Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Ray LaHood with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), is turning to auto manufacturers and smartphone companies to help to fight against the devastation caused by distracted driving.

According to The New York Times, LaHood says that it’s these companies that must wake up to the deadly dangers their products can pose.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand drivers have more sources of potential distraction that ever before. We’ve got in-car phones, text messaging devices and email services. And that’s only listing the bare minimum, because there are GPS devices and infotainment services galore. While these companies say that their new versions (hands-free) are safer than the old handheld ones, the truth of the matter is that distraction still occurs and risks for an accident are still high.

But the same companies that are manufacturing these risks may be the answer to getting rid of them. Safe driving advocates aren’t looking for a ban on all of these devices in each and every car. Rather, they’re looking for more companies to disable their features while the car is in motion.

LaHood points at the drunk driving awareness campaigns as a beginners reference in this battle. He says that alcohol companies have been proactive in spreading the message of safe and sober driving, and he’s asking the same from technology companies — to promote safe, aware and cautious driving habits, asking drivers to use these devices responsibly.

“We need to get that same kind of commitment from the tech industry,” said LaHood.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a handheld cell phone behind the wheel. Although all drivers are banned from text messaging behind the wheel, there’s still the option to do so with a hands-free device. And as we’ve stated before, that method still comes with some serious risks for a distracted driving car accident.

If you think you can slip through the cracks and text in the driver’s seat without getting busted, you might want to think again. A recent article in Boston Magazine shows just how serious local officers are about cracking down on the current laws.

According to officers, sting operations will be setup along state highways in 12 communities over the next few months. Each sting will be completed in two- to four-week intervals, which already started in June. The pilot project, called “Text With One Hand, Ticket In The Other” will focus on monitoring highways and looking for distracted drivers by using “high visibility enforcement,” police said.

Without enforcement efforts you should still do the safe and responsible thing behind the wheel — pay attention. The fear of an accident should be enough to deter you from the dangerous behavior. You have one task to perform in the driver’s seat and that’s to drive. Please do so responsibly.
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Getting your driver’s license for the very first time is exhilarating. Unfortunately, the many influences on what a teen drives can have a major impact on their safety. According to Mail Online, our newest drivers say that they feel pressured to drive an older, cheaper vehicle because they can’t afford the insurance for a newer, safer car.

More specifically, about half of all newly-licensed drivers say they’re pushed into older vehicles and this is what’s putting them at high risks behind the wheel. As a matter of fact, these young drivers have higher accident risks than any other age group of drivers.

The same could be said for teens who are allowed to drive newer sports cars, or larger four-wheel drive trucks or SUVs.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that drivers between the ages of 17 and 26 account for close to 20 percent of all motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. each and every year. Fatalities reported among these accidents account for more than 20 percent of all roadway deaths, according to the Department of Transport.

Even with this in mind, close to 65 percent of the drivers surveyed by manufacturer Alfa Romeo and insurer Marmalade say that it’s wrong for insurance companies to charge more for insurance because of their age. About 75 percent of these same drivers say that they were basically forced into an old car with fewer safety features. And that’s what they’re blaming their high risks for an accident on — the driving forces behind their increasing car insurance premiums.

Insurance companies conjure up a number based on the cost of claims. Consider that a whopping four in five teens said that they’re reliant on their parents for financial support to get a first car.

In 2010, about 2,700 teens in the United States aged 16-19 were killed and almost 282,000 were treated and released from emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 2 out of every 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2010 were males.

One of the best ways to keep you teen safe, in any vehicle, is to make sure that they’re equipped with safe driving habits. These are the years that are most important. The driving habits they learn now are likely to stick with them for their entire career behind the wheel.

And now is more important than ever. A Liberty MutualStudents Against Destructive Driving (SADD) survey results provide supporting evidence of recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics that show that more teens die in car crashes during the summer months (June through September) than any other time of the year.
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Our teen drivers are halfway through summer’s 100 Deadliest Days. This is the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day that marks the deadliest days for our teens to be behind the wheel on Massachusetts roadways.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there are ways to help to reduce the risks that our young drivers are facing out there. It all starts with a talk from a parent or a guardian. Keeping safe driving habits a frequent topic in your household can wind up saving their life.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that there are currently about 2 million teens in the United States who are under the age of 18 and in their first year of driving. Breaking that down, that’s more than the entire population of Houston. And it’s these drivers who are involved in nearly 1 million car accidents annually. Think of it this way: That’s roughly 2,500 accidents on any given day, with increasing risks during the 100 Deadliest Days.

Traffic accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teens across the nation. They’re actually more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than any other age group of drivers.

But it’s not only teens who are suffering in these accidents. Many other motorists are injured or killed in collisions with young drivers. According to the NSC, there are nearly 4,000 people killed in teen-driving car accidents every year. That’s enough people to fill up more than 50 school buses.

Common Factors in Fatal Teen Car Accidents:

-Not wearing seat belts is likely to contribute to the risks of death in the event of a teen car accident. Roughly half of all the teens killed in car accidents were not wearing their seat belt. Seat belts continue to be your number one defense against injury and death in the event of an accident.

-Nighttime is a common backdrop for teen car accidents. About 40 percent of accidents occur during the evening hours, most of them happening before midnight.

-Cell phone use and text messaging. Did you know that about 70 percent of teens admit that they text while driving? Did you also know that using a cell phone behind the wheel increases your risks for an accident by 4 times, and text messaging by 8 times?

-Passengers increase your teen’s risk of an accident. The more passengers in the vehicle, the higher the risks are. Consider limiting the number of passengers that your teen is allowed to carry while they’re in the driver’s seat.

-Their inexperience behind the wheel is only hindering their safety. Make sure that you’re providing them with plenty of supervised driving time. You’re presence and input will help to shape their safe driving habits for a lifetime. Let’s make sure we’re steering them in the right direction.
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Back in 1995, officials with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched the Stop Red-Light Running Program to help get drivers to stop at red lights and to increase enforcement efforts among officers around the country. A key to this program is the National Stop on Red Week.

This week-long enforcement campaign takes place during the first week of August. During this time, communities across the nation bring national visibility to this serious, and deadly, traffic problem while stepping up enforcement efforts against it.

Later in 1998, officials with the American Trauma Society (ATS) and DaimlerChrysler teamed up with the FHWA to push the program even further. Since then, the program has been piloted in a number of communities. And many of these communities saw a close to 20 percent reduction in red-light running offenses.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that red light cameras are used in more than 500 communities across the nation, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Unfortunately, Massachusetts has no state law mandating these cameras. Still, car accidents are the single most significant cause of preventable death and injury in the nation.. In 2007 in the U.S., almost 900 people were killed and close to 200,000 people were injured in accidents that involved red-light running.

These are costly accidents too, running the U.S. a tab of close to $15 billion each and every year.

Did you know that half of the fatalities resulting from red-light running are other motorists and pedestrians, not the guilty party? According to the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running, this dangerous behavior is actually the leading cause of all urban automobile crashes.

According to a recent study from the FHWA, close to 100 percent of all surveyed drivers report that they feel that other drivers running red-lights are a major safety threat, and about a third of all people claim that they personally know someone injured or killed in a red-light running accident.

More than 50 Americans lose their lives in red-light running crashes every month. But somehow the people who get tickets because they have broken the law have been cast as the victims.

According to the most recent red-light running statistics, in 2011, there were close to 720 people who were killed and an estimated 120,000 who were injured in accidents that involved red light running.

An average of 3.2 red light violations occur per hour according to a 2003 study conducted by University Transportation Center for Alabama in 4 states at 19 different intersections. Fatalities caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal accidents.

Violators were most likely to be younger males and were likely to have prior accidents or alcohol-impaired driving convictions. The red light runners also were more likely to be speeding or alcohol-impaired at the time of the crash and less likely to have a valid driver’s license.
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To help protect our youngest drivers from potentially fatal car accidents, much national attention has been focused on dangerous driving habits, like driving under the influence and distracted driving. But speeding goes largely unnoticed, according to USA TODAY. As a matter of fact, speeding is arguable the most dangerous factor in driving. Speed is actually an increasingly dangerous factor in car accidents for teens nationwide, accounting for 30 percent of teen car accidents in 2000 and up close to 35 percent in 2011.

A recent study from the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA), from 2000 to 2011, looked at close to 20,000 speed-related teenage car accidents. It was determined that if we want to help to make our teens safe, we’ve got to focus on slowing them down.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that the month of August holds a majority of the deadliest days for our youngest drivers to be behind the wheel. Our teens are spending time away from school, and thus more time behind the wheel. Unfortunately, car accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for teens across the nation.

August’s Deadliest Days/Average Number of Teen Fatalities:

-August 1, 15 deaths.

-August 2, 14.8 deaths.

-August 14, 14.8 deaths.

-August 29, 16 deaths.

“This is the first time, really, that we’ve focused on this issue exclusively,” says Susan Ferguson, an established highway safety consultant who authored the report.

Half of all deadly car accidents that involve a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers are actually speed related.

According to a recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey, close to 65 percent of people find that speeding on a residential road is “completely unacceptable.” Still, more than 45 percent of those surveyed admitted to doing it at least once within the last 30 days. Not only were teens most likely to engage in this behavior, but it was the males who were even more likely to do it than the females.

This report comes with the deadliest driving season for teens. Eight of the 10 deadliest days of the year for our teens to be behind the wheel happen from June to August.

During this time, parents should:

-Make sure their teens are equipped with safe cars that fit their needs. As a teen is more likely to get into an accident during their first year with a license, there is no need to buy them the expensive car of their dreams.

-Make sure they understand their responsibilities as a safe driver.

-Lay down driving rules within your household. Make sure that both parties understand the consequences for breaking any of these rules that are enacted.

-Provide them with plenty of supervised driving time. This way, you can monitor their driving skills and make sure that they’re developing safe driving habits. The habits they learn now a likely to stay with them for a lifetime. Make sure they’re the safest habits possible. Your input matters.
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A 27-year-old was hit and killed by a passing vehicle when he left his own car following a weekend collision. According to My FOX Boston, witnesses say that the man was involved in a single-car accident on Route 3 at roughly 10:00 p.m. After the accident, he started walking down the road and was hit by several passing vehicles.

He was pronounced dead as emergency responders arrived on scene.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that the scene of an accident can be a confusing, frustrating and intimidating place. There are a number of steps that you should take to not only ensure that you’ve got proper reports of the accident, but also so you can stay safe and avoid another accident.

First of all, you want to make sure that everyone involved is okay. If there are any injuries, dial 9-1-1 for emergency help right away and file an accident report. This is not the time to panic. Just take it step by step and make sure everything gets done thoroughly.

Secondly, you should get information from the other parties involved. Get their name, their address, their license plate numbers, their phone numbers, insurance provider information, the make/model/year/color of their vehicle as well as a write out/picture of the accident scene. If the name on an auto registration is different than the driver, jot down the relationship. If you can, try to snap some picture of the accident scene. Most phones have cameras on them — use it.

When dealing with the aftermath of an accident, you want to keep thorough records. Keep your own timeline about the accident and its effect on your life. Make sure that you list all of your doctor’s visits, days that you weren’t able to go to work and events that you couldn’t attend because of your injuries.

Remember that you don’t want to talk with the other driver’s insurance company. Don’t give your own insurance company any details about the accident, except when and where it occurred, until you talk with an attorney.

Make sure you always have a first-aid kit in your vehicle, to treat any minor injuries. According to Cars.com, move your vehicles if you can. Safely move out of the way of traffic, but if you can’t move your car without causing further damage, don’t try. Your insurance company should be able to hire a tow truck to move it for you. If you can’t get out of your car — or it’s not safe to try — keep your seatbelt fastened, turn on your hazard lights, then call 911 if possible and wait for help to arrive. You never want to leave the scene of an accident.

Being prepared is your best way to avoid any further accidents. Make sure you’re thinking with a clear mind and staying out of the way of any more accidents.
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A new study from Focus Driven and the National Coalition for Safer Roads has determined that more than 10 percent of red-light violations are actually caused by distracted driving. According to Auto Blog, researchers took a look at close to 120 intersections in nearly 20 communities for a three-month period and determined that drivers weren’t keeping their eyes on the roads — and that they were blowing through red lights because of it.

With that being said, researchers believe that close to 7.5 million red-light infractions are caused by distracted driving each and every year — proving it’s a big (and dangerous) problem.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that red-light runners are the number one cause of car crashes in urban areas. When you add that to the fact that officials with the National Safety Council (NSC) have determined that cell phone use is a factor in more than 20 percent of all traffic accidents — it’s easy to see why this is such a big deal.

With the release of these findings, officials with both organizations have launched the “Stop Distraction on Red” safety campaign.

This campaign is meant to specifically highlight the dangers that are associated with distracted driving and red-light running. Just these two actions alone represent driving epidemics that negatively impact the safety of our roads and highways.

There are many kinds of distracted driving, including talking on a cell phone, eating at the wheel, applying makeup, messing with navigation devices and even interacting with other drivers. But worst of all is text messaging. According to recent studies, drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to get into an accident.

Did you know that there were nearly 3,500 people killed in accidents that involved a distracted driver in 2011? In addition to all of those unnecessary fatalities, there were another 400,000 people injured in these same kinds of accidents. And both of those numbers represent increases from the year before — this is a problem that we need to reverse.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only drivers under the age of 19 are prohibited from using a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel. On the other hand, all drivers are prohibited from using a text messaging device behind the wheel. But that’s not stopping a lot of you out there. Drivers are still using these devices — and ignoring not only their risks for a citation, but also for an accident.

Regardless of how old you are, or which law pertains to you, there should be no legitimate reason for you to take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel.Do the right thing and help to save lives out there on our roadways. Hang up and put the text messaging devices away.
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Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a safety advisory cautioning motorists about the importance of checking their tires during the hot weather months.

The NHTSA stressed that under-inflated tires can be especially dangerous over the course of the summer and that properly maintained tires are essential to staying safe on the roads during warm weather.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know that accidents happen every year as a result of problems with tires. These accidents are caused by many factors, from poorly made tires to rubber deterioration that occurs over time. However, the heat of summer is one major cause of tire failure as hot roadways contribute to tire breakdown and increase the chances of a crash occurring.

The Dangers of Tire Breakdowns in Hot Weather

According to the NHTSA, there are around 11,000 crashes each year in the United States that happen as a result of tire failures. These crashes happen because of under-inflated tires; bald tires; tire blow-outs; separations; and worn treads. When a tire blows out or the treads begin to separate, drivers may lose control of the vehicle. Worn treads and under-inflated tires can also lead to longer stopping distances and sluggish handling, both of which make it more difficult to avoid accidents.

These problems can happen at any time of the year, but the NHTSA cautions that summer heat warms roadways, so when drivers travel along these hot streets at highway speeds, the heat can increase the chances of the tire failing.

Who is to Blame for Tire Breakdowns?

When a tire breakdown or underinflated tires cause a crash, it is important to determine who was to blame because the responsible party could be obligated to pay for damages and losses.

In some cases, the fire manufacturer is at fault if there is a defect in the tire or a problem with the design or material that increases the risk of tire failure. In other instances, however, a driver who does not maintain his tires properly could be considered negligent in fulfilling his obligations as a driver on the road. Every driver must take reasonable steps to prevent accidents and driving on tires that are clearly unsafe may be considered to be an unreasonably risky act that makes the driver responsible for any resulting crash.

Because you could find yourself being held legally liable for an accident, not to mention responsible for injuring or killing other motorists, it is important that you follow the NHTSA’s tips for tire maintenance in the summer. These tips can help to save your life or the life of someone else.

NHTSA Tips for Tire Maintenance

The NHTSA has several key pieces of advice for making sure that your tires are in good shape to withstand the summer heat. NHTSA suggests:

• Following the recommended tire pressure in pounds per square inch, which is typically found inside of your car door and in your owner’s manual.
• Using a tire pressure gauge to check the PSI of your tires.
• Knowing where your cars tire pressure monitoring system warning is if your vehicle has a warning system.
• Checking your owner’s manual and following manufacturer guidelines for replacing tires.
• Checking for raised sections in the bottom grooves of the tire tread, which can be a sign that it is time to replace your tires.

By following these tips, hopefully you can help to avoid an accident and can keep yourself and other motorists safe during the summer heat.
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Summer is a great time of year for a lot of reasons, but there are some drawbacks to the summer months that go beyond just coping with heat waves. One of the biggest downsides to summertime is that your car accident risk increases significantly during the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In particular, July Fourth is the deadliest day on the roads in the U.S. and August is the deadliest month.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know that more Americans die in car wrecks during the month of August than at any other time over the course of the year. Weekends are especially risky times over the course of this month, but the odds of a fatal crash are increased throughout August because there are more people driving during this month than at many other times of the year.

Understanding Your August Car Accident Risk

According to MSN Money, the dangers of driving in August are not a newfound problem. In fact, NHTSA crash records dating back as far as 1994 indicate that the fatality rate rises of the course of the month. In 2008 alone, there were 2,864 car accident deaths in August and the reported average fatality rate during August was 1.09 per 100 million miles traveled as compared with .94 in March, the safest month.

Other dangerous months such as September, the second-deadliest month, and July, the third deadliest month, have slightly fewer deaths than occur during August. In September, for example, the death rate was 1.08 per 100 million miles traveled and in July, the fatality rate falls to 1.04 per 10 million miles.

August is especially dangerous because seven of the 25 deadliest days for car accidents occur in August. Safe Motorist has indicated that some of the historically riskiest days for August driving included August 3, August 4 and August 6th. Both the 13th and 14th of August have also been called out as days when the number of crashes significantly increases and MSN Money warns that the weekends are typically worse for driver safety because people tend to be out more, run more errands and potentially drive home while intoxicated more often over the weekend.

With so many accidents occurring in August, this month accounts for around 10 percent of all of the car accident deaths that occur over the course of the year.

Protecting Yourself from Traffic Accidents in August

Knowing of the increased accident risk is important to protect yourself as you drive this August. It is important that you obey all safety rules of the road and that you buckle up when driving both to avoid causing a crash yourself and to ensure that you have the best chance of surviving an accident if one does occur.

You should also be on the lookout for dangerous drivers and avoid traveling at high risk times when possible. Weekend nights may be especially dangerous times, with the NHTSA identifying the deadliest hours for car accidents at between 6:00 and 8:59 p.m. Being aware of the risks and knowing that the chances of an accident are increased can allow you to drive assertively and to be proactive in protecting yourself from the dangers of a deadly wreck.
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Recently, a regional transit bus crashed into the side of a home in central Massachusetts. According to WCVB, the bus accident happened on the very first day that the new bus driver was on the job.

Our Boston bus accident lawyers know that driver experience is very important when operating large vehicles such as trucks and buses. While the cause of this current accident is still under investigation, the accident is an important reminder that bus companies need to carefully screen and train drivers in order to prevent disasters from occurring.

New Bus Driver Crashes Into House

According to WCVB, the driver of the bus that crashed into a central Massachusetts home in late June was just 27-years-old. The driver, who was hospitalized after the crash, reportedly went through an eight-week training program before he started his job driving the regional transit bus. An official for the bus company also indicates that the young driver had extensive experience driving a school bus and that his past driving record was stellar.

While the bus driver’s background has not yet been confirmed other than the mention by the bus company representative, it seems very clear that something went terribly wrong to cause the bus to crash into the home. Police indicate that preliminary evidence shows that the brakes on the bus may not have been applied before the bus crashed into the house.

There are several possible reasons why the brakes may not have been used to prevent the bus from hitting and partially destroying the residence. Police have indicated that the driver of the bus may have had some type of medical problem that prevented him from putting on the brakes and avoiding the accident. It is also possible that the accident was not the fault of the driver doing something wrong but was instead the fault of a maintenance problem with the bus.

It will be important to determine the cause of the accident in order for the homeowner to obtain compensation for all losses and damages caused by the bus crash. The homeowner may be able to take legal action against the bus driver if it turns out that the driver was negligent or careless in a way that caused the bus to hit the house.

The homeowner may also be able to pursue a claim for compensation against the bus company, which could be a better option since the regional transit authority likely has more available funds than the driver to pay out full compensation for the damage caused.

The transit authority can be held responsible if the company was negligent in its hiring policies and procedures, such as by hiring a driver with insufficient experience or hiring a driver with a medical issue that made him an unsafe driver. The company can also be liable for the negligence of its employee while in the line of duty, or if the company failed to provide adequate driver training or adequate bus maintenance. In any case, the accident is an important reminder to bus and trucking companies everywhere of their responsibility to be cautious in hiring new drivers as a crash can happen at any time.
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