result of a medical issue were not counted. Also, victims who pass away from their injuries over 30 days after the crash are not included in this figure either.
While this is not the highest yearly total in the last decade, it is certainly not something to celebrate. The 30 fatalities represent a 25-percent rise in deaths since 2011. The spike in road fatalities likely has law enforcement searching for answers, and numerous victims and their families exploring their options in filing a civil lawsuit against negligent drivers in order to seek compensation.
One might have expected this to be an exceptional year on Harford County roads after the adoption of a traffic safety task force early in the year. A gruesome crash that killed three siblings prompted the County Council to act.
The chairman of the task force pointed out that the amount of crashes were actually on the low side in 2012, especially compared to the early and middle portions of the last 10 years. In fact, the number of crashes has continued to drop for the last six years.
Speed cameras have often been brought up as a means to lower accidents and subsequent fatalities. This measure has been shelved in Harford County, especially after such a system in Baltimore City garnered much criticism. No one on the county council seems to be in favor of using speed cameras.
While lawmakers sort out ways to make the roads safer, drivers benefit from knowing their rights when they’ve been tangled up in a wreck. Anyone who has suffered at the hands of a negligent driver is permitted to file a civil lawsuit against that individual and fight for compensation they deserve.
Source: The Dagger, Aaron Cahall, Jan. 19, 2013
