Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

December 3, 2010

Six injured, one killed, in Massachusetts car accident blamed on drunk driver

A Wilbraham, Massachusetts drunk driving accident has claimed the life of a Portland woman, Mass Live reported.

As the holiday season enters full swing, our Boston accident attorneys urge you to celebrate responsibly and help reduce the risk of the devastating consequences that are too often associated with drinking and driving during the holiday season. Nationwide, about one-third of all fatal accidents involve alcohol, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2008, a total of 11,773 people were killed in accidents caused by drunk drivers — or one every 45 minutes. Alcohol was involved in 42 percent of all Massachusetts car accidents, accounting for 151 of 363 traffic fatalities.

In this case, a 24-year-old Ware motorist is facing charges of motor vehicle homicide; operating under the influence of alcohol with serious bodily injury; and negligent operation, and a marked lanes violation, according to police.

The head-on collision occurred at Boston Road and Three Rivers Rod. Six people were transported to the hospital, including the 27-year-old victim. Police say the defendant was driving a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee eastbound on Boston road when he collided with a 2002 Nissan Altima with five occupants.
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November 25, 2010

Boston drunk driving accidents a Thanksgiving danger

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Massachusetts State Police have announced DUI checkpoints in Essex County and Suffolk County as authorities work to reduce the risk of Massachusetts drunk driving accidents through the Thanksgiving Holiday.

As our Boston car accident lawyers reported earlier this week, 354 fatal accidents were reported nationwide over the Thanksgiving holiday last year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that someone is killed in a drunk driving accident every 45 minutes.

About one-third of all fatal accidents involve a drunk driver. In 2008, a total of 11,773 motorists were killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes. Massachusetts drunk driving accident killed 141 motorists — or a staggering 42 percent of all traffic fatalities that year.

Mother’s Against Drunk Driving ranks the state 31st out of 50 states in the fight to combat drunk driving.

Statistics for 2009 include:

3-Time Offenders: 22,253
5-Time Offenders: 4,840
Fatalities: 108
Percentage of underage drinkers last 30 days: 33 percent
Underage binge drinkers last 30 days: 23 percent Continue reading

November 23, 2010

Heavy Thanksgiving traffic increases risk of Massachusetts car accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Boston car accident attorneys and staff at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers wish each of you a safety and enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend with friends and family. And we remind you of the increased risk of Massachusetts car accidents during the busiest travel weekend of the year.

The Boston Globe reports that Thanksgiving travel is expected to increase significantly this year, with more than 42 million travelers making a trip at least 50 miles from home. That’s an 11.4 percent increase over last year.

“While Americans remain cautious with household budgets and discretionary spending amidst high levels of unemployment, many are in a better financial position this Thanksgiving than a year ago,” Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England senior vice president of public and government affairs, said in a statement. “This improvement, along with a strong desire to spend time with friends and family, is expected to propel a significant increase in Thanksgiving travel.”

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is also expecting Thanksgiving traffic to be heavier than last year. The department is urging motorist to travel in the early morning or after 8 p.m. from Wednesday Nov. 24 to Sunday Nov. 28 to ease congestion.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also launched a campaign aimed at increasing seat belt and booster seat use through the travel weekend.

Fatal Accidents by Holiday in 2009:

New Year’s: 411
Memorial Day: 410
Fourth of July: 369
Labor Day: 328
Thanksgiving 354
Christmas: 233 Continue reading

November 19, 2010

Government priorities in Mass: Fewer motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents involving young drivers

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements this week. The list will go to state governments, which are encouraged to use it in setting priorities. Our Boston injury lawyers note that many of the government’s priorities involve safety topics and risk factors we discuss here frequently.

“State governments are in a unique position to effect the most significant improvement in certain areas of transportation safety,” NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said. “Our Most Wanted List spotlights those states that have made noteworthy progress in better protecting the traveling public – and those that have not.”

Improve Motorcycle Safety
The number of fatal motorcycle accidents more than doubled from 1997 to 2008. Head injuries are the leading cause of death. The NTSB therefore recommends helmet laws. Currently 20 states require helmets for all riders. Twenty-seven states have partial helmet laws and three states — New Hampshire, Iowa and Illinois — have no helmet laws.

Massachusetts motorcycle accidents killed 41 riders in 2008.

Distracted Driving car accidents involving young drivers
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 20. Graduated Drivers License systems and more involvement from parents during the driver’s education process could help reduce the risks. Additionally, the government backs cell phone bans and text messaging bans for young drivers.

Better Child Occupant Protection
Nearly half of children ages 4 to 8 who are killed in car accidents are not properly restrained. The government recommends booster seats for children ages 4 to 8.

Primary Seat Belt Laws
More than half of the 23.000 occupants killed in car accidents last year were not wearing seat belts. Belts reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury by about half.

Eliminate Hardcore Drunk Driving Twenty-two years ago the nation’s deadliest drunk driving accident occurred when a driver slammed into a bus in Kentucky, killing 27 people. The driver had a history of drunk driving and a blood-alcohol level of .26. In the last decade, 81,000 have been killed by hard-core drunk drivers.
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November 14, 2010

Seniors at high risk for Boston car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

With winter weather rapidly approaching and the holiday season just around the corner, our Boston personal injury lawyers urge families to discuss safe driving habits with elderly drivers and to take steps to assure their safety.

The USA Today reports the rapidly expanding population of older drivers will have a huge impact in the years to come. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that fatality rates begin to climb after age 65. From 75 to 84, older drivers are about as dangerous as the most dangerous drivers on the road — teenagers. After age 85, the chances of being involved in a fatal accident skyrocket until the oldest drivers on the road are 400 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than young drivers.

It’s a huge issue because a separate study earlier this year also found that drivers over the age of 75 are much more likely to say they plan to driver into their 90s than are drivers who recently hit retirement age.

And, with the Baby Boomers hitting retirement age, the number of older drivers on the road is expected to explode in the coming years. The number of U.S. residents over the age of 70 is expected to grow from 1 in 10 today to 1 in 5 by 2040. Meanwhile, the number of fatal accidents involving those over 65 is expected to grow to 25 percent, from just 11 percent today.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 183,000 older adults are injured in accidents each year — and they account for about 1 in 5 fatal pedestrian accidents.

Many seniors make concessions when not in denial about their abilities — typically limiting their driving to daylight hours. This is no guarantee. Eighty percent of traffic fatalities involving older drivers happen during daylight hours and 72 percent occur during the week.

Senior drivers were responsible for more than 1 in 5 fatal Massachusetts car accidents, accounting for 74 of the 363 fatalities in 2008.

The USA Today article encourages families to start discussing the issue early — even at the time an older adult retires — so as to make it less contentious. With proper planning, a parent or aging loved one may also move to an area where public transportation is available or make other concessions in preparation for the time when it may no longer be safe to drive.
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November 11, 2010

Boston road rage incident a reminder of the risks of aggressive driving and Massachusetts car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Quincy man is claiming self-defense after a stabbing that police are blaming on road rage, the Boston Globe reports.

Our Boston accident attorneys have reported before on the dangers of road rage and aggressive driving. Aggressive driving involves a number of driving behaviors of which most drivers are guilty of at some point, including speeding, tailgating, changing lanes without using a signal and speeding up for yellow lights. Road rage, as in this case, is usually defined as a criminal offense.

Road rage injures or kills at least 1,500 motorists each year and Massachusetts has been at the forefront of the issue from the beginning. One of the first comprehensive studies of the issue, conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, opens with a 1994 case of road rage in Massachusetts in which a 54-year-old bookkeeper fatally shot a 42-year-old motorist with a crossbow.

In Monday’s case, the 62-year-old motorist said another motorist became angry at him for blocking traffic on Morrissey Boulevard after he was involved in an accident. The defendant claims he was defending himself when he stabbed the motorist. He has pleaded not guilty in Dorchester District Court to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The alleged stabbing victim was also issued a summons to appear in court on charges of assault, assault and battery on a person over 60, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and disorderly conduct.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers tips for reducing stress while driving and for avoiding road rage in Boston.

-Get out of the Way: Don’t challenge the other driver.
-Put your pride aside: Do not speed up, attempt to hold your own or otherwise provoke the driver.
-Avoid eye contact: Which may enrage an aggressive driver.
-Gestures: Ignore them and don’t return them.
-Report serious aggressive drivers: Pull over to a safe location and alert authorities to the location and description of the vehicle, including license plate number.
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November 10, 2010

Early dark increases risk of Boston pedestrian accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Our Boston injury lawyers urge motorists to watch for pedestrians as clocks go back an hour and darkness comes to the afternoon commute.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the end of daylight-savings time, low light, and the risk of driver distraction during the afternoon commute, significantly increases the risk of Massachusetts car accidents and Boston pedestrian accidents at dusk.

The government reports 4,378 pedestrians were killed and more than 69,000 were injured in 2008 — or a pedestrian death every two hours and an injury every 8 minutes. Massachusetts pedestrian accidents claimed 75 lives that year.

About 40 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents occur in the hours around dusk and dawn — with 1 in 4 reported between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m. While low light during the afternoon commute may also spark an increase in Boston car accidents, it is the serious and fatal injuries often caused by pedestrian accidents that has safety advocates most concerned.

Tips for Motorists:

-Slow down. Low light increases reaction time.
-Remember that pedestrians may not hear you approaching.
-Keep windshields and mirrors clear. Fill windshield wiper fluid and make sure wipers and defrosters are in good repair.

Tips for Pedestrians:

-Carry a flashlight or use reflective material and/or clothing to make yourself more visible.
-Don’t count on traffic signals to keep you safe.
-Don’t jaywalk and avoid crossing between parked cars.
-Use sidewalks.
-Walk facing traffic.
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November 8, 2010

Driver fatigue tied to 1 in 6 Boston car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Boston car accident attorneys know there are few things more important to our well-being and, unfortunately, more under-rated, than a good night’s sleep. Aside from the health benefits of regular rest, fatigue has also been found to play a significant role in workplace accidents, machinery-related accidents and motor vehicle crashes.

Driver fatigue is believed to be responsible for more than 100,000 car accidents, resulting in 71,000 injuries and at least 1,500 fatalities annually, the National Sleep Foundation reports. Nearly 11 million drivers have admitted to crashing or narrowly escaping a car accident due to falling asleep behind the wheel. Half of Americans surveyed admit to regularly driving while tired and another 20 percent say they have fallen asleep behind the wheel during the last year.

“When you are behind the wheel of a car, being sleepy is very dangerous. Sleepiness decreases awareness, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment, just like drugs or alcohol, contributing to the possibility of a crash,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “We need to change the culture so that not only will drivers recognize the dangers of driving while drowsy but will stop doing it.”

Authorities are urging motorists to take the risks serious this week during Drowsy Driving Prevention Week.

To help drivers recognize signs they might be at risk of “driving while drowsy” the NSF offers the following tips and prevention suggestions:

~ If you find it difficult to focus, lose track of time and catch yourself daydreaming or struggling with incoherent thoughts.

~ If the last few miles you’ve driven seem more a blur than a reality, or if you’ve missed an exit or failed to respond properly to traffic signal.

~ If you experience persistent yawning, heavy eyelids, nodding off or feel confused or irritable.

~ Before hitting the road make sure you are well rested and have gotten at least six (preferably eight) hours of sleep. On longer trips, plan regular rest breaks every couple hours.

~ If you feel yourself growing drowsy stop for a jolt of caffeine and a 20 minute rest before getting back behind the wheel. Caffeine and a brief rest offer good short-term fixes, but a better plan is to travel when you would normally be awake.
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November 2, 2010

Massachusetts trucking accidents a common cause of workers’ compensation, personal injury, wrongful death claims

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Boston trucking accident seriously injured the driver of a tractor-trailer after his semi rolled over on the I-495 South ramp to I-95 South on Monday afternoon, the Sun Chronicle reported.

Our Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyers and Boston car accident attorneys are frequently called to handle serious and fatal trucking accidents.

The 45-year-old trucker was flown by helicopter to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. His injuries were described as life-threatening. The ramp has been the scene of numerous truck rollovers in the past. The truck was carrying a load of candles, which did not spill, but the ramp was closed for hours.

Transportation accidents are one of the leading causes of workplace accidents, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nationwide, more than 40 percent of the fatal work accidents in 2008 were caused by transportation incidents. Such accidents were responsible for 2,130 of the 5,214 fatal on-the-job accidents.

But those at the greatest risk of being seriously or fatally injured in a trucking accident are other motorists on the road. Passenger vehicles do not stand a chance in an accident with a large truck or other commercial vehicle. Nationwide, one out of every nine traffic fatalities involves a large truck, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2008, a total of 4,229 motorists were killed and more than 90,000 were injured in accidents with large trucks. Of those, only 677 fatalities and 23,000 injuries occurred to truck occupants. The vast majority of injuries occurred to the occupants of other vehicles or to bicyclists or pedestrians.

Consulting with a Boston auto accident lawyer with the knowledge and experience to handle serious and fatal accidents involving large trucks is critical to protecting your rights and the financial well-being of you and your family. Such cases are often complex and involve multiple victims and accidents claims, in-state and out-of-state trucking companies, drivers and insurance companies, and state and federal trucking regulations.
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October 30, 2010

7-D drivers have special obligation to avoid Boston car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Authorities stopped 149 vans and station wagons during a recent crackdown on 7-D pupil transport vehicles, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation reported.

While our Boston personal injury attorneys have highlighted the risks associated with Massachusetts school bus accidents, traffic accidents involving vans or other vehicles used by daycare centers, churches and other organizations get less attention.

However, they can be even more dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a warning regarding the use of 15-passenger vans after two horrific crashes in New York and Georgia involving church vehicles. While schools are forbidden from purchasing the vans to transport students, numerous smaller organizations rely upon them for transport.

The government is particularly concerned about the use of older tires on such vehicles, which can lead to blowouts and rollover accidents. The upcoming winter driving season also increases the risk of an accident caused by poor tires.

During the recent investigation, dubbed “Operation Guardian Angel,” authorities set up nine safety checkpoints in Boston and issued 123 violation, including $5,350 in fines. Infractions included driving without the required 7-D license, vehicle equipment defects, including bald tires, overloading passengers and failure to not properly secure children in car seats or seat belts.

“The RMV has many responsibilities, but none more important than keeping this most vulnerable population safe,” said Registrar Rachel Kaprielian. “We need to assure parents that their children are riding in safe vehicles with properly trained drivers. But parents can help by being vigilant and asking tough questions.”

Drivers of 7-D vehicles must undergo criminal background checks and apply for special licenses. Vehicles, including cargo vans and station wagons, must undergo inspection twice a year.

7-D drivers are also subject to a fine of up to $500 for using a mobile telephone while driving with passengers, thanks to the state’s new distracted driving law, which took effect. Sept. 30.

The government provides the following safety tips for vans and passenger vehicles used in transport:

-Make sure the vehicle is properly maintained.

-Drivers must be properly trained and licensed.

-Overloading should be avoided. Even loading can reduce the risk of a rollover accident.

-Tires should be properly inflated and in good repair.

-Drivers should check tires for proper inflation, and for signs of wear, before each trip.

-Passengers should wear their seat belts.
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