Maryland welcomes the warmer May weather with a new law that was passed in April and applies stricter penalties for motorists involved in Maryland vehicle accidents that result in the death of another, be it pedestrian, bicyclist, or other motorist. The bill (HB363) is termed “Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel-Criminal Negligence,” and will go into effect on October 1, 2011. The new law increases the penalties for criminally negligent Maryland motorists that cause or are otherwise involved in fatal Maryland auto accidents.
As stated in the bill:
- “A person may not cause the death of another as the result of the person’s driving, operating, or controlling a vehicle or vessel in a criminally negligent manner.”
- As defined by the bill, a criminally negligent manner, as it pertains to a fatal result, infers that “the person should be aware, but fails to perceive, that the person’s conduct creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such a result will occur; and the failure to perceive constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that would be exercised by a reasonable person.”
If a motorist is guilty of the above, they have committed a misdemeanor and are subject to imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
In order to prevent fatal vehicle accidents in Maryland, motorists must be alert and well aware of their surroundings and actions. Countless people lose their lives when a motorist does not recognize the risks of their actions. “The Injury Lawyer” Steven H. Heisler is an experienced Maryland auto accident attorney and has successfully helped many Maryland car accident victims receive the compensation they deserve from negligent parties. Please contact Mr. Heisler for a free confidential consultation today at 877-228-4878.
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