Articles Posted in Car Accidents

A recent car accident in Allston, at the intersection of Commonwealth and Harvard avenues, landed the driver of a sedan some serious citations from local officers. Accident reports indicate that the driver of the sedan failed to yield to a turning motorcycle at the intersection — he slammed into the rider and left him with life-threatening injuries, according to the Boston Globe.

After the collision, the motorcyclist was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, according to a Boston Police spokeswoman. The driver of the sedan was transported to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Boston Police’s motor vehicle accident reconstruction experts are currently investigating the accident.

Our Massachusetts motorcycle accident lawyers often discuss the risks that motorcyclists face on our roadways. What we feel needs to be discussed now is the dangers that motorists of all kinds face at intersections.

We pass though plenty of intersections every day and neglect to recognize the dangers associated with these areas. As a matter of fact, close to half of the more than 5,810,000 traffic accidents that happened in 2008 were intersection-related accidents, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the National Automotive Sampling System-General Estimates System (NASS-GES). This means that there were nearly 2,200,000 intersection-related crashes during that year. There’s really nothing to blame these kinds of accident on aside from poor driving behaviors. As a matter of fact, less than 5 percent of these accidents were attributed to vehicle- or environment-attributed causes.

Some of the top reasons for accidents at intersections include:

-Driving too fast for conditions/aggressive driving.

-Driver-performance error.

-Inadequate surveillance.

-False assumption of other’s actions.

-Obstructed views.

-External distraction.

-Illegal maneuvers.

-Internal distractions.

-Misjudgments of gap or other’s speed.

There are a few things that drivers can do to help reduce their risks of an intersection-related accident. These tips are simple, easy to use and should be a part of all drivers’ everyday driving habits.

First, drivers are asked to stay in their lane. Be sure you’re in the correct lane you need to be in before you hit the intersection. Keep an eye on the signs at an intersection. Be on the lookout for signs indicating road work, crossing pedestrians or other restrictions.

Also, you should keep an eye out for vehicles changing lanes abruptly or stopping quickly. Sideswipe accidents and rear-end accidents are all too common accidents near intersections.

You’re urged to give other vehicles adequate room and to never tailgate. You need all of the reaction time you can get in these areas. Look in all directions before making turns. Know who has the right-of-way and know who’s driving around you.

Alertness may be one of your best defenses against an intersection-related accident. Lastly, we urge drivers to curb all of the distractions when passing through these areas. Turn down your radio, hang up the phone and pause the conversations with passengers. These areas need your full and undivided attention. The safety of you and nearby travelers relies on it.
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This week may seem like it’s a little longer than usual. Many residents are feeling this way because of the recent change to daylight saving time. As we recently turned our clocks ahead an hour, we’ll be experiencing increased risks for drowsy driving accidents in Braintree and elsewhere throughout the state. According to The Washington Post, drivers are asked to be extra careful on our roadways, especially during early morning commutes, and to make sure they’re well-rested before jumping behind the wheel.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that about one out of every six fatal car accidents is caused by a drowsy driver.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that drowsy driving car accidents are preventable, but not in the ways you may think. Many drivers think that some caffeine, an open window and some loud music is a sure way to cure drowsy driving. There’s nothing further from the truth. These “solutions” may offer temporary relief, if any, and still leave drivers just as vulnerable to microsleeps, which are little bursts of sleep behind the wheel. Most drivers don’t even notice these microsleeps — until it’s too late.

A study from the National Sleep Foundation concluded that roughly 60 percent of drivers (or nearly 170 million people) admit that they’ve driven a vehicle while experiencing side effects of drowsiness at least once in the last year. Over a third of these drivers (or nearly 15 million people) admitted that they were so drowsy that they actually fell asleep behind the wheel. Of those people, 15 percent of them said that they’ve done this in the last month. About 4 percent of these drivers (more than 10 million people) admitted that they got into an accident or experienced a near-accident at least once because they dozed off behind the wheel.

Signs that you’re too sleepy behind the wheel:

-Having a tough time keeping your eyes open.

-Having a tough time focusing.

-Having trouble remembering the last few miles that you drove.

-Accidentally driving passed your exits.

-Overlooking traffic signs and signals.

-Yawning a whole lot!

-Drifting in and out of lanes.

-Unknowingly tailgating.

-Having feelings of restlessness or irritability.

To help reduce the risks of a drowsy driving accident, before heading out you should:

-Make sure you get enough sleep the night before. Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep.

-Make sure that you schedule appropriate breaks throughout your journey. Plan to take a break every 100 miles you travel or at least every two hours.

-Bring a friend. Having a passenger is an excellent way to avoid drowsy driving. You can switch driving responsibilities if you start to feel sleepy behind the wheel.

-You shouldn’t take any sedating medications or drink any alcohol before hitting the road. Ask your doctor if any of your medications will affect your ability to drive.
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There’s a Stachetastic app that lets you to customize mustaches for yourself. There’s a Ginger Booth app to let you see what you’d look like as a red head. And there’s even a Sleep Talk Recorder app to record yourself in your sleep, just in case you sleep talk.

While some may find these apps to be a silly, entertaining or even magical, there are apps that may actually help to make life easier and less stressful. Some might even be able to help to reduce the risks of car accidents in Boston and elsewhere, like the new SeeClickFix app. This is an app that helps motorists to report potholes to local officials.

Here’s how it works. When a driver observes a pothole, they take a picture of it and send it to city hall, according to CNN. Some don’t have much faith in this app though, saying that drivers are lazy and probably won’t take the time to take that picture and send it off. Boston’s got a better idea on how to get this information to the appropriate officials.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that government officials are required to ensure that roadways are safe for travel. Dangerous roadways can lead to dangerous car accidents, and someone’s got to be held accountable for that. It’s not the driver’s fault in many cases. Unsafe and poorly maintained roadways are dangerous and can result in death if they’re not properly addressed by city officials. Many feel that reports from drivers can help to keep roadways safe.

That’s the idea behind the new “Street Bump” app, an Andriod app that’s currently piloted by the City of Boston. This new app is expected to be released in the summer and it will help the digital sensors in smartphones to do the detecting. The phone’s accelerometer will be able to locate these potholes when you’re driving, and when it does, the app pairs up the data about bumps you encounter with a GPS coordinate. This information is then sent on to a citywide database.

Nigel Jacob, a member of the mayor’s office of New Urban Mechanics, is hoping that Boston and other cities will soon grab hold to these kinds of apps and help to keep track of road conditions so that officials can prioritize which roadways need the work first. It will help to notify the cities regarding which areas and which potholes are the worst.

Jacobs says that technologies like this can not only save motorists from accidents, but they can help to save the city a little cash, too.

The app was created and tested back in 2011. The only problem with it was that the system wasn’t able to differentiate between a pothole, a speed bump, a railroad track and another kind of road bump. Since then, the city launched a worldwide challenge in partnership with InnoCentive. Within the challenge was a $25,000 prize for whoever could come up with an app that could differentiate between various road bumps.

Three winners were named in this challenge and now the city is working with all three of them to implement their algorithmic solutions.

Car accidents can be caused by a number of factors. According to SmartMotorist.com, these top causes are equipment failure, roadway design, poor roadway maintenance and driver behavior.
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Don’t you just love the winter weather here in Boston? Okay, maybe not. Yes, it can be dangerous, but there are ways to help minimize these dangers and to help minimize the risks of a winter-related car accident in Massachusetts.

Recently, Mayor Menino made an announcement urging drivers in the state to be careful on our roadways as we’re experiencing spurts of dangerous snow. Much of this weather affects our safety on the road, especially during busy morning and evening commutes.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that a meeting was recently held, between the Mayor and his Snow Team, to discuss the most recent storm-related information and the emergency response plan to help residents through the dangerous snowy weather. These kinds of plans are important and need to be in place because the weather throughout the state can be unpredictable. The early-March storm in Boston is a perfect example of that. At one time, we were expected to get about 6 inches of snow, but officials we unable to certify that statement as the weather tends change unexpectedly. Regardless, the mayor’s Snow Team continues to stay on top of weather conditions to help them to make educated decisions regarding emergency response and resident assistance.

“We’ve enjoyed a mild winter so far, but the season is not over yet,” said Mayor Menino. “The City is preparing for winter weather and we’re asking residents and commuters to do the same, particularly during the evening and early morning commuting hours.”

The Snow Team isn’t the only organization working to prepare for dangerous winter storms. Crews with the Boston Public Works are also working diligently to prepare for such weather. Preparations include readying snow-removal equipment and pre-treating roadways through the district’s yards.

To help prepare residents, the mayor recommends the following:

-Use public transportation when you can. Use these modes of transportation to avoid driving on slippery, snowy or icy roadways. Using public transportation will also help to clear the roads for emergency vehicles and for snow-plowing equipment.

-Those who own property in the area are reminded to sand and salt both stairs and sidewalks. These methods help to help minimize slippery surfaces and injuries.

-Residents should shovel out basins that are near or on their property to help public safety agencies to protect against flooding.

-Residents should shovel out fire hydrants to help public safety agencies in the event of an emergency.

-Keep an eye on your elderly neighbors and family members in the area.

If you have any questions regarding the weather or preparation efforts, you’re urged to call the Mayor’s Hotline at (617) 635-4500. This is a 24-hour hotline. Residents are also urged to sign up for ALERTBoston. This is the city’s emergency notification system and can help to keep you in the loop regarding evacuations, missing persons, unexpected road closures, severe weather and more.
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A recent rollover car accident in Salem on Interstate 93 near Exit 1 seriously injured one of the vehicle’s passenger, according to Stephane Cattin, the Salem Fire Captain. The passenger was transported to a Boston hospital. Reports indicate that the accident was called in to authorities shortly before midnight. A pickup truck allegedly slammed into the median’s guardrail, flipped over a number of times and landed right-side up in the median. There was “tremendous” damage to the truck, according to the Salem Patch. There were three people in the vehicle at the time of the accident, one was ejected and one was pinned inside the vehicle.

“It required an extensive extrication of about 25 to 30 minutes to remove the passenger,” said Cattin.

Our Massachusetts car accident attorneys understand how severe interstate accidents can be. All three of the vehicle’s occupants were taken to Lawrence General Hospital. The occupant who was entrapped was later taken to a Boston hospital. State Police are currently handling the investigation.

As we’ve previously discussed, driving along our state’s interstate roadways can be risky. Drivers who aren’t from the area may find it almost impossible to navigate our busy roadways. Even longtime residents find the roads confusing at times. Say you want to get from Gloucester to Taunton. You’d have to get on Interstate 95, which will later converge with 128. At that point, the exit numbers change from 1-30 to 44 and down. After you circle Boston, the exits change again. In the end, you’d have to navigate through three different sets of numbers of three very busy roadways.

And that’s just one route in Massachusetts. There are many similar routes that are just as confusing. For that reason, it’s important for all motorists to be cautious when traveling on our state’s busy roadways. There are a few simple safety tips that you can follow to help reduce the risks of an interstate accident.

Traveling Safely on the Interstate:

-Getting On. Make sure you’re meeting the on-ramp’s speed limit, which is usually 45 miles per hour. Remember that this ramp is taking you to the interstate, meaning that the speed will increase on that interstate. Speed up.

-Changing Lanes. Make sure to check your mirrors and physically look in your blind spots to make sure that no one is in your way. Never cut off another driver. Use a blinker to warn other drivers of your intended maneuvers. Once you’re in your desired lane, shut off your blinker and maintain the road’s speed limit.

-Speeding. Don’t do it! Regardless of how fast or slow vehicles may be traveling around you, it’s important to follow the road’s speed limit.

-Passing. Make sure that no one is in the lane you need to enter, much like how you do when you’re changing lanes. Activate your blinker and change lanes when the time is right. Pass the vehicle without speeding erratically. Once you’ve passed the vehicle and you can see their entire car in your rear-view mirror, get back into the lane. Never cut a driver off when passing them.

-Getting Off. Make sure you know when your exit is approaching. Get in the right-hand lane as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute and shoot over to your exit. Put on your blinker to let other drivers know where you’re going to go. Once you’re on the off-ramp, slow down. Speed limits reduce dramatically once you’re off the interstate.
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We’ve talked about the risks that newly-licensed drivers have for car accidents in Boston and elsewhere. We’ve talked about their inexperience behind the wheel and some of their dangerous driving habits. Well, now we’re going to narrow that down even more and talk about some of the most dominant factors in teen accidents. A new study was released and determined sharp turns and screeching halts may be some of the best indicators into a teen’s risks for an accident. As a matter of fact, these driving habits were used to predict a teen’s chance of having an accident or a near accident after the study. Researchers always assumed that drivers who participate in risky behavior behind the wheel have a higher risk for an accident, but now there’s even more detailed data to show exactly why that’s the case, according to Reuters.

“A lot of us have ridden with drivers who drive in a jerky way and start too fast and then have to brake hard, and it makes us uncomfortable,” said Jean Shope, a researcher from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Our Massachusetts car accident attorneys understand that this study looked at the habits of drivers and the effects that these habits had on their risks for an accident. In the study, researchers used cameras and computer equipment to measure the instances of higher gravitational force (or g-force) in the car with teen drivers. It’s important to point out that these devices aren’t present in the vehicles of all teen drivers, but parents can monitor the same kind of information just by riding along.

In the study, Bruce Simons-Morton with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development lead researchers. They looked at 42 newly-licensed drivers in the Virginia area through recording equipment to measure g-forces from quick turns and excessive braking and acceleration. These 42 teens were studied for a year and a half. These teens took nearly 70,000 driving trips during this time and recorded nearly 40 accidents and more than 240 near accidents.

Around these accidents and near accidents, the g-force rate appeared to increase.

Simons-Morton says they’re not concluding that these movements are the sole cause of the accidents but that the pattern they found with these driving techniques can be used to help predict an accident involving a young driver.

The devices used by researchers aren’t widely available to consumers, but similar products can be purchased for about $500 and a monthly operational fee. Researchers have not determined if having one of these devices present can have any positive affect on a teen’s driving habits or their risk for an accident.

Yes, teens are inexperienced behind the wheel and may not be able to fully comprehend the dangers of driving. However, talking with them about roadway dangers and riding along with them regularly can help to reduce these risks. Parents can serve as a personal g-force reader to monitor their teen’s driving habits.

Shope says that newly-licensed drivers should try to stay on familiar roads. He says their driving abilities are probably best in these areas. He also suggests that they drive during the daytime in ideal weather until they get more experience under their belt.
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Imagine this: You are driving down Route 79 South near the Braga Bridge during the early morning hours and you see a trucking accident in Massachusetts. As that accident happens, a tractor-trailer bursts into flames right before your eyes. The truck is so close to your vehicle, you worry about the safety of yourself and the family members in your vehicle.

Sound like the beginning of a bad dream?

Unfortunately, this was a reality for a number of motorists during a recent early morning commute.

According to Wicked Local Hanson, the accident happened when a tractor-trailer slammed into the Jersey barrier at that exact location just after 6 a.m. The Massachusetts State Police say the truck swerved to the left, went up over a curb and drove along the guardrail before it slammed into a steel support. Upon collision, the wooden scaffold that was in the road construction area burst into flames. Officials believe that the fire may have caused structural damage to the steel support beams, too.

Our Boston car accident attorneys hear that the accident was so bad, the officer who was called to the scene had to park far from the accident just to avoid the intense heat. The driver was located, unconscious and draped over the barrier. The responding officer was able to save the truck driver and get him transported to the Charlton Memorial Hospital. The man was later taken to Rhode Island Hospital and was listed in serious condition.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), that area of the road is raised in two levels to accommodate heavy traffic. Officials think that the heat altered the efficiency of the road’s infrastructure. The northbound lanes, the ones on the upper level, sustained most of the damage from the fiery crash. The southbound lanes were reopened that evening, the Broadway and East Street ramps will be closed for up to a week.

Massachusetts State Police are still looking into the cause of the accident and have yet to file any charges against the truck driver.

Traveling through areas of construction in the state can be extremely dangerous. Lanes are altered, speeds are reduced and workers are present. In these areas, motorists need to be extra careful to avoid an accident with another vehicle, construction machinery and even roadside workers. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers drivers some safety tips to help everyone get through these areas safely.

Driver Safety Tips:

-Move over and slow down. The Move Over Law went into effect back in March of 2009. This law requires drivers to move over when approaching either maintenance vehicles with flashing lights or emergency vehicles. If you don’t, you could be fined $100.

-Be prepared in a work zone. Remember that speeds can be reduced, lanes can be changed and workers may be near the roadway. Be ready!

-Slow down. Remember that speed is one of the top causes of work zone accidents. Speeding in these zones can also result in double the fines if you’re busted.

-Never tailgate. Rear-end collisions are the most common accidents in these areas.

-Read road signs. These are warnings that can help to inform you about what you can expect.

-Be ready for delays. Call 511 from your cell phone to check traffic conditions before you reach the construction area.

-Leave an ample amount of space between your vehicle and road workers and maintenance equipment.

-If you see a hazard, report it by calling 511.

-Take an alternate route if possible.

Every year, there are nearly 1,000 fatal accidents in work zones in the U.S.
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Two adults and two children were transported to local hospitals after a car-truck accident in Abington. The accident happened between an oil truck and an SUV on Route 58, according to Wicked Local Rockland. Witnesses report that the SUV swerved across the yellow-center line on Route 58 and clipped the oil truck. The driver of the truck allegedly tried to swerve out of the way to avoid the collision with the SUV and ended up crashing into a utility pole.

Emergency responders reportedly had to use the Jaws of Life to get the driver of the SUV from the vehicle. The truck driver, the driver of the SUV and its two child passengers, who were sitting in the back seat, were transported to local hospitals. There was a passenger in the oil truck who was reportedly unharmed. Route 58 was closed for a few hours following the accident. In the collision, the rear axle of the truck snapped off.

Our Massachusetts car accident attorneys understand that wasn’t the only accident that happened during that time. Nearby, an Abington law enforcement officer was involved in an accident on Railroad Avenue with a pickup truck. The officer was injured in this accident. It goes to show that no one is safe on our roadways. Regardless of what you are driving – an SUV, an oil tanker or a police car – accidents are going to happen. Until drivers can slow down at the wheel and pay more attention to their surroundings, our roadways will continue to be plagued with unnecessary accidents.

Another recent accident seriously injured a well-known basketball coach from King Philip High, Foxboro High, Boston University and Boston College. He is also the former president of the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association. The coach was injured when he was driving and an alleged drunk driver slammed into his car head on as he drove down Route 53 in Hingham.

The coach was taken to the South Shore Hospital and was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Reportedly he is suffering from unspecified head injuries, a broken leg, broken ribs and a punctured lung.

The man who slammed into the coach’s vehicle is reportedly facing felony drunk driving charges. The accident involved three cars and severely injured two people.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for residents in Massachusetts and elsewhere. In 2009, there were nearly 45,500 vehicles involved in fatal accidents in the U.S. Of these vehicles, about 80 percent were passenger vehicles. In these accidents, nearly 25,000 people were killed and more than 1.95 million were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Throughout 2009, there were nearly 220 passenger vehicles involved in fatal traffic accidents in the state of Massachusetts.

Of the 220 passenger vehicles:

-More than 150 were passenger cars, accounting for about 70 percent of the vehicles.

-There were 20 pickups, accounting for nearly 10 percent.

-There were nearly 40 SUVs, accounting for more than 15 percent.

-Nearly 10 were vans, accounting for less than 5 percent.
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