Deadly Collision on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway Involved Multiple Vehicles

There was a deadly multi-car crash on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on Saturday, August 5. The news about the collision is scant; there’s an ongoing investigation, but no cause of the crash released yet. We do know that three other adults were hospitalized, but those injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the collision occurred around 11:00pm in Anne Arundel County, near the Patuxent Fairway Exit 10.

We’re keeping the survivors and the family of the man who died in our thoughts. We hope they find some closure once the police release their preliminary reports.

The BW Parkway is a dangerous road

If you drive anywhere between Baltimore and the Capital, you’re likely used to hearing reports about 295 being shut down because of an accident. In the past few months alone there have been multiple accidents and incidents:

• On June 5, a car drove off an overpass and landed on I-895 in Lansdowne.
• On June 1, a wrong-way collision at Arundel Mills Boulevard left one person dead and caused three injuries.
• In April, a tractor-trailer caught fire near Powder Mill Road. The truck driver sustained injuries.
• In February, a pedestrian was killed near Rt 197 by a hit-and-run driver.

Law enforcement and government agencies are aware of just how dangerous MD-295 can be. Traffic traveling to, from, and on the BW Parkway is some of the most congested in the region. This traffic may actually get worse in the coming months, as the National Park Service completes its repairs and improvements. Among those repairs are:

• Replacing 154 signs and adding 33 more
• Replacing and repairing guardrails
• Adding mile markers

Also planned for this year are, hopefully, repairs to the bridge between Powder Mill Road and Route 193, which provided a direct exit for the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Why is the BW Parkway so dangerous?

The BW Parkway was never meant for the traffic it handles. It was originally planned as a scenic alternative to Route 1, but it’s always been a problematic road: back in 1977, the Washington Post described it as “a heavily travelled commuter road with pavement that began disintegrating from age and the volume of traffic.” And while improvements have been made over the years ­– expanding it from four lanes to six in some areas, adding and rebuilding interchanges, repaving sections that fell into disrepair – it’s still not really equipped to handle as much traffic as it does.

What are the biggest risks to drivers and passengers traveling on MD-295?

As with any highway driving, the greatest risk is other drivers’ negligence. Anecdotally, speeding is a primary concern; when traffic is bumper-to-bumper, drivers do tend to hit the gas pretty hard to make up for any lost time.

Heavy traffic also stresses people out. In 2021, the Maryland Department of Transportation reported that about 29 percent of all collisions that year resulted in injuries or fatalities; “However, among aggressive-related crashes, 36 percent resulted in an injury or fatality, amounting to, on average, around 1,400 injury and fatal crashes per year…. [Almost] 88 percent of all aggressive driving crashes occurred in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas.” Overall, aggressive driving crashes increased by about 10 percent from 2020 to 2021.

Traveling at night is also a risk. Because the Parkway doesn’t have streetlights, it can be challenging to see potential hazards – such as cars abandoned on the side of the road, wildlife, or the rare pedestrian. In fact, this low visibility is one of the reasons why the National Park Service is updating the signs; the news ones “will meet new standards of appearance. The signs, much like a bicycle reflector, will reflect light back to the source to be more visible at night.”

What should I do if I’m injured in a crash on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway?

The first thing you should do is call 9-1-1. Getting immediate medical attention is important because not all serious injuries will be detectable in the moments following a car accident. For example, brain trauma may not fully present for a few hours or even days, so it’s important that you get yourself checked out as quickly as possible.

Once you’ve secured medical treatment, then it’s time to speak with an injury lawyer. Maryland controls 295 past Rt 175, but the National Park Service is in charge of the rest. This could potentially play a role in your claim, especially if your vehicle was the only vehicle involved.

If you’re hit by another driver, though, you still want legal counsel on your side. For example, parts of MD-295 are off-limits to trucks weighing 10,000lbs or more, buses, and other vehicles; if you were hit by a commercial vehicle, both the driver and the trucking company may be liable for your injuries or losses. If you were injured by a speeding, drunk, distracted, or aggressive driver on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, that driver may be liable for your injuries and losses.

Having an experienced Maryland car accident lawyer on your side is to your benefit. Not only can we request copies of the video surveillance (if applicable), but we also serve as your advocate with the insurance company. Remember that insurers – even your own – are in the business of making money, and by having a team like Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. on your side from the start, you show that you mean business. We are fierce litigators and negotiators who can represent you in trial or in settlement talks.

At Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A, we help injured people. Whether you were hit by another driver on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, injured in a crash on any local road, or sustained losses from a wreck on any highway, we want to help. To schedule a free consultation about your case, please call us or complete our contact form or call us at your earliest convenience. We maintain offices throughout Maryland for your convenience.