Posted in Personal Injury Lawyer
Wrong way collisions are among the most violent types of crashes on the road. When a vehicle enters a highway traveling against the flow of traffic, the drivers in its path have almost no time to react. A six-car pileup on Route 50 near Cheverly injured seven people in a single evening, with one person suffering life-threatening injuries. The crash, which occurred near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway interchange, may have been caused by a driver heading the wrong direction on westbound Route 50.
Why Wrong Way Accidents Are So Severe
Speed is the main factor. On a highway like Route 50, vehicles typically travel between 50 and 65 miles per hour. When two cars meet head-on, the combined closing speed can exceed 100 miles per hour. The forces involved in that type of impact are devastating.
Wrong way crashes also tend to trigger chain-reaction collisions. The Cheverly incident involved six vehicles. When a leading car is struck head-on and comes to a sudden stop or spins across lanes, the vehicles behind it have very little time to brake or change direction. The result is often a pileup that injures multiple people across multiple vehicles.
Several factors contribute to wrong way driving:
- Impaired driving, including alcohol or drug use
- Confusion at highway on-ramps and off-ramps, particularly at night
- Poor or missing signage at interchange entry points
- Medical events such as a stroke or seizure behind the wheel
- Distracted driving that causes a motorist to miss directional signs
Who Is Liable in a Multi-Vehicle Crash?
Determining fault in a six-car collision is more involved than in a standard two-vehicle accident. The wrong way driver typically bears primary liability, but other questions may arise. Were road signs properly maintained? Was the interchange designed in a way that made wrong way entry foreseeable? Did any other driver’s conduct contribute to the severity of the pileup?
A Cheverly motor vehicle accident lawyer will work through each of these questions methodically. That process often involves reviewing police reports, obtaining traffic camera footage, consulting with accident reconstruction professionals, and examining the physical evidence from each vehicle involved.
If you were hurt in a crash involving multiple vehicles, a Cheverly, MD motor vehicle accident lawyer can identify every potentially liable party and pursue the compensation you are owed.
What Injured Drivers Should Do After a Multi-Car Crash
The steps you take after a serious collision matter. They protect both your health and your legal position.
Get medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor at the scene. Adrenaline can mask symptoms of concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage that may not become apparent for hours or days. Medical records created close in time to the crash also serve as important evidence in any future claim.
Beyond medical care, it is important to preserve as much evidence as possible. If you are able, photograph the scene, collect contact information from other drivers and witnesses, and request a copy of the police report. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney.
Maryland follows a contributory negligence standard, meaning an insurer may try to argue that you share some fault for the crash. Even in a wrong way collision where liability appears clear, that argument can surface. Having legal representation early helps protect against those tactics.
How Cohen & Cohen Can Help
At Cohen & Cohen, we represent individuals injured in serious motor vehicle accidents across Maryland and Virginia. A motor vehicle accident lawyer from our team will investigate the full scope of the collision, handle communication with every insurance carrier involved, and pursue the recovery you deserve.
If you were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 50 or anywhere in Prince George’s County, contact Cohen & Cohen to discuss the details of your case and what steps make sense going forward.
