Articles Posted in Car Accidents

On November 17, CBS Boston reported that police throughout New England are joining forces in an effort to help prevent auto accident deaths and fatalities during the holiday season.

The number of driving-related fatalities rises each year during the period from Thanksgiving Day to New Years Day and six states throughout New England have announced plans to team up this year and hopefully reduce the risks for everyone.

Our Boston auto accident lawyers applaud the combined efforts of the New England State Police, who held a scheduled news conference on Monday to emphasize their traffic safety efforts this holiday season. Police will be focusing on three main behaviors that they’ve identified as causes of holiday traffic fatalities. Our Boston car accident lawyers will also be discussing each of these main causes of holiday accents on our blog during our holiday safe driving series over the next few days.

The Dangers of Driving Over the Holiday Season
According to Boston.com, a big spike in highway fatalities occurs from Thanksgiving to New Years each year. The increase in accidents may be attributed to spontaneous holiday parties, as well as travelers speeding as they drive throughout the state.

Law enforcement has identified three top factors they believe help contribute to the increase in fatalities over the holiday season. Together, the police forces from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and the four remaining New England states will be conducting a campaign this holiday season to educate people about the dangers and to hopefully discourage risky behavior. Their campaign to reduce fatalities and improve holiday traffic safety is focused on:

1. Aggressive driving
2. Distracted driving
3. Driving while impaired

These behaviors can significantly increase the risk of a fatal accident, especially when combined with dangerous winter weather conditions. Preventing these behaviors is key to increasing safety and state police hope that by combining their efforts and working to educate the public, they’ll be able to discourage drivers from taking these risks behind the wheel.

Preventing Auto Accidents This Holiday Season

According to Boston.com, the New Hampshire State Police Captain has assured the public that state troopers who are joining forces this holiday season are not just aiming to write a bunch of tickets to holiday travelers. While police will be stationed at regular intervals on highways and will be enforcing speed limits, DUI and driving safety laws, the aim is to make people stop and think about their behavior. The hope is that through education and enforcement, police will be able to encourage motorists to change their attitudes towards holiday driving, and the presence of the police will be a reminder to obey driving laws and to be more careful when traveling.

With officers located every few miles on state highways, drivers may be deterred from driving too fast or behaving in a dangerous way, if for no other reason than to avoid tickets. Digital signs along the highway will also remind drivers of the dangers of risky driving behaviors and will list updated fatality accounts as a further warning to drivers of the dangers. Hopefully, these efforts will help to prevent fatalities and serious injuries during this holiday season.
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According to a recent analysis, the state’s highway system has a $250 million operation shortfall for next year. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is also facing a near $150 million shortfall, according to the Boston Globe.

The Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University conducted the analysis. And this analysis doesn’t even include money for repair or replacement needs to improve any transportation methods. What was analyzed were the costs for running the system. And without a well-funded, well-run system, we can all expected fare hikes, tax increases and even some serious cuts in the near future. Our Quincy personal injury attorneys understand that these funds are critical in helping to keep our roadways and public transportation safe. Cost cutting too often increases the risk of serious or fatal accidents.

The recent analysis was conducted to help to get a handle on the state of transportation in Massachusetts. It took a closer look at the financial state of out transportation system and rated it based on regional equity, infrastructure health and accessibility. The results aren’t too promising. With the transportation department in the hole, it’s our roads and our safety that are going to be compromised.

More than 25,000 of the close to 43,000 people who were killed on U.S. roadways in 2003 were killed when their vehicles left their lane and crashed. Sometimes, these accidents involve cars crossing over the center line. Other times, they involve vehicles crossing over onto the shoulder and flipping, dropping down a slope of even colliding with other objects on the side of the road. Many times, these kinds of accidents are the result of poor road design and poor road maintenance. These “dangerous roads” are increasingly an issue as our transportation infrastructure continues to age.

Hazardous highways are one of the leading causes of auto accidents, leading to injuries and fatalities on the road.

Dangerous Roads:

-Poor Maintenance.

-Failing to Make Shoulders Clearly Visible.

-Dangerous Drop-Offs.

-Obstruction in Visibility.

-Improper Construction.

-Faulty Design.

-Poorly Placed Roadway Signage.

-Defective, or Completely Missing Guardrails.

-Improper Draingage to Keep Water Off of the Roadway.

-Inadequate Skid Resistance on Pavement.

-Faulty Adaptation to Changing Conditions.

About 20 percent of all accidents involve a single car veering off of the road. In many of these cases, these vehicles will rollover or will slam into a fixed object. In these cases, government officials are likely to argue that it was your fault — driver error. The truth of the matter is that it could be the road’s fault, or the design (or lack thereof) that’s to blame.

Contacting an experienced attorney may be one of the only way that you can prove your case. An attorney can help you to get to the bottom of roadway conditions and accident factors before it’s too late.
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On Route 128, between Westwood and Randolph, construction crews have started to open a fourth lane.

Motorists will finally have the fallback option of a breakdown lane as that was open and used for rush-hour traffic while construction was underway. It was all a part of a more than $53 million project to widen the roadway, according to the Patriot Ledger.

“The active breakdown lane is not designed to be used as an express lane or high speed passing lane… use extreme caution and drive below the posted speed limit, especially at on and off ramps, where traffic is entering and exiting from this lane,” said the Massachusetts State Police in a flyer explaining the rules of the breakdown lane.

Our Westwood accident lawyers understand how important the breakdown lane is for motorists. We also realize that it can be one of the most dangerous places to be. While this additional lane offers a “safe” place for motorists to go in the event of a breakdown, it also sets them up as a target for irresponsible drivers. Throughout the country, victims of breakdowns are being hit, injured and killed in these lanes. With the busy holiday season approaching, there’s going to be a heck of a lot more traffic out there and your risks for an accident are going to skyrocket. That’s why we’re here to offer you some important safety tips to help keep you safe should you find yourself in a breakdown situation.

If you ever find yourself in a breakdown situation and you’re stranded along our roadways, consider the following tips from officials with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Breakdown Safety:

-Make sure you take all of the appropriate actions to avoid a breakdown. If you start to feel something wrong with your vehicle, check it before you head out.

-Pull as far over to the side of the road as you can. Get away from moving traffic.

-If you need help, turn on your flashing hazard lights and call for roadside help or call 9-1-1.

-Raise your vehicle’s hood. It’s the international distress sign for “help.”

-If you have to get out of your vehicle, make sure you exit on the side that’s not facing traffic.

-Be careful when using flares.

-Keep moving if you can. On the side of the road, and even in a breakdown lane, is one of the most dangerous places you can be. If it’s just a flat tire or something you can drive through — do it and get somewhere safe!

-Protect yourself and get out of your vehicle and behind a guardrail or something protective if you can!

-Don’t attempt to cross a high-speed road on foot. Sit tight!

-Use common sense. There are a number of circumstances that may require different reactions. Survey the area and use good judgment.
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Our Quincy car accident lawyers have blogged about the advancements in connected cars in recent posts.

Now, Toyota Motor Corp. is getting in on the action. These connected cars allow vehicles to talk to one another and to talk to the roadways to help to avoid car accidents. According to the Boston Globe, Toyota just completed its creation of a facility that’s the size of three baseball stadiums in central Japan to test out their technology. Toyota calls it the Transport System site. Transmitters and sensors on participating cars are working to find the hazards and dangers on the roads before you do. They’re going to help to react to them before you do as well!

When the technology senses a danger, the vehicle sends off a beeping sound and displays a picture in front of the driver. Some of the warnings are even automated.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that this kind of technology might not be far from becoming a reality. We’ve still all got to rely on driver awareness though. There’s nothing in our vehicles warning us of dangers except our own two eyes. Drivers need to be on the ball and alert behind the wheel to help to do their part in preventing car accidents out there!

“Technology is available so that connected cars could be on the road nationwide in under 10 years,” said Peter Sweatman with the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute
According to officials with Toyota, the vehicles are expected to be out of test mode and on Japanese roads by 2014. The U.S. is also onboard with these kinds of technologies, with pilot projects going down in Ann Arbor, Michigan already.

This kind of technology is expected to be especially effective near intersections. In these areas, drivers have to worry about paying attention to road signs and traffic lights, all while looking out for red-light runners, pedestrians, bicyclists and other hazards. Officials are estimating that this technology will be able to help cut the number of intersection car accidents across the nation in half.

Moritaka Yoshida, Managing Officer with Toyota, also believes that this kind of technology is going to help our elderly drivers. It’s going to pick up the hazards that elderly drivers are likely to miss.

The truth of the matter is that most automakers are working on this kind of technology. They see it as not only a way to help to reduce the risks of accidents, but as also a way to help to add value to their vehicles.

Toyota has come catching up to do though and automakers are working diligently to do so. Nissan Motor Co. has already unveiled vehicles that can park on their own, swerve away from pedestrians and can make complete stops on their own.

Regardless, Toyota says their technology will be released “soon.” No official date has been given.
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Officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) have teamed up with FOX’s “Glee” to help to reduce the risks of distracted driving among younger drivers.

The country is in the middle of a distracted driving epidemic and younger drivers and text messages are central to the discussion. It’s a problem that’s not only threatening these young drivers, but it’s threatening the safety of everyone else on the road.

Recently, one of Glee’s shows featured the dangers of distracted driving. One of the series’ main characters, played by Dianna Agron, was seriously injured after she was involved in a car accident that was caused by text messaging while driving. Footage from that very episode will be used in a new public service announcement (PSA) that has been created to get the message out to young drivers.

What’s that message? Distracted Driving Kills!

The new PSA, “On My Way” emphasizes just how long you take your eyes off of the road when to read a text message. It’s an average of 5 seconds. Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that you can travel the length of a football field and never even lay eyes on the road. And it only takes a second for a fatal accident to occur.

This PSA comes as a part of the national campaign “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.” They’re being releases in conjunction with FOX Home Entertainment, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the DOT, state consumer protection agencies, state Attorneys General and the Ad Council.

It’s important that we target younger drivers when talking about distracted driving. These drivers are more at risk for these kinds of accidents than any other age group of drivers.

A grant program from the NHTSA is also providing efforts against distracted driving with more than $17 million to states that have laws in place to ban distracted driving habits.

In the state of Massachusetts, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from talking on cell phones behind the wheel. Drivers of all ages are banned from text messaging behind the wheel too, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

According to Distraction.gov, there were more than 3,000 people killed in distracted driving car crashes in 2010 alone. In addition to these fatalities, there were another 420,000 people injured. These kinds of crashes accounted for close to 20 percent of all injury accidents over the year. And young drivers are most likely to be involved in them.

And it’s only getting worse!

In June of 2011, there were close to 200 billion text message sent/received in the United States. That’s a statistic that’s up close to 50 percent from June of 2009. It’s important that we keep the distractions out of the driver’s seat. Remember that it’s our youngest driver who are most at risk here. It’s especially important to talk with our young ones about this dangerous driving behavior. Your talk could help to save their life and the lives of innocent people along our roadways.
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Staying awake at the wheel — it’s a lot harder than you might think.

According to DrowsyDriving.org, there are close to 2,000 people killed every year in these kinds of accidents. Another 70,000 are injured. And these are only the accidents that are reported. Officials believe that many times, drivers are not willing to admit to an officer that they were drowsy at the time of a collision, leading to the likelihood of tired drivers being responsible for many more crashes each year..

To try to shine light on this danger, officials with the National Sleep Foundation have declared November 12th through the 18th as National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. This week is 7 days of public awareness and education revolved around sleep safety.

Our Massachusetts accident attorneys understand that this condition affects nearly all drivers. Transportation workers are at some of the highest risks. According to a recent study, about 20 percent of pilots say that they’ve made a serious error and another 20 percent of truck drivers and 20 percent of train operators say they’ve had a “near miss” because of sleepiness.

The truth of the matter is that sleepiness and driving don’t mix together at all. Unfortunately, most drivers are completely oblivious to drowsy driving. They’re aware of the dangers of drinking and driving though, which in the end are no different. In the grand scheme of things, drowsy driving might actually be more dangerous than drunk driving. Like alcohol, sleep deprivation can slow you reaction time behind the wheel. It can also decrease your awareness, impair your judgment and increase your risks for getting into an accident.

Who is most at risk for these kinds of accidents?

-Adult drivers between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely than any other age group of drivers to drive while drowsy.

-Men are more likely than women to drive drowsy.

-Drivers who have children in their household are more likely than those who have none.

-Drivers who are shift workers are more likely than those with regularly-scheduled jobs to drive while drowsy.

-Those who suffer from sleep deprivation and other sleep-related conditions are more likely to get into drowsy driving car accidents.

-Drivers who get six to seven hours of sleep each night are twice as likely to be involved a drowsy driving car accident as someone who gets an average of 8 hours or more a night. Those who continuously sleep less than 5 hours, increase their risks four to five times.

Your best bet in avoiding these kinds of accidents is to avoid driving during times when you would normally be sleeping. You want to make sure that you get plenty of sleep each night and that you’re able to recognize sleepiness behind the wheel. One of the worst things that you could ever do is try to push through your tiredness. When you feel sleepy, it’s important that you switch roles with a passenger or you pull over in a safe area, stop and get some rest. Caffeine, loud music and open windows are only a temporary fix to wake you up and will ultimately not prevent you from falling asleep at the wheel if you push your luck.
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With the recent change in time, Daylight Saving Time ends. We may have gained an extra hour of sleep but we also face increased risks of car accidents with early darkness.

Daylight Saving Time ended on November 4th at 2:00 a.m. With the change in time, we get earlier mornings and earlier nights — serving up some serious risks for nighttime car accidents.

According to recent studies on Daylight Saving Time, the time change has quite an impact on the number of car accidents. One specific study shows there’s a near 10 percent increase in the number of accidents on that Monday following the time change.

Our Dedham car accident lawyers are asking you to be safe out there. You might not recognize it, but it’s a lot more difficult to drive during the evening hours than it is during the day. Our eyes simply don’t see as much when it’s dark out. Unfortunately, most drivers just act like the hazards aren’t there — because they can’t see them. The truth of the matter is that you have to adjust your driving habits while navigating our roadways during the p.m. hours. The dangers are there and you need to recognize them.

While driving at night, your ability to see, perceive and judge distance is severely impaired. Your eye requires light to see. This is why nighttime driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents. According to recent studies, about 90 percent of driving decisions are made based on what a person can see. For these reasons, it’s important that you take extra precaution when driving during the evening hours.

Did you know that there’s 60 percent less traffic on our roadways at night? Still, about 40 percent of all fatal car crashes happen during this time. The man-made light along our roadways just isn’t enough.

Our youngest drivers are at some of the highest risks for accidents when driving during the evening hours. That’s why our state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program restricts many young drivers from driving between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. States that have nighttime restrictions typically have reported up to a 60 percent reduction in the number of accidents during these restricted hours.

You also face higher risks for drowsy driving car accidents during the evening hours. When it’s dark out, your body wants to sleep. If you can avoid nighttime driving altogether, you’re urged to do so. If you’ve got to drive at night, make sure you’ve got plenty of rest and that you’re wide awake. it you start to feel sleep or are having trouble seeing the roadway, pull over and take a break. There’s no point in pushing on as you could wind up quickly falling asleep at the wheel.
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The winter driving season as well as the holiday travel season is here and the risks for car accidents are up because of it. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is here to help to provide travelers with information for the New England Winter Season, according to the Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

“Since approximately 70% of winter deaths related to snow and ice occur in automobiles, now is the proper time for individuals and families to take the necessary steps to ensure their safety on the roads during the upcoming Winter Season,” said Don Boyce, MEMA Director.

Our Boston accident lawyers understand that the winter weather can present some serious challenges. Luckily, these challenges and these dangers can be reduced with a little bit of planning.

Before heading out, we’re asking all drivers to make sure they’re vehicle is equipped with a Winter Emergency Car Kit. In this kit, you should have the following:

-A flashlight.

-Extra batteries.

-Blankets.

-A tow rope.

-Jumper cables.

-Road flares or reflectors.

-Nonperishable food.

-Extra water.

-Basic tools, like a screwdriver, a wrench and some pliers.

-Road maps.

-A pocket knife.

-Extra medications.

-A first-aid kit.

-Cell phone charger.

The truth of the matter is that winter weather is a top contributor to car accidents across the nation, especially here in New England.

Winter Factors Leading to Car Crashes:

-Winter weather conditions: Freezing rain, snow, sleet, ice.

-Isolated ice patches. There are commonly the result of poorly maintained or designed roadways.

-Pot holes. These are commonly caused from snow plow trucks shoveling salt, ice and snow.

-People driving too fast for the current weather conditions.

-People who drive recklessly. Many drivers think that they can handle the weather conditions. Unfortunately, we’re all in the same boat here and have to take the proper safety precautions.

– Stay safe around snowplows and give them plenty of room to operate.

-Private roads. Oftentimes these roads are never plowed or cleared of snow and ice.

Each year, there are roughly 6,500,000 car accidents reported. Of these accidents, about a quarter of them (or more than 1,500,000) are the result of adverse weather conditions. This means that more than 7,000 people die each year in these types of crashes. Don’t become a statistic. Prep today for your winter travel to help ensure a safe arrival! Make sure you adjust your driving habits to accommodate the dangerous conditions. Slow it down and keep your eyes on the road. You want to leave a little extra room between you and other vehicles so you have more time to react to dangers. And remember to always wear your seat belt. That’s one of the best ways to stay safe should an incident occur. It could save your life!
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According to CNN, Sandy is no longer a hurricane. She’s a “post-tropical” superstorm.

Still, she packed quite the punch on the Jersey Shore and the rest of New England on Monday.

“We knew that this was going to be a very dangerous storm, and the storm has met our expectations,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “The worst of the weather has come, and city certainly is feeling the impacts.”

Now that the storm has come and gone, our Boston personal injury lawyers are here to help you get around safely. Some of the most dangerous driving hazards come with storms, tornadoes, floods and landslides. Here are some importance safety tips from Progressive Insurance to help to make sure that the worst is over and you’re safe out there behind the wheel.

After a Storm Driving Tips:

-Make sure that your gas tank is full.

-You always want to keep a first-aid kit and other emergency items in your vehicle, like a flashlight, spare cash, nonperishable food, extra blankets and clothes. if there’s no safe place to go, you could wind up spending the night in your vehicle.

-Make sure you travel with a cell phone.

-Be sure that everyone inside of your vehicle is wearing their seat belt. This is especially important in such dangerous driving conditions.

-Be cautious for live wires. You never want to drive over downed power lines, even if you think they’re not charged.

-Be cautious of standing water. Avoid driving through, but drive slowly and steadily when water is unavoidable. Remember that the murkiness of water can hide dangers underneath. Not only are you risking your vehicle, but you’re also risking your personal safety.

-If your vehicles does get trapped in water, get out of it and make your way to higher ground.

-After traveling through water, depress your brakes repeatedly to help to dry them out before you continue driving.

-Drive with your headlights on. Not only does this help you to see your surroundings, but it helps other motorists to see you as well.

-Remember that as little as a foot of water has the power to carry your vehicle away.

-Make sure you check weather, roadways and traffic reports before heading out. Plan out your trip strategically to avoid dangerous and congested areas.

Sandy left close to 3 million people without power in the Northeast. According to Dave Hennen, meteorologist with CNN, Sandy is probably the strongest storm that’s going to make landfall north of the Carolinas, based on pressure readings.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there are close to 2 million car crashes that happen with deer each and every year.

These accidents cost roughly $1 billion in vehicle damage and take the lives of close to 200 people. More than 10,000 people annually are seriously injured. And these stats don’t even include accidents with other wildlife. Officials think that this number is actually much higher because people don’t always report traffic accidents involving large animals to local or state officials.

Currently, there is not even a reporting standard for these kinds of accidents.

Our Masachusetts injury attorneys are here to help you to avoid a car accident with deer as well as to help you to minimize your risk of injury or damage in the event of a crash. Please review the following safety tips and share them with your friends and family members before heading out on the road.

Driving Tips for Avoiding Accidents with Deer:

-Your best bet is to pay even more attention to the road when driving during dawn and dusk. It’s during this time that deer are most likely to be found on and along our roadways.

-Make sure that you’re extra careful during the months of October and November. It’s during these two months that your risks for one of these accidents are the highest.

-When traveling in an area that is known for its deer population, your best bet is to slow it down. The faster you travel, the less time you have to react to a deer.

-If you see a deer near the roadway, there’s bound to be more. They rarely travel alone.

-You want to make sure that you’re using you high-beam headlights when you’re driving in rural areas. This will help you to increase your vision and it will help you to increase your time to react to a deer that is hiding on the side of the road and who decides to jump in front of your car.

-Don’t rely on a car-mounted ‘deer whistle.’ These whistles don’t seem to affect deer and may result in drivers being less aware of their surroundings.

-If you definitely can’t avoid a car accident with a deer, it’s usually best to try not to swerve to avoid hitting it. You should brake and hold the wheel straight. When you try to turn the wheel to avoid hitting a deer, you can wind up causing yourself a worse accident. What can happen here is you can lose control of your car and you can spin out. This will result in a much more serious accident.

-Remain sober behind the wheel.

-Pay attention to the signs on the side of the road. Many of them will alert you of deer-crossing areas.

-Remember to always wear your seat belt. It’s the best defense against injury in the event of any kind of car accident.

-Don’t think that just because you’re at the highest risks for one of these accidents during October and November that the risks aren’t there all year round.
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