Articles Posted in Car Accidents

The CEO of the popular cell phone service provider AT&T, Randall Stephenson, is currently pushing drivers to put down their phones and to help reduce risks of distracted driving car accidents in Boston and elsewhere.

During the Olympics, we saw the commercial of a man in a wheel chair who was suffering from a severe brain injury and was holding a sign with the text “Where r.” Those two words were the reason for his life-altering injuries. He was texting behind the wheel when he was involved in a serious car accident.

This commercial is all a part of the company’s “It Can Wait” campaign, which urges drivers to stop texting while driving.

“This is the text message that caused the car accident that changed my life forever,” said the guy in the commercial.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that these kinds of campaigns specifically target our younger drivers as they’re more likely to be involved in distracted driving car accidents. The “It Can Wait” campaign has been going strong since 2009, but advocates are taking the next step. They’re urging all drivers to join them during “No Text on Board — Pledge Day” and make the pledge on September 19th to stop texting behind the wheel, according to CNN.

You don’t have to wait until the 19th of September. You can visit the website and take the pledge today!

Texting while driving has increased by about 50 percent in one year. In 2010, about 20 percent of drivers admitted to texting or emailing while driving, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. With these confessions, it’s easy to understand why about one out of every five fatal car accidents involves a distracted driver. Teen drivers are doing it a lot more though, as nearly 45 percent admit to doing so.

If you text message behind the wheel, whether you’re reading one or sending one, you’re nearly 25 times more likely to get into a serious car accident.

According to Stephenson, some of his competitors, including Verizon and Sprint, already have anti-texting campaigns, too. He says that he welcomes all of the advocacy he can get!

“This is a dead-serious issue and I don’t mean that as a pun,” said Stephenson.

Cell phone providers aren’t the only ones getting in on the action. Officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the wireless-industry trade association CTIA, the National Organizations for Youth Safety and the National Safety Council are in on the fight, too!

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only drivers over the age of 18-years-old are allowed to use a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel in the state of Massachusetts. All drivers are prohibited from text messaging while driving. Although it’s written into law, not all drivers are listening and distracted driving car accidents continue to plague our roadways. Make the pledge today and help to keep yourself and everyone else safe!
Continue reading

There have been a number of safety campaigns to help make our streets safer for everyone. Car manufacturers are equipping cars with more safety technology than ever before. Still, we’re seeing an increase in the number of car accident fatalities across the nation.

According to CNN, the number of first-quarter fatal car accidents jumped 14 percent during the first three months of 2012 compared to 2011.

During the first three months of 2011, there were less than 6,750 traffic accident fatalities recorded nationwide. During the same time this year, more than 7,600 traffic fatalities were reported.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand that it’s a dangerous time to be out on the road, but it seems the rest of 2012 is shaping up to be no safer. Officials are trying to figure out what contributed to the increase in fatalities. Some are speculating that it’s a result of the improvement in the economy, meaning that more motorists feel comfortable spending at the pump. Others are saying that it’s the result of the mild winter. Motorists are more likely to travel when weather conditions are better. Warmer winter weather equals more drivers. Whatever the cause may be, more drivers equates to higher risks and more accidents.

What might be most upsetting about this steep increase is that it follows years of downward trending fatality rates. Regardless of all of the safety campaigns and all of the safety technology, nothing is going to work if drivers don’t take more responsibility for their actions.

Transportation officials point out that the first quarter of each year typically produces some of the lowest rates of fatal accidents, meaning that we can only expect the following quarters to be much worse and for many more people to die on our roadways.

“These data show there is more work to be done to improve driver safety such as limiting distractions, reducing impaired driving and promoting a culture of safety among motorists,” said Jacob Nelson with the Automobile Association of America.

As a matter of fact, the increase from the first quarter or 2011 to the first quarter of 2012 serves as the second-largest increase in the number of traffic fatalities since the government started recording these numbers more than 30 years ago.

According to preliminary data from the Federal Highway Administration, American motorists increased their number of vehicle miles traveled be nearly 1.5 percent. During the first three months of 2012, motorists traveled about 9.7 billion miles.

Drivers are asked to be safe out there. With seasonal travel, we’re expecting more travelers and even more accidents. Be on your best behavior behind the wheel and practice your defensive driving habits to avoid a potentially fatal accident with a dangerous and irresponsible driver.
Continue reading

Police officers are beefing up their patrols and they’re focusing on bringing down the accident numbers on both Route 195 and Route 24. According NECN, officers’ new initiative will add more than 10 patrols on Friday and Saturday nights from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.

This initiative will last through the summer and will cost nearly $150,000.

“I think the dollars that going to expend down here are well spent and hopefully saving lives and getting out this message about operator safety,” said Colonel Timothy Alben with the Massachusetts State Police (MSP).

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that there were nearly 20 serious accidents that happened in these areas from just the 1st of January through the 17th of July. Eleven of these accidents were fatal, five resulted in serious injury and more than 30 percent of them involved a driver who was under the influence. On the 15th of July, there was a double-fatality accident on Route 24 that was caused by a wrong-way driver. Just two days later, there were two more wrong-way drivers who caused accidents on Route 195. There have even been some truck rollovers. Officers think that many of these accidents could have been prevented, but drivers are saying that it’s not their fault and it’s the road’s fault!

Alben says that drivers aren’t taking safety seriously. He says that driver’s habits are what’s getting them into trouble on our roadways. It’s speeding, it’s distractions, it’s alcohol and it’s drugs. Drivers are saying that it’s the narrowness of the road that’s causing these accidents.

Truth is, dangerous and defective roads are often partially to blame for an accident. Transportation officials have an obligation to make sure that our roads are safe and that all hazards are eliminated. Hazards can include narrow lanes, obstructed traffic devices, missing traffic devices, defects in the pavement and more. Having a good attorney can permit a thorough review of the factors involved in your accident.

About 100,000 vehicles use the upper part of Route 24 every day. Massachusetts officials have set aside about $12 million to help improve the road through a resurfacing project.

With the new roads, drivers may be more likely to speed, says Alben. He and the MSP are asking drivers to keep an eye on their speedometer when traveling along these roadways.

Aside from speeding and driving under the influence, officers say that they’re very concerned with drivers who are using cell phones and text messaging devices behind the wheel. In the state of Massachusetts, drivers are allowed to talk on their cell phone while driving, unless they’re under the age of 18. Drivers are prohibited however, from text messaging while driving, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Officers are asking drivers to keep all electronic devices out of the driver’s seat.
Continue reading

An 11-year-old vehicle occupant was injured in a recent car accident in Randolph. This was no ordinary accident. This accident involved a cruiser from the Massachusetts State Police, according to Fox 25.

The cruiser was heading south on Route 24 near Exit 20 just before 4:00 p.m. when the officer saw a broken down vehicle on the side of the road. The officer attempted to cross over to the other side of the highway, with its emergency lights activated, when it slammed into another vehicle.

The officer was not injured in the accident, but the 11-year-old passenger of the other car was seriously injured when its airbags deployed. Both the driver and the young passenger were taken to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton.

In the week prior, there were three people killed and several others injured in four different accidents along Route 24.

When you’re involved in a crash with a police cruiser or with any other kinds of government vehicle it’s important to remember that there are very special rules that you must follow. In these incidents, there’s a strict 6 month statute of limitation in which you have to file a claim against a government entity. In these situations, it’s critical for you to contact an experienced attorney to help to make sure that your rights are protected and to help you to fight for the compensation that you deserve.

In these circumstances, your claim has to be brought against the government. You don’t go against the driver of the vehicle, but their employer. If you’re hit by a vehicle that was responding to an accident or another type of emergency and are unsure of that vehicle’s right-of-way then you should also contact an attorney immediately. There’s an entire list of rules you’ve got to follow in these scenarios, too.

When you’re involved in a car accident with a law enforcement vehicle, it will usually be the involved officer’s department that will be in charge of investigating the accident. Unfortunately, there’s a common trend of no-fault verdicts in these cases. You want to make sure that you’ve got an outside party investigating the accident as well to help to make sure that you’ve got an unbiased perspective.

Have you been involved in an accident with military personnel? Well, that’s a whole different set of rules. Even when the driver of a military vehicle is at fault in an accident, you cannot sue the driver. A federal administrative claim must be brought against the federal government.

Regardless of who you’ve been in an accident with, the first thing on your list after receiving medical attention should be to contact an experienced attorney who can help you to make sure that your rights are protected and that can help you to collect the compensation that you deserve.
Continue reading

Car accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for residents between the ages of 5- and 34-years-old. In fact, these crashes are among the top causes of death for residents of every age. Each year, there are more than 30,000 people killed in traffic collisions nationwide.

Not only do we lose lives in these accidents, but the cost of them puts quite the damper on our economy. In 2005, car accidents cost the country more than $41 billion in both work lost costs and medical costs, according to the latest reports.

Our Boston accident attorneys would like to remind motorists that many of these accidents are completely preventable. We don’t necessarily have to shell out near;y $400 million for these accidents in the Commonwealth each year.

That’s right. The state of Massachusetts racks up a bill of nearly $400 million as a result of traffic accidents every year. A substantial portion of these costs are racked up by young adults involved in car accidents. They cost nearly $200 million.

The next costliest group is older adults, racking up nearly 30 percent of these costs, or more than $110 million.

Teens are the second runner-up with more than $65 million in related costs. As a matter of fact, the state of Massachusetts had the highest bill in the entire New England region for car accident costs.

What’s most important to remember is that many of these accidents can sometimes be avoided. Safe driving advocates and federal officials suggest effective policies and programs to do just that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Recommendations to help save lives:

-Primary enforcement seat belt laws. Officials suggest that these laws cover all passengers. Currently exempt under the state’s seat belt laws are postal workers on the clock, drivers of emergency response vehicles, fire truck drivers, police officers, truck, bus and tractor drivers (with a gross weight of at least 18,000 pounds), taxi drivers, drivers of vehicles made before 1966 as well as drivers and passengers who have proof from a physician that a disability or medical condition makes wearing a seat belt dangerous or impossible.

-Comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) program. These programs are designed to help newly-licensed drivers to gain experience under lower-risk conditions. In our state, these young drivers have very loose restrictions regarding allowable passengers. For the first 6 months of their intermediate license they’re prohibited from having any passengers present under the age of 18. Unfortunately, this law is secondary enforcement 12:30 am to 1:00 a.m. as well as from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.

During this time of the year, when are roadways are more congested, drivers are asked to be on their best behavior behind the wheel. Safe driving habits can help to keep you and your passengers alive!
Continue reading

According to the National Safety Council (NSC) Congress recently included some bonuses in its Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill.

Safe driving advocates with the NSC are applauding Congress for including a number of safety provisions to help to reduce the risks of traffic accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere. The new provisions are being used to help to cut down on distracted driving car accidents and to beef up Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) programs to better protect our young drivers.

Congress chose to target distracted driving and teen driving because of the risks they both pose. About 25 percent of all car accidents involve a distracted driver nowadays. In addition, car accidents continue to be the number one killer for teenagers across the country. Both tough distraction-related and tough teen driver-related laws prove to have what it takes to reduce risks of accidents. Now, Congress is calling on states to enact more of these tough laws to improve the safety of everyone.

Our Massachusetts personal injury lawyers understand that Congress is luring state legislatures by offering incentives for those who join the cause. In recent years, incentives have been offered to states that make tougher impaired driving and seat belt laws. It has been proven that each of these states that enacted these toughened laws actually showed a reduction in the number of car accident fatalities.

“This bill will help states make roadways safer. We are confident that incentives will provide encouragement to state legislators to enact distracted driving and teen driving laws that will reduce crashes,” said CEO and president of the NSC, Janet Froetscher.

Through this bill, there is about $13 million up for grabs for those states that adopt the toughest elements to their GDL programs. Some of the elements include passenger restrictions, nighttime restrictions, plenty of supervised driving time and laws to keep distractions out of these young driver’s hands. Effective GDL programs allow teen drivers to gain experience behind the wheel by sending them through a number of phases that slowly peel away restrictions. They’re exposed to more and more just a little at a time allowing them to get a thorough driver’s education and to slowly be exposed to driving privileges.

There is another $23 million that’s being set aside for states that devise tougher distracted driving laws. Legislators are trying to get more states to make it illegal for drivers to talk on cell phones and text message behind the wheel. In the state of Massachusetts, only drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from talking on a cell phone behind the wheel. All drivers are prohibited from text messaging.

The bill also includes funding for distracted driving research.
Continue reading

Road rage and aggressive driving are common risks, especially with the congested summer traffic.

According to MSNBC, road rage was what led to a woman’s death in a recent New Jersey car accident. According to law enforcement officials, a 27-year-old and a 20-year-old are facing charges of vehicular homicide and a number of other motor vehicle violations because of it.

Allegedly, the two lost control of the vehicle as they were attempting to pass another vehicle on the right, in the exit lane. Their vehicle flipped over and hit another car. A woman in that other car was ejected and was killed. According to witnesses, the two were tailgating the victim’s vehicle and making a number of frantic lane changes just seconds before the accident.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road rage is used to describe aggressive behavior of a driver, but most oftentimes is used to describe more extreme acts of aggression, such as a physical assault, that occur as a direct result of a disagreement between drivers.

Unfortunately, road rage leads to a number of car accidents in Boston and elsewhere each and every day. With the summer travel congestion here, drivers are getting more frustrated behind the wheel and are acting out. It’s important to keep your cool to prevent one of these accidents. There are also specific ways to handle an aggressive driver, should you ever encounter one.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that nearly 2,000 people are injured or killed each year in the U.S. as a result of this dangerous driving behavior. AAA officials recently conducted a study of more than 10,000 incidents of road rage and determined that anyone can be a victim. Drivers are urged to stay calm behind the wheel. This can be done by allowing extra time to get to and from your destination, by checking traffic reports to see where there are backups and detours and my just taking a moment to breathe. These kinds of accidents are 100 percent preventable.

How to avoid becoming a victim of road rage, from AAA’s “Road Rage, How to Avoid Aggressive Driving”:

-Never engage a bully. You can easily protect yourself from an enraged driver by refusing to get angry back at them.

-Make sure to stay away from them. Give them plenty of room. Remove yourself from the area as quickly as possible.

-Avoid making eye contact with the driver. Keep it as impersonal as possible.

-Call for help. Drive to a spot where there are other people and call authorities.

-Before you react to anything that is done to you please ask yourself, “Is getting back at that jerk worth my life?”

-Never make obscene gestures.
Continue reading