Maine Injuries Glossary

Legal and insurance terms explained plainly

Get this wrong after a crash, and you can end up filing against the wrong insurance policy, missing workers' compensation, or believing a gig company has no responsibility when...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-21

absolute speed limit

Missing what this means can go badly fast: a driver may think a few miles over the posted number is only risky if conditions are bad, then end up with a ticket, points, or a...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-24

aggressive driving

Dangerous, hostile, or impatient behavior behind the wheel - such as tailgating, weaving through traffic, speeding, brake-checking, or running lights - is commonly called...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-31

area of impact

The part that trips people up most is that this is not always the same thing as the final resting place of the vehicles. It means the location where two vehicles, a vehicle and...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-23

basic speed law

Insurance companies and defense lawyers often lean on this phrase to argue that an injured person was "going too fast for conditions" even if no one was over the posted limit....

GLOSSARY 2026-04-01

blocking the box

Why did that driver pull into the intersection if there was nowhere to go? That's the basic idea behind blocking the box: entering an intersection, crosswalk, or similar...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-25

coefficient of friction

Like the difference between sneakers gripping a gym floor and boots sliding on black ice, this measures how much one surface resists sliding against another. In crash analysis,...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-23

criminal traffic offense

The part that trips people up most is this: not every traffic charge is "just a ticket." Some driving-related violations are actual crimes, which means they can carry jail...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-28

event data recorder

What is that little "black box" people talk about after a crash? It is an electronic device built into many newer vehicles that captures a short burst of technical information...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-22

failure to stop for school bus

A driver commits this violation by not stopping as required when approaching a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children and is using its warning signals. That...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-30

gouge marks

You might see this in a crash report, an insurer letter, or a call with an adjuster: "investigators noted gouge marks in the roadway near the point of impact." That usually...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-22

illegal U-turn

A driver makes an illegal U-turn by turning the vehicle around to go in the opposite direction where that maneuver is forbidden by traffic law, road signs, lane markings, or...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-24

moving violation vs non-moving violation

The difference can hit both your bank account and your position in a legal dispute. One kind of ticket is more likely to raise insurance costs, add points or other driving...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-27

passing in a no-passing zone

Driving past another vehicle where signs or road markings forbid it. "Driving past" means moving into the opposing lane to overtake slower traffic instead of staying behind it....

GLOSSARY 2026-03-30

period 1 coverage

Like a work truck idling in a driveway before it pulls onto a narrow road, a rideshare driver can be "on the job" without yet having a passenger in the vehicle. In that gap,...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-22

prima facie speed limit

A prima facie speed limit is a speed set by law or posted on a roadway that is presumed lawful under normal conditions, but that presumption can be overcome by evidence showing...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-30

provocation defense

What the insurance company does not want you to know is that "provocation" is one of the fastest ways they try to shift blame onto the person who got bitten. They may say you...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-21

road rage charge

A road rage allegation can raise fines, trigger a criminal record, increase insurance costs, and seriously damage the at-fault driver's position in an injury case. When...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-24

sight distance

People often confuse sight distance with stopping distance, but they are not the same. Sight distance is how far a driver can actually see ahead along the roadway, taking into...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-22

strict liability traffic violation

You'll usually see this on a traffic ticket, court notice, or insurance paperwork as a line that labels the offense or explains that "no culpable mental state" has to be...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-25

super speeder law

The part that confuses people most is that "super speeder" is not a general speeding label used everywhere. It is the name commonly given to a state rule that adds extra...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-24

unsafe lane change

A ticket for this can cost money fast, raise insurance rates, and quietly shape who gets blamed after a crash. In an injury case, a driver accused of making an unsafe lane...

GLOSSARY 2026-04-02

yaw marks

Curved tire marks left when a vehicle is moving sideways while still rolling, often showing that a driver entered a turn too fast or lost control before a crash. These marks...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-23