1 Injured in Car Accident on Three Notch Rd. in Lexington Park, MD

Lexington Park, MD — May 22, 2025, One person was injured following a car accident that occurred at around 1:15 P.M. on Three Notch Rd.

According to official reports, a car accident occurred at the intersection of Three Notch Road and Expedition Drive and involved a Hyundai Palisade and a Toyota Tacoma which was flipped on its roof with first responders treating “multiple” people.

One person was transported to the hospital in unknown condition, and there are no details if anyone else required hospitalization. Officials are still working to determine the cause of the accident, and so far there has been no mention of the status of the injured motorist or if any charges will be filed.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After a crash like this, I think most people have plenty of questions. However, some questions tend to be overlooked by crash investigators. When two vehicles collide at an intersection and one ends up flipped over, it usually points to a high-impact event. While the focus is often on immediate injuries and traffic disruption, there are deeper questions that need to be addressed to fully understand how and why the crash happened.

First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
Intersection collisions often involve a failure to yield, red light violations, or confusion over who had the right of way. But assumptions can be dangerous without a full investigation. Officials need to document the scene thoroughly—signal timing, sightlines, lane markings, and whether traffic control devices were functioning properly. Was one driver attempting a turn? Did both vehicles have a green light? These are the kinds of details that can be lost if not documented right away. Skid marks, vehicle damage patterns, and any nearby surveillance footage all play a role in piecing together what really happened.

Next, has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
While driver actions often get the blame, mechanical failures can easily cause or worsen crashes—especially at intersections. If either vehicle had faulty brakes, steering issues, or unresponsive electronic systems, that could explain a failure to stop or maintain lane position. The Toyota Tacoma flipping onto its roof also raises questions about vehicle stability. Was it hit at a specific angle that caused it to roll? Did the suspension or frame design contribute to how it landed? These possibilities deserve attention, especially when the crash leads to serious injury or complex vehicle movement.

Finally, has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Both vehicles likely have electronic control modules that store key pre-crash data like speed, braking activity, steering input, and seatbelt use. That information can help determine whether a driver tried to avoid the collision or if one of the vehicles was accelerating into the intersection. In rollovers, ECM data can also help verify whether stability control systems activated and how the vehicle reacted. Without this data, investigators are left to rely solely on physical damage and witness accounts—which don’t always tell the full story.

Intersection crashes may seem routine, but when one vehicle ends up on its roof and multiple people are injured, it’s anything but simple. Asking the right questions and preserving all the available evidence is key to understanding the full chain of events—and ensuring nothing important is missed.

Key Takeaways:

• A full crash scene investigation should include traffic signal analysis and vehicle positioning.
• Mechanical issues or vehicle design could contribute to the severity of a crash and should be examined.
• Electronic control module data offers critical insight into vehicle behavior before and during the crash.