On July 19, a car veered off the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge and plunged into the Chesapeake Bay. The driver of the car survived the accident, but the crash raised a number of safety concerns. According to a news report in the Bay Times, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are still looking into what caused the accident, specifically if the bridge itself presented a dangerous condition.
This is not the first time that a vehicle has been able to get past the barriers and fly off of the Bay Bridge. A number of years ago, a driver was killed when a tractor-trailer went off the same bridge. The AAA Mid-Atlantic and Senator Barbara Mikulski have called for an investigation into the physical structure of the bridge and why the barriers have failed not once, but twice.
It is not yet clear if changes to the bridge will be made because of the crash. A spokesperson for the Maryland Transportation Authority has stated that the average number of crashes on the bridge is lower than on statewide roads. There was an average of 43 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled on the Bay Bridge between 2008 and 2011. That is a significantly lower average than the 166 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles travelled statewide.
There are many preventable accidents in Maryland each year that result from hazardous roadway conditions. Uneven surfaces, large potholes, and defective street design can make driving treacherous. If you are involved in a crash involving a hazardous roadway condition, you may be able to seek compensation for your losses.
The experienced Maryland personal injury attorneys at Alpert Schreyer, LLC have a history of helping victims find the financial support they need to overcome the trauma and losses of a crash. To discuss your potential claim at no cost, please contact us today at (844) 632-7274.