Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

During the winter months, Maine roadways often experience freezing temperatures that bring snow, ice storms, and black ice. Many motorists adjust their habits when the weather is visibly dangerous; however, some dangerous conditions are not apparent. One of the most threatening conditions is black ice. Drivers are more likely to experience serious injuries in a Maine car accident caused by black ice. Although some of these accidents are unavoidable, many involve some degree of negligence.

Black ice forms when snow or moisture in the air rapidly freezes and attaches to the frozen pavement. Freezing rain usually traps air and becomes visible on the roadways; in contrast, black ice is usually clear and unnoticeable. In some cases, black ice forms naturally; however, in other situations, black ice forms because of some defect in roadway maintenance. Poorly maintained or designed roadways can make black ice more likely to occur. Black ice usually occurs after mild rainfall on roads that are at a higher elevation or do not get direct light. This is especially concerning because areas that do not get direct light are often around a curve or near large trees. Drivers often approach these areas suddenly and do not have time to control their car from spinning.

For example, a recent Maine news report described a black ice accident involving several collisions. According to police, a truck slid on black ice and crossed a center line, hitting a Jeep. Shortly afterward, three other black ice crashes occurred within minutes of each other. The most serious accident occurred when a sedan rolled over after the driver lost control after skidding on black ice. The icy road conditions resulted in four injuries.

Following a major Maine car accident, local authorities or police may work with professional reconstruction teams to establish a timeline of events and to figure out how the accident took place. Figuring out what caused an accident, whether it be negligence, illegal activity such as driving under the influence, or distracted driving, can be valuable for both parties to have on hand when filing insurance claims, considering lawsuits, and potentially securing criminal charges against the at-fault party if applicable.

According to a recent news article, a major car accident left a woman dead in its wake. The two vehicles crashed head-on, but local authorities are still investigating and claim the true cause of the accident may not be determined for a while. Police and firefighters worked with a professional accident reconstruction team to identify the timeline and events leading up to the accident. Following the collision, three people were transported to a local hospital with varying degrees of injuries, and one driver had to be extracted from their vehicle by firefighters. The accident remains under investigation.

In car accidents, however, investigations may often take a long time because of a lack of evidence. If there were no witnesses, nearby traffic cameras or cameras from businesses, or the individuals involved have a choppy recollection of how the accident occurred, it can take a while before investigators can definitively identify the cause or timeline of an accident.

Maine is no stranger to severe weather events—and even sometimes when the weather doesn’t appear to be too bad, snow, ice, and rain during the winter months can significantly impact road conditions. As a result, drivers must operate with increased care when commuting during the colder months. Even if there isn’t a storm at the moment, leftover snow, ice, or slush on the road could have devastating consequences for travelers.

According to a recent news report, heavy equipment was needed as crews worked to remove a truck after an accident. Local authorities reported that the driver of a Ford F-150 lost control of his truck after hitting slush and crossed the center line of the road, which put him in the path of a large box truck hauling newsprint. The box truck driver swerved to avoid crashing into the F-150 head-on, which caused him to fly through a guard rail and roll on its side. The truck stopped at the bottom of an embankment in the median. Luckily, the driver was treated and released from the scene for minor injuries, but it took crews several hours to remove the vehicle after shutting it down for several hours.

To avoid accidents in Maine, drivers must be ready for all kinds of weather. Because of how quickly the weather can shift, especially during winter, our roads can become dangerous and tricky to navigate in just moments. To keep yourself safe, there are a number of steps you can take as a driver to proactively prepare for potential accidents and reduce the likelihood of one taking place.

As cooler temperatures descend upon the northeast, so too does inclement weather. Although Maine is no stranger to snowstorms, ice, and other cold-weather events, driving in these conditions can be challenging and potentially deadly for even the most experienced drivers. It is essential that if you need to travel during the winter months, especially when weather events are taking place, you exercise the utmost caution to avoid a Maine weather related car accident.

In a recent news report, two people died in a crash while traveling during a snowstorm. The vehicle was traveling north when it crashed and went over an interstate guardrail near an overpass. The car landed on its roof before going over another guardrail and catching on fire. The driver and his passenger, both locals of Sanford, were pronounced dead on the scene when local authorities responded to the accident. Following an investigation into the accident, law enforcement cited speed, weather conditions from the snowstorm, and traffic congestion from another crash as major factors in causing the accident.

Following an accident involving poor weather conditions, you may be wondering if you have a legal claim. Although each case depends on the circumstances surrounding the crash, there are a few scenarios where you may be able to still recover compensation. For example, if the weather played a contributing factor in causing the accident, the other party may claim that the crash was “an act of God.” However, this defense only works if the weather was very unexpected or so significantly unusual that the other party could not have anticipated the weather.

Seat belts are a crucial part of ensuring your safety while driving in Maine, whether you’re the driver or just a passenger. Unfortunately, despite how common and easy it is to buckle up, thousands of people every year are still involved in car accidents that result in tragic fatalities or significant injuries that were avoidable had they worn a seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of the 37,133 people who died in car accidents in 2017, 47% of them were not wearing seat belts. Based on this data, 14,955 lives were saved because of seat belt use, and 2,549 could have been saved had they buckled up.

Based on a recent news report, a local head-on collision left one woman dead and two men in the hospital. According to local authorities, their initial investigation showed that the woman was driving her vehicle when she collided in her travel lane with a man headed in the opposite direction. The woman died on impact, and her son, who was in the vehicle with his mother during the accident, was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for wrist and rib injuries. The man in the other vehicle was airlifted to a local hospital, where the local police report that he is in critical condition. Following the accident, both vehicles were demolished. Authorities say that the man involved in the accident was not wearing a seat belt, but the deceased woman and her son were. The crash remains under investigation and is being forensically mapped out by local law enforcement as they attempt to determine the cause of the collision.

Like other states, Maine has specific laws about safety restraints and seat belts. For adults, when the person driving the vehicle is 18 years of age or older and operating a car required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to have seat belts within the vehicle, the driver and passengers must be wearing seat belts. If this law is violated, drivers can be fined up to $50 for the first offense, $125 for the second offense, and $250 for any future offenses that may add up. Based on local laws, if seat belt laws are violated, a vehicle and its contents can be searched along with its driver and passengers. However, an accident victim’s failure to wear a seat belt will not impact their ability to recover compensation from the at-fault party.

Under Maine personal injury law, accident victims or their loved ones may seek compensation for their damages against the at-fault party. However, issues arise when the at-fault party dies at any point after the accident. When a defendant in a Maine personal injury action dies, victims must take specific steps to preserve their rights and remedies.

Personal injury claims generally survive the death of a defendant in a Maine injury lawsuit. State law permits a plaintiff to continue their claim against the defendant’s estate. When this occurs, the defendant or plaintiff must file a motion with the court to substitute the at-fault party’s estate as the defending party. This applies whether the defendant dies before or after the filing of the case. In either situation, the plaintiff is a victim of wrongdoing, and they maintain the right to compensation for their damages.

For example, a recent Maine news report describes a head-on crash that caused a four-vehicle collision, resulting in two fatalities. According to the Police Chief, he discovered a vehicle crashed head-on with a tour bus, and another car collided head-on with a dump truck. Evidence suggests that one of the cars crossed into the center lane and hit an SUV, the SUV spun out of control and was hit by the dump truck. The car then slammed into a tour bus, resulting in the death of two people inside the car. If an investigation reveals that the car driver was responsible for the accident, the victims or their family members may file a claim against the deceased driver’s estate.

Although the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) classifies buses as one of the safest forms of transportation for passengers in the United States, the safety does not extend to people not on the bus. The FMCSA reported that the country experiences over 50,000 bus accidents every year, resulting in thousands of injuries and fatalities. The sheer magnitude of buses makes them a serious and potentially deadly threat to Maine motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and bystanders. In some instances, bus passengers may suffer injuries and death as well. Despite the training that bus drivers must complete, many Maine bus drivers operate their vehicles without the proper concern for others’ safety. In these cases, Maine bus injury victims may seek compensation for their damages.

Many reasons can cause a Maine bus driver to collide with another motorist or pedestrian. These drivers encounter the same risks and hazards as other motorists; however, the accidents come with much more significant consequences. Although the rate of injury is lower, Maine bus passengers face risk when traveling in these vehicles. The primary risk stems from the state’s lack of seat belts on many public and school buses. Although some manufacturers add seat belts on these vehicles, most individuals do not have access to buses with seat belts, and there are vague rules requiring wearing them. Further, most Maine transit buses are overcrowded, especially during peak travel times. Overcrowding leads to many passengers standing closely together without access to safety handles. If an accident occurs in this situation, the passengers may ram into one another, resulting in more serious injuries.

There are even more dangers to those not traveling on the bus. Most Maine transit buses weigh between 20,000 and 40,000 pounds. As a result, a moving bus generates over four times as much energy than a typical vehicle. Further, the design of these buses often results in many blind spots. This often impairs a driver’s ability to gauge their surroundings safely, which can result in a collision. These accidents can have long-lasting and potentially fatal consequences.