Articles Posted in Car Accidents

As we recently reported on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, it’s National Teen Driver Safety Week. During this time, parents are asked to step in and to talk with the young drivers in their family about the risks and the consequences of poor driving habits. These inexperienced drivers are more likely to get into a car accident than any other age group of drivers.

According to The Examiner, passengers are one of the main reasons why these young drivers have such high accident risks. A new study shows that teens engage in more dangerous driving behaviors when a young passenger is present as opposed to when there are no passengers in the car or when there is an older passenger. The recent study was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and was released just in time for National Teen Driver Safety Week.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that a good chunk of fatal car accidents that occur with a teen driver involve young passengers, too. This is why many states have enacted passenger restrictions for their newly-licensed drivers.

“This much is certain: mixing teen drivers with teen passengers is simply toxic,” said John Townsend with AAA.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), teens in the state of Massachusetts are not allowed to have any passengers present in the car who are under the age of 18 during the first 6 months of their restricted driver’s licensing stage. From 12:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., this law is only secondarily enforced, meaning that an officer has to witness a young driver breaking another law behind the wheel before they can be pulled over for breaking the passenger law. All other times, this is a primarily enforced law. In all of these cases, family members are exempt.

The AAA study also concluded that these young drivers are more likely to get into a fatal accident when driving at night. That’s covered in the state’s graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) program, too. According to the IIHS, these young drivers are not allowed to drive from 12:30 a.m. through 5:00 a.m. Again this is a law that’s only primarily enforced some of the time as well.

Because these laws are not always primarily enforced by law enforcement officers, parents are asked to step in and to create a parent-teen driving contract. What this does is it enforces specific driving rules within your own household. It’s important to lay down the consequences for breaking these household driving rules, too!

In the state of Massachusetts, the night driving restriction for permit holders under the age of 18 is not enforced if they are accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian. Not only is it a good idea to offer your teen supervised driving time during the evening hours, but you should do this in all kinds of driving situations. Supervised driving time with concrete feedback from a more experienced driver will help to teach your young driver the safe skills they need to be safe on our roadways.
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In a recent car accident on Interstate 95 near Exit 11, a Massachusetts State Trooper was injured and transported to a the Boston Medical Center. According to NECN, the officer’s cruiser collided with a pickup truck just before 4:00 a.m.

The officer was working a construction detail when the accident happened. It caused serious damage to the cruiser and emergency response teams had to extricate him from the vehicle. One person from the pickup truck was also taken to the hospital.

Officers are still investigating the accident, but think that the driver of the pickup might have fallen asleep. Officials say that he will more than likely be cited for operating to endanger and will also get a marked-lanes violation.

If you ever get into a car accident with a government vehicle, it’s important for you to contact an experienced attorney. Oftentimes, it is the party involved in the accident that will investigate, and having an attorney on your side can help ensure that your rights are protected. Our Boston car accident lawyers urge you to recruit experienced representation in these cases. Accidents at construction sites can be particularly dangerous and must be thoroughly investigated.

What might be the best way to avoid these kinds of accidents completely is to follow Massachusetts’ Move Over Law. This is the law that helps to keep our roadside workers and emergency responders safe out there. The law was enacted in March of 2009 and it requires all driver who are driving up to an emergency vehicle with activated lights on the side of the road to move over a lane and offer these individuals more space.

This is especially important when driving through work zones. When traveling through these areas, you not only have to worry about vehicles on the side of the road, but you have worry about workers, too. In 2010, there were close to 600 workers killed in work zones across the nation. All of these fatalities resulted from motor vehicle accidents.

Each and every year, there are emergency responders, law enforcement officers and roadside workers who are killed on the job because vehicles don’t allow them enough space on our roadways. As a matter of fact, there were 6 state troopers who were injured over the summer season, according to the Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. There were multiple officers killed, too. For that reason, we’re not only asking drivers to follow this life-saving law, but we’re asking you to make a personal pledge to yourself to move over when you see someone on the side of the road. It’s a lane change that could save lives.
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Car accidents are the number one cause of death for teens in the United States.

For that reason, our country recognizes National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW). This year marks the 6th annual event and will be taking place from the 14th through the 20th of October. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Share, Not Scare.” according to Teen Driver Source.

Some think that we might be able to scare safe driving habits into our newly-licensed teens, but the truth of the matter is that there might be some better ways to get the message of safe and responsible driving across. Now, officials are working to motivate these young drivers by effectively communicating the benefits (not the dangers) of driving. Our Boston car accident attorneys are asking parents and guardians to give it a shot. Talk with your teen driver about how effective and beneficial safe driving habits can be!

Here are some tips to get you started:

-Keep your focus on the positive. You want to talk about the good habits, like always wearing a seat belt and how to be a good passenger. Try not to focus on what they shouldn’t be doing.

-Engage them, don’t offend them. Get your friends involved. Make sure the school is involved. You want to motivate them, not scare them. For campaign ideas, you can visit ridelikeafriend.org.

-Make them feel empowered. Teens really want to do the right thing and help to find the solution. Make sure that you’re recognizing their safe driving habits and not always pointing out their flawed ones. Don’t rebel against their friends who might not be making the best decision.

-Stay positive. This is contagious and will spread!

Here are some safe driving habits that you want to make sure that your teen, and everyone else in the family, knows:

-Keep distractions out of the driver’s seat. Cell phones increase your risks for a fatal accident, especially among teens.

-Make sure everyone is aware of the posted speed limits and the importance of following these limits.

-Always drive with care. Be a cautious and courteous driver. Keep your cool and avoid aggressive driving habits.

-Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This drastically increases your risks for a deadly accident.

-Remember that someone is killed in an alcohol-related car accident every 22 minutes.

-Always use your blinkers and make sure your maneuvers are obvious on the road. Surprises are never a good thing when driving.

-Never drive when you’re feeling sleepy and avoid driving at night. You want to drive when your body is well-rested and conditioned to be awake. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep every night.

-Your emotions can affect your driving. Make sure you’re calm, cool and collected before getting behind the wheel.
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If you’re a driver and you’ve got AT&T then we’ve got something for you. You not only have the option to share your location, via GPS, with AAA Roadside Assistance, but you have access to faster help should you find yourself in a tough spot.

It all happens through the AAA FindMesm program and it’s free, according to AZTV. It’s expected to be fully operational by the beginning of 2013.

This program is free from AAA and helps drivers who have been stranded because of a breakdown or whatever else to get the help they need should they need it. They can even do this if they’re not sure where they are exactly, because let’s be honest we all don’t pay attention to those mile marker signs on the side of the road. There are no fees to pay, no special devices needed to operate and you don’t have to download a thing.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that breakdowns happen. Our cars aren’t built to outlast the test of time. Engine problems and tire problems happen from time to time. You’ve got to make sure that you know how to handle these kinds of events and that you know how to get the help you need. Through the program, AAA is allowed, via AT&T Location Information Services, to get location information from your phone. Officials can pinpoint your location and work to get you help as quick as possible
“By offering accurate geographic data the moment our members pick up the phone and dial for help, AAA and AT&T can provide more to its members and customers,” said Marshall L. Doney, National Vice President of AAA.

Currently, AAA provides its services to close to 55 million members through its auto, financial, insurance, and travel services.

Smartphones are also key in helping stranded motorists, allowing them to get and receive valuable information when in trouble. On the other hand, they contribute to thousands of fatalities resulted from distracted driving each and every year. Officials with AAA still urge motorists to only use cell phones in the event of an emergency and not while attempting to drive.

If you find yourself with a broken down vehicle, there are things you should do to help to ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers. PepBoys in here to offer you these tips.

Breakdown Safety Tips:

-Get away from traffic. Get into the emergency lane or off of the road and into the grass if possible.

-Make sure you always have warning devices in your vehicle, like triangles and warning flares. Place them a good distance from your vehicle when broken down.

-If you can’t get the car to a safe area, get out of it and move yourself to a safe spot away from traffic.

-If you’re outside of your car, be as visible as possible. Wear a reflective vest, bright clothing or stand in the light.

-If someone stops to help, stay in the vehicle and crack the window. Ask for them to just call for help.
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Transit Police with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) are cracking down on those people who are parking their cars in bus stops — that’s illegal!

According to recent reviews, this seems to be an ongoing problem in some areas.

“We’re going to hit it. We’re going to hit it hard,” said Lt. Stephen Salisbury, Transit Police.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that some of the worst offenders are those who are driving big delivery trucks. With the tight parking in Boston, every day drivers are taking advantage of this opening, too! The problem is that most drivers think that it’s okay to park here because they’re only going to be a “minute.” Even a minute can throw off an entire bus schedule and your car in a bus stop can cause serious dangers to bus passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians and motor-vehicle traffic in the area.

Joe Pesaturo, an MBTA spokesperson, says that it’s critical for these bus stops to be clear so that a bus can pull up to and away from the curb safely. When there’s another vehicle in these bus stop areas, buses are forced to stop in the roadway and cause a serious safety concern while cutting off accessibility. These buses are stopping at bus stops every five or so minutes. So, even if you’re only parking for 2 minutes the risks for encountering a bus that needs to stop at that bus stop are likely.

Just last month, delivery trucks were spotted parking at bus stops at Centre Street’s Whole Foods Market and at South Street’s Harvest Co-Op Market. Companies were contacted personally by officials with the MBTA and asked to stop. According to the Gazette, these same trucks have been observed parking illegally in these bus stops twice since then.

Reporters with the Gazette have also seen a lot of people parking in the bus stops along South and Centre streets. One of the most popular of them all is the bus stop along Elliot and Centre Streets. This is where delivery trucks, school buses and even officials with the MBTA (a worker grabbing lunch) was spotted using the bus stop as their own personal parking spot.

According to Salisbury, these MBTA buses come with a button that allows the driver to report another driver who is parked illegally in their bus stop. What the button does is that it triggers a report of the bus stop location and creates what is call a “hot list,” or a list of areas that are being hit by these illegal parkers. With the “hot list” officials will know which areas to target harder.

If you see someone who has been parking illegally in a bus stop, you’re asked to report them to the Boston Police or to Transit Police by calling either 9-1-1 or 617-222-1212. You can also hit up the MBTA through its new iPhone app, “MBTA See Say,” to report photos and reports of such behavior.

Until drivers learn where not to park, bus riders and surrounding drivers, are asked to be cautious in these areas. You can’t always expect others to obey by the law. You have to travel defensively, stay on your best behavior and stay one move ahead of the traffic around you!
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There was a six-car pileup on the Massachusetts Turnpike that ended up backing up traffic for miles. It all happened in Warren during the height of rush hour near mile marker 67 and Exit 8, accident to the Boston Globe.

Massachusetts State Police (MSP) reports that the part of the road in which the accident happened had two traveling lanes, but officers were forced to close the left-hand lane because of the accident. Injuries were reported.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand the risks that accompany our state’s narrow and congested roadways. The Turnpike is one of the worst in many areas. At all hours of the day, Massachusetts drivers and visitors fly down the narrow lanes of this road. The truth is in the numbers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 310 people who were killed in car accidents in our state in 2010. Only 20 of these accidents happened in rural areas. The rest occurred in urban areas where some of our state’s busiest roadways can be found.

Of the people who were killed in these accidents, there were close to 100 passengers who were not wearing a seat belt when their accident happened. Motorcyclists were not much better. There were about 10 of the approximate 55 motorcyclists who were killed in traffic accidents in 2010 who were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

All in all, there were more than 400 drivers involved in the state’s fatal accidents over the year. More than 50 of them were between the ages of 15 and 20. There were another 50 who were under the age of 21 and about 350 who were 21-years-old and older.

There are a few simply safety tips that you can take to help to ensure your safe arrival. It’s most important that you keep your full attention on the road. Driving is a complex task and requires your full concentration and awareness.

Turnpike Safety Tips:

-Always abide by all road signs, including speed limit postings and lane changes.

-Make sure that you adjust your driving to the current conditions, including weather conditions and traffic conditions.

-Keep distractions out of the driver’s seat. Your full attention needs to be on your surroundings.

-Always use a turn signal, whenever you are changing lanes or entering/exiting the turnpike.

-Know where you’re going before you get on the turnpike. Know how far you have to travel and what your exit number is.

-Never drunk or consume any drugs before driving. You should never drive under the influence.

-Make sure that everyone in your vehicle, including yourself, is buckled in during each and every car ride.

-Never travel in another vehicle’s blind spots. Make yourself as visible along these roadways as possible.

-Always drive with your headlights on.

-Keep your distance between you and other vehicle. Never follow too closely and don’t cut in front of other cars.
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A woman has been charged with speeding her car right through a road cleanup crew. In the accident, one worker was killed and another was injured badly enough that he had to have his leg amputated. According to the Boston Globe, the woman is now on trial. She’s being charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation.

According to prosecutors, the 36-year-old driver was experiencing a seizure while driving along Route 3 in Chelmsford back in December of 2009. Allegedly, she drove right through a blocked-off breakdown lane where a cleanup crew was taking care of a spill of diesel fuel from earlier in the day. One of the workers was hit and another was pinned to another vehicle and ended up dying. Prosecutors are saying that she was driving even though she was aware of her medical conditions and was aware that it led to seizures.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that, for most people, driving represents a sense of freedom, competence and control. Driving helps us to get from where we are to places we need to be. It’s a complex skill that some don’t have the ability to perform safely. Those who have had one or multiple seizures may no longer be able to drive safely.

What happens when you have a seizure is you lose all control of your body. The way you act changes. The way you sense things changes. Some even pass out immediately. If a driver has a seizure behind the wheel, they can easily lose control of the vehicle and crash, causing serious injury to themselves or to other innocent motorists. Still, drivers continue to get behind the wheel, disregarding state laws and disregarding road safety.

A lot of people who have had seizures in the past are able to get back behind the wheel once their condition is under control. Others might not be so lucky. It all depends on a few factors:

-The cause of the seizure.

-The kind of seizure a person usually has.

-The related laws in the state in which the driver is licensed.

-How long the seizures have been going on and how they affect your awareness.

Have you had a seizure? You’ll want to talk to your doctor right away! Talk with your healthcare provider about specific medicines that can help to prevent these episodes and ask about how these medicines could possibly affect your driving abilities. It’s important that you take the responsibility for your condition and make the right decisions, whether that includes driving or hanging up the keys.

In the state of Massachusetts, laws says that “an individual with epilepsy will be considered eligible for a driver’s license if he or she has been seizure free for 6 months and submits a detailed physician’s report and recommendation that he or she is able to drive safely,” according to the Epilepsy Foundation.
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According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), post-mortem testing results showed an increase in the level of drug involvement in drivers who were killed in car accidents from 2005 to 2009.

The study concluded that close to 65 percent of the 21,800 drivers who were killed in 2009 were tested for drugs. Of these drivers, there were close to 4,000 who returned positive test results. These drivers accounted for close to 20 percent of those involved in fatal accidents for the year.

In the inforimation that was collected there were three categories: whether or not the driver was tested, the test results and how the test was administered. Within the drug categories were inhalants, anabolic steroids, phencyclidines (PCPs), cannabinoids, hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants and narcotics. Drugs involved included over-the-counter medicines, legally prescribed drugs and illicit drugs.

Our Boston car accident lawyers would like to remind every driver that they have a personal and moral responsibility to drive responsibly and to do so with uncompromised faculties. The report released by the NHTSA illustrates just how many drivers in the country are driving after consuming drugs. Most drivers don’t even recognize the dangers and the risks.

In announcing the findings, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland issued a caution to dangerous drivers; this is a more serious problem than we could ever have imagined. Drug tests are not always administered and even when they are, results are not always reported,
meaning that these numbers might actually be much higher. More states are catching up and more drug tests should be expected to be administered across the country in coming years.

“If you are taking any drugs that might impair your ability to drive safely, then you need to put common sense and caution to the forefront, and give your keys to someone else,” said Strickland.

Strickland says that officials with the NHTSA will be conducting even more research to get a better understanding of the correlation between drugs, the level of intoxication and both of their impacts on accidents.

The NHTSA is currently pushing the Drug Evaluation and Classification program to help educate 1,000 instructors and over 6,000 law enforcement officials throughout more than 45 states to help to recognize the various symptoms of drug impairment among drivers.

Of the more than 210 accidents in which a driver was killed in the state of Massachusetts in 2009, there were close to 15 drivers who were never tested, close to 70 who returned negative test results, 20 who were found with drugs, more than 15 in which the test results were unknown. Another 95 had unknown testing status.

More and more states are slowly creating ways to try to keep these drivers under control. Sometimes these strategies work and sometimes they don’t. We’re calling on all drivers to do the right thing and to stay from behind the wheel whenever under the influence of any kind of alcohol or drugs.
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The number of people killed in car accidents during the first 7 months of 2012 is up close to 10 percent compared to the same time period in 2011.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there were close to 21,000 people who were killed in car accidents through July. This figure is up from 7-10 percent over recent years. The number of fatalities through July of 2011 were less than 20,000, which was a 1 percent decrease from 2010.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that state safety officials nationwide are pushing distracted-driving laws and other safety measures meant to reduce dangers on the road.

Clearly, that doesn’t seem to be working. Drivers aren’t listening and they’re losing their lives because of it. Many states, including Massachusetts, have banned all drivers from using a cell phone behind the wheel. We’ve even gone as far as prohibiting young drivers from text messaging while driving. Still, many of these states are seeing a significant number of distracted driving accident fatalities, with little to no decreases in the incidents since the passage of these laws.

Currently, the population death rate sits at just under 12 fatalities per 100,000 residents. This is an increase of 5 percent from the previous year. The mileage per death rate is also up close to 10 percent, at nearly 1.5 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Fatalities aren’t the only bad news on the rise. Accident injuries have skyrocketed, too! During the first seven months of 2012, there were more than 2 million people injured in crashes. That more than a 10 percent increase from this time last year.

If accidents, injuries and fatalities from car accidents are up from last year’s numbers then you better believe that the costs of these accidents are up, too! During the first seven months of 2012, officials estimate that these accidents cost more than $150 billion — up 20 percent from last year. Included in these costs are property damage, employer costs, administrative expenses, medical expenses and wage and productivity losses.

Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) offer drivers safe driving tips to help to reduce the risks of car accidents throughout the state. It’s important that you know what’s going on around you at all times, including your speed, as well as traffic and weather conditions.

Safe Driving Tips:

-Always make sure that you and all of your passengers are properly buckled in.

-Be aware of the traffic around you.

-Make sure that you always use your turn signal.

-Park so that you won’t have to back out, but when you have to you should turn around and physically check blind spots.

-Keep cell phones and text messaging devices out of the driver’s seat.

-Always practice defensive driving habits.

-Don’t eat or drink while driving.

-Always followed posted street signs.

-Adjust driving to accommodate current weather conditions.
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Teens in the state of Massachusetts have a list of rules to follow through the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), they’ve got supervised driving time, nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions to follow. During this time, they’re learning the driving skills that they’re going to hang on to for the rest of their lives. It’s important that we steer them in the right direction. Unfortunately, that’s not always done effectively.

We’re talking to you parents! The truth of the matter is that parents and guardians play the most important role when it comes to helping to teach these young drivers. You may not think so, but it’s true. Unfortunately, many parents aren’t setting a good example. According to Claims Journal, about two-thirds of surveyed teens believe that their parents follow a whole different set of driving rules. The recent study was conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance as well as by officials with Students Against Destructive Driving (SADD).

What it comes down to is this: There’s an alarming percentage of teenage drivers who report that their parents make poor and risky decisions while driving.

Our Boston car accident attorneys are asking parents and guardians to step up to the plate. The first year that a driver has their license is the most vulnerable. The driving habits that they witness are likely to be ones that they’re going to mimic and the ones that they’re going to hold onto for a lifetime.

The recent study looked at the feedback of more than 1,500 teen drivers and really got their perspective on their parents’ driving habits. An alarming number of teens report that their parents oftentimes sped, drove while distracted, drove under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and even neglected to wear their seat belts.

The study also looked at the likelihood of teens to mimic these behaviors. It concluded that teens engaged in as many of these dangerous driving behaviors as their parents did. It’s all a part of the “do as I say, not as I do” mindset, where parents think that they can make the rules, but it’s not their responsibility to follow them.

“Parents have to demonstrate good driving behavior from the onset so new drivers understand that safe driving rules apply to everyone equally,” said Stephen Wallace, senior adviser with SADD.

We all have to remember that car accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teens across the country.

We’re suggesting that parents create and enforce a parent-teen driving contract to help to make some rules and to enforce them within the household. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to safe driving habits.
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