Baltimore Car Accident Resources

As many residents of Baltimore and the surrounding area know, automobile traffic is always heavy along the city's major roads like Interstate 95, Charles Street, Liberty Road, York Road, Reisterstown Road, Bel Air Road, North Avenue, Route 40 (or Orleans Street), and Route 83. Not surprisingly, our Maryland accident attorneys have handled Baltimore car and auto accident cases from those parts of the city.

Information is key. This is never truer than when a person is injured in a car wreck in Baltimore and then tries to determine whether the motor vehicle collision was caused by the negligence or carelessness of another driver.

What to do at the Accident Scene:

In an earlier post on our Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, we posted a list of things we advise our clients do directly after an accident with a commercial vehicle. Many of the items on the to–do list apply universally to victims of all Maryland auto accidents. Our attorneys suggest that you print this list and place it in the glove compartment of your vehicle. We also suggest that you consider placing a camera in your vehicle in order to take photographs of damage to the other vehicle, and the involved roadway, if you are involved in an accident. If you do not have a camera, use your cell phone as a second best option.

1. STOP your car, no matter how minor the accident.
2. CALL THE POLICE to investigate the accident, and cooperate fully with the police officer once he or she arrives to the accident scene.
3. DO NOT DISCUSS THE ACCIDENT with anyone except the police officer on the scene.
4. EXCHANGE INSURANCE INFORMATION with the other driver before leaving the scene of the accident.
5. GET THE NAME, ADDRESS AND LICENSE PLATE NUMBER of the other DRIVER.
6. GET NAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF ALL WITNESSES.
7. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS of the damage to your vehicle, the other vehicle, and any skid marks left on the road.
8. DO NOT GIVE A RECORDED STATEMENT to any insurance company until a sufficient period of time passes for you to ascertain whether you have sustained injury in the motor vehicle accident, and the severity of the injury.
9. IF YOU ARE INJURED, get evaluated by a medical doctor, or go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.
10. IF YOUR VEHICLE IS TOWED, remove as many valuables as practical.

Baltimore Area Emergency Rooms:

Whether you are taken by ambulance, or present to a local emergency room on your own, the following hospitals are located in and around Baltimore, and have 24 hour emergency rooms:

• University of Maryland Medical Center
• Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Maryland General Hospital
• Mercy Medical Center
• St. Joseph's Medical Center
• Franklin Square Hospital
• Greater Baltimore Medical Center
• Sinai Hospital
• Northwest Hospital

If you have been treated by the emergency medicine providers of any of the above medical centers, then you or your lawyer may wish to obtain the associated medical records and medical bills. The links attached to each hospital will direct you to the medical center web pages that explain how to request medical records.

Police Reports:

The police responding to an automobile accident in Baltimore City will usually be from the Baltimore City Police Department. However, the Maryland Transit Police, who have jurisdiction over the Fort McHenry Tunnel, the Harbor Tunnel, and the Francis Scott Key Bridge, may also respond to a motor vehicle accident that occurs within their jurisdiction. Also, the Maryland State Police can respond to motor vehicle collisions in Baltimore.

Police Reports are typically written only when a traffic citation is given to one of the drivers, a person suffers injury severe enough to require transportation by ambulance to a local emergency room, or if one of the involved vehicles is towed from the accident scene.

The city of Baltimore is divided into nine districts (Southern, Southwestern, Northwestern, Western, Northern, Northeastern, Eastern, Southeastern, and Central), and officers from these districts are responsible for responding to motor vehicle collisions in these designated sectors of the city.

After an accident that is investigated by the Baltimore City Police, State of Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident Reports can be requested from the Central Records Section, Community Correspondence Unit for $10.00. If photographs were taken by the responding police, additional fees will apply.

Here is a sample State of Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident Report, as well as a copy of the Maryland Codes for Motor Vehicle Accident Reports. No matter whether an Accident Report is prepared by a local city or county police officer, or by a Maryland State trooper, all reports will be completed on the same form.

The mailing address for the Central Records Section of the Baltimore City police is:

The mailing address for the Records Section of the Maryland State Police (with a $4.00 check payable to the Maryland State Police):

Tow Yards:

Following accidents, if your vehicle is too severely damaged to be driven from the scene, the police will have it towed to a city tow yard. The following are two common locations where a car may be towed following a serious auto accident in Baltimore:

In order to get your vehicle from either of the impound facilities, you must provide proof of ownership (title or registration in your name), and photo identification (driver's license, work identification, passport or military identification). Also, if you are too injured to pick up your vehicle following an accident, you can designate someone to retrieve the car. This person must bring a notarized letter from you and a copy of your identification.