Baltimore Drunk Driving Accidents: The Risks and Your Rights to Compensation Under Maryland Law
Despite public awareness campaigns and increasingly tougher penalties, drunk driving remains a common cause of Baltimore car crashes. Our experienced Maryland drunk driving accident lawyers help clients in these cases and see firsthand the devastating harm they cause. Find out what makes impaired drivers so dangerous and how state laws impact your rights to compensation.
The Toll of Drunk Driving on Baltimore Roads
According to the Maryland Highway Safety Office, the Baltimore police arrest more than 1,500 drunk drivers each year. That averages to four per day. Ways in which being impaired puts other road users at risk include:
- Delayed reaction times prevent impaired drivers from braking or swerving in time to avoid a collision.
- Reduced vision impacts the driver’s ability to navigate and see other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, particularly at night or in poorly lit areas of the city.
- Impaired judgment leads to speeding, illegal turns, and other traffic violations, and makes drunk drivers more likely to flee a crash.
- Increased confusion and distraction can cause impaired drivers to drift out of marked lanes, cross the center line, or go the wrong way on a one-way street, a common cause of fatal crashes.
Drunk driving car accidents in Baltimore impact both victims and their families for a long time after. Filing an injury claim helps hold the driver accountable and get compensation for your losses.
How Maryland Law Impacts Baltimore Drunk Driving Cases
Under the Maryland Statutes, it’s illegal to operate a vehicle while impaired or with a .08 or higher blood alcohol content (BAC) level. If you or someone you love was hurt in a Baltimore drunk driving crash, here’s what you need to know about how state law impacts your rights in an injury claim:
- Dram shop liability may apply, allowing you to hold individuals and bar or restaurant owners responsible for overserving the driver.
- If they were uninsured or underinsured, your own uninsured motorist coverage may provide compensation.
- Maryland’s contributory negligence rule still applies in drunk driving cases, meaning insurers may try to argue that you were partly responsible for the crash.
Contact our experienced Maryland car accident lawyers as soon as possible after a drunk driving accident. We can begin gathering police reports, toxicology results, and other evidence to prove your claim.
Schedule a Consultation With Our Experienced Baltimore Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Drunk driving car accidents in Baltimore can cause devastating harm. At Maryland Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience helping victims in these cases, building strong cases against impaired drivers, and fighting for the maximum compensation under Maryland law.
To protect your rights, call or contact our experienced Maryland drunk driving accident lawyers today to schedule a consultation.
Sources:
zerodeathsmd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FY2024_Baltimore-County_PID_Final
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtr§ion=21-902
dls.maryland.gov/pubs/prod/CourtCrimCivil/Negligence-Systems.pdf
