Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in young adults ages 15 to 20. In an effort to continue to reduce car accidents among teens, Ford Motor Co. is expanding its program of one-day clinics to 30 high schools in 15 states.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand the importance of educating our young drivers about safe driving habits, especially with the increasing popularity of hand-held communication devices.

“We know that with the advent of texting, in particular with teens, that that’s become a major distraction,” says manager of Ford Driving Skills for Life, Jim Graham. “The lack of experience is a key. You take that in conjunction with distracted driving and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.”

The course if offered to students for free, thanks to Ford Motor Company’s $35,000 per-clinic donation. The students will be able to learn safe driving techniques from some of the nation’s best drivers, professional race car drivers. Each student is taught what it’s like to deal with in-car distractions, to drive while legally drunk using intoxicated vision goggles and how to drive in various poor weather conditions.

The course is designed to decrease some of these teen accident statistics provided by NHTSA:

-Approximately 12 percent of those 12 years of age and older reported driving under the influence of alcohol in the last year.

-An estimated 24,000 people were injured in car accidents while using cell phones in 2009.

-Speeding contributed to 31 percent of all fatal crashes.

Students Against Drunk Driving offers you this Communication Guide to help you talk to your child and find and effective way to stress importance of safe driving.
Continue reading

The increasing number of low-fare buses in Massachusetts are conjuring up questions about the safety features and regulations of the older, cheaper rides. These discounted bus lines offer cheaper tickets, but could increase the safety risk for passengers or result in a Boston bus accident.

“They discount, some of them, not all of them, but some of them hold back in certain areas. They may not have a full-time fleet mechanic. They may not have a full-time safety person,” said transportation consultant Joe Mokrisky said.

Massachusetts car accident attorneys advise you to check out bus companies before purchasing a ticket. Ask yourself, “Is your safety worth sacrificing to save a few bucks?”

ABC 5 reports that tickets on a low-fare bus company making a trip from Boston to New York will run you about $10 – $15, but the same trip on Amtrack will run you about $70. Is your safety really at risk on those loosely maintained buses?

Worldwide has been the only company to receive one score with an alert status in the last 24 months, according to the Federal Transportation Department. The citation was not vehicle related. The driver was cited for driving fatigued.

Bus drivers for all types of busing companies are typically paid the same, go through the same training sessions, and work under the same schedules. The major difference between the low-fare companies and the companies like Super Luxury Tours and World Wide Travel is the age of their buses. Low-fare companies typically offer rides on older buses.

The low-fare bus options didn’t score so well in the 24 month record. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show the 135 buses in the Northeast, operated by Coach USA, racked up 20 speeding tickets during the same period. Greyhouse Lines Inc. collected about 117.

Whatever the fare, busing companies have an obligation to protect passengers from preventable injuries. When they don’t, a company can and should be held responsible.
Continue reading

There are nearly 5,800 railroad crossing accidents every year in the United States according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Boston car accident lawyers urge you to be alert at railroad crossings as crossing devices may fail, railroads may be littered with debris — mechanism failure or human error can cause fatal injuries.

Avon officials were called to the scene of a Massachusetts car accident Thursday. An elderly woman and her car were stuck by a commuter train at a railroad crossing. The train engineer slammed on the brakes but was unable to stop before hitting her car. She was later pronounced dead.

Crash Stuff reports that nearly 50 percent of collisions that take place at railroad crossings happen when warning devices, lights and gates, are activated.

A study released by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration reveals that these railroad crossing accidents cause serious and fatal injuries to vehicle occupants because of the extensive amount of damage the massive trains are able to cause. Crash Stuff reports that a 150-car freight train that is traveling 50 miles per hour will take over a mile to stop completely.

Please follow these safety tips to help prevent railroad crossing accidents:

-Check both directions. If there are two train tracks at one crossing, one going each direction, be sure to look both ways before crossing.

-Keep away. When stopping at a railroad crossing, make sure you are at least 15 feet from the tracks.

-Assume there is always a train approaching. Approach all railroad crossings with caution.

-Remember that the train is probably moving faster than you think. Trains often appear to be traveling slower than the eye perceives. A freight train tops out at approximately 60 mph while passenger trains can travel up to speeds of 80 mph.
Continue reading

A new study by Consumer Reports found that 94 percent of all drivers regularly report seeing other drivers talking on a cell phone, as distracted drivers continue to increase the risk of Massachusetts car accidents for all motorists.

“Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on America’s roads, and teens are especially vulnerable because of their inexperience behind the wheel and, often, peer pressure,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Parent can do their part with help to help educate young drivers:

-Talk to your teen about the responsibility of driving and the dangers of distracted driving.

-Spread the word on to family and friends.

-Make safety rules. Prohibit cell phone calls and texting while driving.

-Put your own cell phone down. Set a good example.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers urge parents to emphasize the importance of driver safety. The Department of Transportation just released the “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives” guide for parents and educators.

Consumer Reports recently surveyed young Boston drivers under the age of 30 about distracted driving habits:

-63 percent admitted to having used a hand-held phone while driving.

-64 percent said they had seen other drivers texting while driving.

-58 percent had seen a dangerous driving situation because of a distracted driver.

-94 percent observed drivers talking on a cell phone while driving.

In 2009, more than 5,000 people in the United States were killed and nearly 500,000 were injured because of distracted driving. “Behind the statistics are real families who have been devastated by these tragedies,” Secretary LaHood said.

Educating young drivers can make a positive impact of the roadway safety:

-30 percent now feel it’s dangerous to use a hand-help phone while driving.

-78 percent have reduced or stopped distracted-driving related behaviors, over half of those because of distracted driving awareness.
Continue reading