Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
If you were injured in a Boston car crash, it can feel like everything is suddenly on your shoulders: medical visits, missed work, pain, insurance calls, and the worry that you will be blamed for something you did not cause. One thing many people do not realize is that Boston publishes detailed crash data, and that data often shows car accidents are not random; they cluster in predictable places and follow repeat patterns. When used the right way, city and state crash data can help support a personal injury claim by strengthening key issues like fault, foreseeability, and the full impact of your injuries.
At Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, our Boston car accident attorneys use evidence from the scene, your medical records, and, when relevant, public crash and roadway data, to build a clear, persuasive case for compensation.
What does “high-injury corridor” mean in Boston?
Boston’s Vision Zero program tracks where crashes occur, including where injuries most often occur, and publishes “high crash” maps and datasets for public use.
A common way transportation agencies describe these problem areas is with a “High Crash Network” or “High Injury Network”, meaning a relatively small set of streets and intersections where a disproportionate share of injury crashes occurs. For example, one Boston “High Crash Network” map describes city-owned streets with the highest density of injury crashes over a multi-year period, representing only a small percentage of streets while capturing a large share of harm.
A high-injury corridor is a roadway where serious crashes occur repeatedly, often due to a mix of design, traffic volume, turning conflicts, speed, visibility, and driver behavior.
Where the crash data comes from
Two public sources are instrumental in Boston crash cases.
Boston Vision Zero crash records and maps
Boston publishes Vision Zero crash records that include the date, time, location, and crash type for incidents that required a public safety response. The city explains that the records are compiled from the City’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (911) system and are verified as requiring a response.
Boston also provides an interactive public Vision Zero map that lets users explore crash patterns by location and timeframe.
MassDOT crash data and “top crash locations” tools
Massachusetts also maintains statewide crash reporting tools, including the MassDOT crash data portal, and a “top crash locations and maps” resource tied to safety program screening.
This matters because city data and state data can complement each other, especially when you need a broader view of a corridor, an intersection, or a recurring hazard.
What the data tends to show: predictable corridors, predictable conflicts
While every crash is unique, severe and injury crashes often repeat in similar places and situations.
High injury locations are often major streets and busy intersections
Boston has published maps of high-crash intersections based on injury crash counts over a multi-year period, reinforcing the importance of intersections as a significant focus area.
Regionally, transportation safety analysis consistently finds intersection-related crashes are a major contributor to fatal and serious injury outcomes. The Boston region Vision Zero materials note that intersection-related crashes were the most common type of fatal and serious injury crashes from 2018 to 2022, contributing to 44 percent of the region’s total.
Real-world example: the Mass and Cass area
Public reporting has highlighted Massachusetts Avenue at Melnea Cass Boulevard as an area with a high concentration of pedestrian harm, showing how specific locations repeatedly surface in injury data discussions.
Common crash patterns that cause severe injuries
In Boston, “high injury” does not just mean more crashes; it often means crashes with higher forces or higher vulnerability, such as when pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are involved. These claims frequently involve:
- Failure to yield while turning at intersections, especially left turns across oncoming traffic and right turns across crosswalks
- Rear-end crashes in stop-and-go traffic still cause severe neck, back, and concussion injuries
- “Dooring” and bike lane conflicts on dense corridors
- Speed-related impacts on wider streets where drivers treat city roads like highways
- Poor sight lines, faded markings, or confusing lane patterns that create sudden merges
How Boston crash data can strengthen your injury claim
Crash data does not replace evidence from your specific collision, but it can add valuable context. Insurance companies often try to reduce payouts by calling a crash “unavoidable” or suggesting the injured person should have been more careful. Data can help push back when it supports what you experienced.
Here are practical ways public data can help your case.
- Showing that the crash was foreseeable at that location. If an intersection or corridor has a documented pattern of injury crashes, it can support the argument that the danger was known, or should have been known, by drivers, businesses, fleet operators, or public agencies responsible for safe operations and maintenance.
- Supporting a “why this happened” story that makes sense. When your crash matches common severe injury patterns, for example, a turning vehicle failing to yield at a known conflict point, that narrative can be more straightforward for adjusters, arbitrators, and juries to understand.
- Identifying additional responsible parties. Sometimes the fault driver is not the only party at fault. Depending on the facts, there may be claims involving:
- Employers, if a driver was working at the time
- Commercial vehicle owners or maintenance contractors
- Bars or hosts in impaired driving scenarios, in limited circumstances
- Public entities, if roadway defects, signal issues, or negligent maintenance contributed
A lawyer can evaluate what the data suggests, then confirm it with on-the-ground evidence and formal records requests.
Countering unfair blame
Massachusetts uses a modified comparative negligence system, meaning fault arguments matter. Location context can help explain why you could not simply “avoid” the crash, for example, a dangerous turning geometry, blocked sight lines, or a crosswalk conflict that happens repeatedly at the same corner.
Action steps if you were hurt on a high-injury corridor
If you are able, these steps help protect both your health and your legal claim.
- Get medical care right away, and follow up. Gaps in treatment are often used against you.
- Photograph the scene, including lane markings, signage, crosswalk signals, curb corners, lighting, and any obstructions
- Write down the exact location, nearest intersection, direction of travel, and what the signals showed.
- Ask witnesses for names and contact info, and note nearby businesses that may have cameras.
- Keep all bills, prescriptions, and a simple daily symptom log
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you get legal advice
When should you hire a Boston car accident lawyer?
You should strongly consider speaking with an attorney if any of the following are true:
- You suffered a concussion, fractures, back injuries, surgery, or lasting pain
- You missed work, or your job duties are affected
- The insurer is disputing fault or minimizing your injuries
- You were a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist
- A commercial vehicle, rideshare, or delivery driver was involved
- The crash happened in a location with known recurring safety problems
- You suspect a government entity may share responsibility
Timing also matters. In Massachusetts, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 3 years of the date the claim accrues. If a public employer is involved, special rules may apply, including strict presentment requirements under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act.
How Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers can help
A strong injury claim is built on proof, not pressure from an insurance adjuster. Our team can help by:
- Investigating the crash, preserving evidence, and obtaining reports and recordings
- Using public crash data and mapping tools when relevant to show recurring hazards and patterns
- Working with medical providers and, when needed, experts to document future care needs
- Calculating damages, including medical costs, lost income, reduced earning ability, and pain and suffering
- Handling all insurer communications so that you can focus on recovery
- Filing on time and navigating special deadlines when a public entity is involved
Free consultation with a Boston car accident lawyer
If you were injured on a Boston high-injury corridor, or anywhere in the city, you deserve a careful review of your options and a plan that protects your health and your financial future. Public crash data can reveal patterns, but your case still needs a law firm that knows how to turn facts into results.
Contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. We will listen to what happened, explain your rights in plain English, and fight for the compensation you need to move forward.