Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Back in 1995, officials with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched the Stop Red-Light Running Program to help get drivers to stop at red lights and to increase enforcement efforts among officers around the country. A key to this program is the National Stop on Red Week.

This week-long enforcement campaign takes place during the first week of August. During this time, communities across the nation bring national visibility to this serious, and deadly, traffic problem while stepping up enforcement efforts against it.

Later in 1998, officials with the American Trauma Society (ATS) and DaimlerChrysler teamed up with the FHWA to push the program even further. Since then, the program has been piloted in a number of communities. And many of these communities saw a close to 20 percent reduction in red-light running offenses.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that red light cameras are used in more than 500 communities across the nation, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Unfortunately, Massachusetts has no state law mandating these cameras. Still, car accidents are the single most significant cause of preventable death and injury in the nation.. In 2007 in the U.S., almost 900 people were killed and close to 200,000 people were injured in accidents that involved red-light running.

These are costly accidents too, running the U.S. a tab of close to $15 billion each and every year.

Did you know that half of the fatalities resulting from red-light running are other motorists and pedestrians, not the guilty party? According to the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running, this dangerous behavior is actually the leading cause of all urban automobile crashes.

According to a recent study from the FHWA, close to 100 percent of all surveyed drivers report that they feel that other drivers running red-lights are a major safety threat, and about a third of all people claim that they personally know someone injured or killed in a red-light running accident.

More than 50 Americans lose their lives in red-light running crashes every month. But somehow the people who get tickets because they have broken the law have been cast as the victims.

According to the most recent red-light running statistics, in 2011, there were close to 720 people who were killed and an estimated 120,000 who were injured in accidents that involved red light running.

An average of 3.2 red light violations occur per hour according to a 2003 study conducted by University Transportation Center for Alabama in 4 states at 19 different intersections. Fatalities caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal accidents.

Violators were most likely to be younger males and were likely to have prior accidents or alcohol-impaired driving convictions. The red light runners also were more likely to be speeding or alcohol-impaired at the time of the crash and less likely to have a valid driver’s license.
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To help protect our youngest drivers from potentially fatal car accidents, much national attention has been focused on dangerous driving habits, like driving under the influence and distracted driving. But speeding goes largely unnoticed, according to USA TODAY. As a matter of fact, speeding is arguable the most dangerous factor in driving. Speed is actually an increasingly dangerous factor in car accidents for teens nationwide, accounting for 30 percent of teen car accidents in 2000 and up close to 35 percent in 2011.

A recent study from the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA), from 2000 to 2011, looked at close to 20,000 speed-related teenage car accidents. It was determined that if we want to help to make our teens safe, we’ve got to focus on slowing them down.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that the month of August holds a majority of the deadliest days for our youngest drivers to be behind the wheel. Our teens are spending time away from school, and thus more time behind the wheel. Unfortunately, car accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for teens across the nation.

August’s Deadliest Days/Average Number of Teen Fatalities:

-August 1, 15 deaths.

-August 2, 14.8 deaths.

-August 14, 14.8 deaths.

-August 29, 16 deaths.

“This is the first time, really, that we’ve focused on this issue exclusively,” says Susan Ferguson, an established highway safety consultant who authored the report.

Half of all deadly car accidents that involve a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers are actually speed related.

According to a recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey, close to 65 percent of people find that speeding on a residential road is “completely unacceptable.” Still, more than 45 percent of those surveyed admitted to doing it at least once within the last 30 days. Not only were teens most likely to engage in this behavior, but it was the males who were even more likely to do it than the females.

This report comes with the deadliest driving season for teens. Eight of the 10 deadliest days of the year for our teens to be behind the wheel happen from June to August.

During this time, parents should:

-Make sure their teens are equipped with safe cars that fit their needs. As a teen is more likely to get into an accident during their first year with a license, there is no need to buy them the expensive car of their dreams.

-Make sure they understand their responsibilities as a safe driver.

-Lay down driving rules within your household. Make sure that both parties understand the consequences for breaking any of these rules that are enacted.

-Provide them with plenty of supervised driving time. This way, you can monitor their driving skills and make sure that they’re developing safe driving habits. The habits they learn now a likely to stay with them for a lifetime. Make sure they’re the safest habits possible. Your input matters.
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A 27-year-old was hit and killed by a passing vehicle when he left his own car following a weekend collision. According to My FOX Boston, witnesses say that the man was involved in a single-car accident on Route 3 at roughly 10:00 p.m. After the accident, he started walking down the road and was hit by several passing vehicles.

He was pronounced dead as emergency responders arrived on scene.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that the scene of an accident can be a confusing, frustrating and intimidating place. There are a number of steps that you should take to not only ensure that you’ve got proper reports of the accident, but also so you can stay safe and avoid another accident.

First of all, you want to make sure that everyone involved is okay. If there are any injuries, dial 9-1-1 for emergency help right away and file an accident report. This is not the time to panic. Just take it step by step and make sure everything gets done thoroughly.

Secondly, you should get information from the other parties involved. Get their name, their address, their license plate numbers, their phone numbers, insurance provider information, the make/model/year/color of their vehicle as well as a write out/picture of the accident scene. If the name on an auto registration is different than the driver, jot down the relationship. If you can, try to snap some picture of the accident scene. Most phones have cameras on them — use it.

When dealing with the aftermath of an accident, you want to keep thorough records. Keep your own timeline about the accident and its effect on your life. Make sure that you list all of your doctor’s visits, days that you weren’t able to go to work and events that you couldn’t attend because of your injuries.

Remember that you don’t want to talk with the other driver’s insurance company. Don’t give your own insurance company any details about the accident, except when and where it occurred, until you talk with an attorney.

Make sure you always have a first-aid kit in your vehicle, to treat any minor injuries. According to Cars.com, move your vehicles if you can. Safely move out of the way of traffic, but if you can’t move your car without causing further damage, don’t try. Your insurance company should be able to hire a tow truck to move it for you. If you can’t get out of your car — or it’s not safe to try — keep your seatbelt fastened, turn on your hazard lights, then call 911 if possible and wait for help to arrive. You never want to leave the scene of an accident.

Being prepared is your best way to avoid any further accidents. Make sure you’re thinking with a clear mind and staying out of the way of any more accidents.
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A new study from Focus Driven and the National Coalition for Safer Roads has determined that more than 10 percent of red-light violations are actually caused by distracted driving. According to Auto Blog, researchers took a look at close to 120 intersections in nearly 20 communities for a three-month period and determined that drivers weren’t keeping their eyes on the roads — and that they were blowing through red lights because of it.

With that being said, researchers believe that close to 7.5 million red-light infractions are caused by distracted driving each and every year — proving it’s a big (and dangerous) problem.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that red-light runners are the number one cause of car crashes in urban areas. When you add that to the fact that officials with the National Safety Council (NSC) have determined that cell phone use is a factor in more than 20 percent of all traffic accidents — it’s easy to see why this is such a big deal.

With the release of these findings, officials with both organizations have launched the “Stop Distraction on Red” safety campaign.

This campaign is meant to specifically highlight the dangers that are associated with distracted driving and red-light running. Just these two actions alone represent driving epidemics that negatively impact the safety of our roads and highways.

There are many kinds of distracted driving, including talking on a cell phone, eating at the wheel, applying makeup, messing with navigation devices and even interacting with other drivers. But worst of all is text messaging. According to recent studies, drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to get into an accident.

Did you know that there were nearly 3,500 people killed in accidents that involved a distracted driver in 2011? In addition to all of those unnecessary fatalities, there were another 400,000 people injured in these same kinds of accidents. And both of those numbers represent increases from the year before — this is a problem that we need to reverse.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only drivers under the age of 19 are prohibited from using a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel. On the other hand, all drivers are prohibited from using a text messaging device behind the wheel. But that’s not stopping a lot of you out there. Drivers are still using these devices — and ignoring not only their risks for a citation, but also for an accident.

Regardless of how old you are, or which law pertains to you, there should be no legitimate reason for you to take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel.Do the right thing and help to save lives out there on our roadways. Hang up and put the text messaging devices away.
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Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a safety advisory cautioning motorists about the importance of checking their tires during the hot weather months.

The NHTSA stressed that under-inflated tires can be especially dangerous over the course of the summer and that properly maintained tires are essential to staying safe on the roads during warm weather.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know that accidents happen every year as a result of problems with tires. These accidents are caused by many factors, from poorly made tires to rubber deterioration that occurs over time. However, the heat of summer is one major cause of tire failure as hot roadways contribute to tire breakdown and increase the chances of a crash occurring.

The Dangers of Tire Breakdowns in Hot Weather

According to the NHTSA, there are around 11,000 crashes each year in the United States that happen as a result of tire failures. These crashes happen because of under-inflated tires; bald tires; tire blow-outs; separations; and worn treads. When a tire blows out or the treads begin to separate, drivers may lose control of the vehicle. Worn treads and under-inflated tires can also lead to longer stopping distances and sluggish handling, both of which make it more difficult to avoid accidents.

These problems can happen at any time of the year, but the NHTSA cautions that summer heat warms roadways, so when drivers travel along these hot streets at highway speeds, the heat can increase the chances of the tire failing.

Who is to Blame for Tire Breakdowns?

When a tire breakdown or underinflated tires cause a crash, it is important to determine who was to blame because the responsible party could be obligated to pay for damages and losses.

In some cases, the fire manufacturer is at fault if there is a defect in the tire or a problem with the design or material that increases the risk of tire failure. In other instances, however, a driver who does not maintain his tires properly could be considered negligent in fulfilling his obligations as a driver on the road. Every driver must take reasonable steps to prevent accidents and driving on tires that are clearly unsafe may be considered to be an unreasonably risky act that makes the driver responsible for any resulting crash.

Because you could find yourself being held legally liable for an accident, not to mention responsible for injuring or killing other motorists, it is important that you follow the NHTSA’s tips for tire maintenance in the summer. These tips can help to save your life or the life of someone else.

NHTSA Tips for Tire Maintenance

The NHTSA has several key pieces of advice for making sure that your tires are in good shape to withstand the summer heat. NHTSA suggests:

• Following the recommended tire pressure in pounds per square inch, which is typically found inside of your car door and in your owner’s manual.
• Using a tire pressure gauge to check the PSI of your tires.
• Knowing where your cars tire pressure monitoring system warning is if your vehicle has a warning system.
• Checking your owner’s manual and following manufacturer guidelines for replacing tires.
• Checking for raised sections in the bottom grooves of the tire tread, which can be a sign that it is time to replace your tires.

By following these tips, hopefully you can help to avoid an accident and can keep yourself and other motorists safe during the summer heat.
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Summer is a great time of year for a lot of reasons, but there are some drawbacks to the summer months that go beyond just coping with heat waves. One of the biggest downsides to summertime is that your car accident risk increases significantly during the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In particular, July Fourth is the deadliest day on the roads in the U.S. and August is the deadliest month.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know that more Americans die in car wrecks during the month of August than at any other time over the course of the year. Weekends are especially risky times over the course of this month, but the odds of a fatal crash are increased throughout August because there are more people driving during this month than at many other times of the year.

Understanding Your August Car Accident Risk

According to MSN Money, the dangers of driving in August are not a newfound problem. In fact, NHTSA crash records dating back as far as 1994 indicate that the fatality rate rises of the course of the month. In 2008 alone, there were 2,864 car accident deaths in August and the reported average fatality rate during August was 1.09 per 100 million miles traveled as compared with .94 in March, the safest month.

Other dangerous months such as September, the second-deadliest month, and July, the third deadliest month, have slightly fewer deaths than occur during August. In September, for example, the death rate was 1.08 per 100 million miles traveled and in July, the fatality rate falls to 1.04 per 10 million miles.

August is especially dangerous because seven of the 25 deadliest days for car accidents occur in August. Safe Motorist has indicated that some of the historically riskiest days for August driving included August 3, August 4 and August 6th. Both the 13th and 14th of August have also been called out as days when the number of crashes significantly increases and MSN Money warns that the weekends are typically worse for driver safety because people tend to be out more, run more errands and potentially drive home while intoxicated more often over the weekend.

With so many accidents occurring in August, this month accounts for around 10 percent of all of the car accident deaths that occur over the course of the year.

Protecting Yourself from Traffic Accidents in August

Knowing of the increased accident risk is important to protect yourself as you drive this August. It is important that you obey all safety rules of the road and that you buckle up when driving both to avoid causing a crash yourself and to ensure that you have the best chance of surviving an accident if one does occur.

You should also be on the lookout for dangerous drivers and avoid traveling at high risk times when possible. Weekend nights may be especially dangerous times, with the NHTSA identifying the deadliest hours for car accidents at between 6:00 and 8:59 p.m. Being aware of the risks and knowing that the chances of an accident are increased can allow you to drive assertively and to be proactive in protecting yourself from the dangers of a deadly wreck.
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Recently, a regional transit bus crashed into the side of a home in central Massachusetts. According to WCVB, the bus accident happened on the very first day that the new bus driver was on the job.

Our Boston bus accident lawyers know that driver experience is very important when operating large vehicles such as trucks and buses. While the cause of this current accident is still under investigation, the accident is an important reminder that bus companies need to carefully screen and train drivers in order to prevent disasters from occurring.

New Bus Driver Crashes Into House

According to WCVB, the driver of the bus that crashed into a central Massachusetts home in late June was just 27-years-old. The driver, who was hospitalized after the crash, reportedly went through an eight-week training program before he started his job driving the regional transit bus. An official for the bus company also indicates that the young driver had extensive experience driving a school bus and that his past driving record was stellar.

While the bus driver’s background has not yet been confirmed other than the mention by the bus company representative, it seems very clear that something went terribly wrong to cause the bus to crash into the home. Police indicate that preliminary evidence shows that the brakes on the bus may not have been applied before the bus crashed into the house.

There are several possible reasons why the brakes may not have been used to prevent the bus from hitting and partially destroying the residence. Police have indicated that the driver of the bus may have had some type of medical problem that prevented him from putting on the brakes and avoiding the accident. It is also possible that the accident was not the fault of the driver doing something wrong but was instead the fault of a maintenance problem with the bus.

It will be important to determine the cause of the accident in order for the homeowner to obtain compensation for all losses and damages caused by the bus crash. The homeowner may be able to take legal action against the bus driver if it turns out that the driver was negligent or careless in a way that caused the bus to hit the house.

The homeowner may also be able to pursue a claim for compensation against the bus company, which could be a better option since the regional transit authority likely has more available funds than the driver to pay out full compensation for the damage caused.

The transit authority can be held responsible if the company was negligent in its hiring policies and procedures, such as by hiring a driver with insufficient experience or hiring a driver with a medical issue that made him an unsafe driver. The company can also be liable for the negligence of its employee while in the line of duty, or if the company failed to provide adequate driver training or adequate bus maintenance. In any case, the accident is an important reminder to bus and trucking companies everywhere of their responsibility to be cautious in hiring new drivers as a crash can happen at any time.
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This summer as you travel throughout the United States on road trips or vacations, you may notice something different: many of the interstates now have higher speed limits. Governing.com reports that four state legislatures voted this year to increase speed limits, spurred on by a Texas decision to create the highest speed limit in the U.S.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know that the faster a car is going, the greater the chances of an accident happening. Not only that, but high speeds also increase the chances that an accident will be a serious one since cars that are going faster hit with more force. The trend towards increasing speed limits throughout the United States is thus a troubling one and you need to remember as you go on your summer trips that the key is to drive at a safe speed, even if that sometimes means going slower than you are legally allowed to go.

Higher Speed Limits Increase Accident Risks
Governing.com indicates that Texas kicked off a push to increase speed limits when it made the speed limit 85 miles per hour on a 41-mile stretch of road located between Austin and San Antonio last year. Now, other states have been passing their own increases, climbing ever higher than the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour created by the federal government in 1974 in response to an oil crisis.

Some of the states that have recently increased their speed limits include Ohio which went from 65 miles per hour on its freeways to 70 miles per hour. Utah upped their speed limit from 75 miles to 80, and Maine moved the speed limit on Interstate 295 to 75 miles per hour up from 65 miles per hour.

Those in favor of increasing speed limits indicate that the accident rate is not impacted by speed limit hikes and argue that faster speed limits will encourage more efficient travel throughout the United States.

Unfortunately, safety advocates disagree with those in favor of upping speed limits. The Governor Highway Safety Association has indicated that even if higher speeds don’t increase the number of accidents, they do make accidents much more serious when they happen. Obviously, if two cars are going faster, they collide with much more momentum and force. The increase force and bigger impact of the collision means that a motorist is more likely to be seriously injured or even killed in the crash.

The data showing that higher speed limits don’t necessarily need to more crashes has also not been conclusively confirmed yet, and is also not necessarily true in all situations or on all roadways. When cars are going faster, there is a greater chance that the vehicle will lose control. The car also has a longer stopping distance so is more likely to be involved in a rear-end crash or a multi-car pileup.

Despite the clear risks of a rising speed limit, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates that lawmakers are politically motivated to raise speed limits because increasing speed limits is popular. Just because something is popular, though, does not mean that it is the right or the safe thing to do.
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Each day in the United States, 10,000 adults celebrate their 65th birthdays. The population is undeniably aging, which means that there are more senior drivers on the road than at any time in the past. Senior drivers aren’t necessarily more dangerous than younger drivers since they tend to drive carefully and to drive at low-risk times such as during the day in good weather. Unfortunately, though, a senior who drives past his prime can be a menace to himself and to others on the road.

Seniors often don’t realize on their own when they have gotten too old to drive safely. Family members can and should try to look out for signs of problems, but unfortunately many older adults won’t listen to their kids or to other well-meaning relatives about the fact that it is no longer safe to drive. As a result, our Boston car accident lawyers know that it often falls to a patient’s doctor to have a talk with the patient and let him know that driving is no longer OK.

Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that many clinicians are waiting too long to talk to seniors about the dangers.

Docs are Waiting too Long to Have The Talk About Senior Driving Risks
According to Nurse.com, a small-scale study was recently conducted on clinicians and senior drivers. The study was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and asked both doctors and seniors when discussions on driving dangers come up and how they feel about those conversations.

The outcome of the study revealed that many healthcare professionals wait until they see red flags to talk to their patients about the risks of senior driving. These red flags can include serious health problems. However, another red flag that was mentioned involved the senior actually being involved in a car wreck.

Waiting until an elderly driver has been in a crash or has severe physical or mental impairments means that the senior could be a risk to himself or others long before a doctor gets a chance to have a conversation about the issue. Waiting this long puts lives in danger.

The study revealed one likely reason why healthcare providers tend to wait to talk to seniors about driving risks: because the conversation is very uncomfortable for all parties involved. Many seniors view driving as essential to remaining independent and few want to discuss the possibility of giving that up.

Unfortunately, the need to stop driving becomes a reality for the vast majority of elderly people as studies have indicated that most seniors outlive their ability to drive safely by about six years.

The good news is that while seniors reported finding a conversation about giving up driving to be very uncomfortable, most respondents to the study found questioning and discussions about senior driving risks to be OK. In fact, keeping the lines of communication open was seen as a good thing. Doctors can and should thus explore whether a senior is still OK to drive by having a regular conversation about the subject at visits.

Researchers suggested that clinicians should start talking to seniors about driving risks at office visits once the senior turns 65-years-of age. At this milestone, conversations should become a regular part of office visits so a doctor can gauge exactly how well the senior is driving and so this subject will become one that doctors and patients can talk about freely. This will hopefully allow a doctor to learn earlier when a senior is having problems that could increase his accident risk.
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While winter storms can be a hazard, many drivers do not consider the very real danger of summer storms. A drizzle can make the roads slick and a thunderstorm, tornado, or downpour can severe reduce visibility and create dangerous conditions for drivers. Summer storms can create a number of hazards for drivers, passengers and other motorists, so it is important to use caution during the summer rainy season.

While you may know that tornadoes and hurricanes can cause injury, you may not realize the significant number of injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. The Federal Highway Administration reports that over 7,000 Americans are killed every year in weather related accidents. “Weather related” crashes are defined as accidents that occur during storms and other dangerous weather conditions, including rain, sleet, snow, tornadoes, or heavy fog. Our Boston car accident attorneys are dedicated to helping victims uncover the true cause of an accident and recover compensation for their injuries.

Summer weather conditions can reduce visibility and create a slick pavement. A car may hydroplane or a driver can lose control causing the car to careen off the side of the road or into oncoming traffic. Reducing the number of weather related accidents requires raising awareness among motorists. Safety officials and lawmakers are taking additional steps this summer to promote highway safety and to reduce the number of weather related car accidents.

In addition to driver awareness, automobile manufacturers and other private enterprises are developing new “storm technology” to help quickly locate storms and inform all drivers on the road. Cars that communicate with one another can identify dangerous driving areas and then communicate that information to other drivers 10, 20, or even trailing by 100 miles. Advanced warnings can ensure that drivers are on the lookout and aware of dangerous conditions ahead. New technologies would be able to warn other drivers about snow, thunderstorms, fog, tornados, and white-outs.

Slick roads and low visibility can be very dangerous to drivers, passengers and other motorists. When extra precaution is not taken during a storm, negligent or reckless drivers can be putting other motorists at risk. Adverse driving conditions require that all drivers pay attention and keep their eyes on the road. Texting and other driver distractions can increase the risk of stormy conditions. When you are distracted you may not have the reaction time necessary to react to slowed traffic or other dangerous conditions. If you have a teen driver hitting the road for the first time this summer, they should be aware of the dangers of adverse weather, especially when combined with distracted driving.

This summer, whether you are heading to work, taking the kids to the beach, or getting on the freeway for an extended summer vacation out of town, remember to take extra precaution under stormy conditions. To prevent an accident under adverse weather conditions you should keep your headlights on. When visibility is impacted by the storm, consider pulling over until the storm is over.
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