Car Accidents

May 21, 2011

Boston Car Accidents Found Costly in our Region due to Medical Expenses and Lost Wages

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a study reporting the cost of medical expenses and work loss is $41 billion for crash-related deaths nationwide. Data from 2005 was used because it is the most accurate and most recent regarding costs associated with crash deaths.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know the study was released to coincide with the May launch of the Decade of Action for Road Safety campaign. The United Nations has proclaimed 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety, during which focus will be placed on protecting lives on the world’s roadways.

The CDC study found that half of cost ($20.4 billion) was in the following 10 states: California ($4.16 billion), Texas ($3.50 billion), Florida ($3.16 billion), Georgia ($1.55 billion), Pennsylvania ($1.52 billion), North Carolina ($1.50 billion), New York ($1.33 billion), Illinois ($1.32 billion), Ohio ($1.23 billion) and Tennessee ($1.15 billion).

“Deaths from motor vehicle crashes are preventable,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Seat belts, graduated driver’s license programs, child safety seats, and helmet use save lives and reduce health care costs.”

The findings by the CDC also included the cost related to crash deaths among children from birth to 19 years old was almost $856 million. Vermont (34 percent, $25 million) had the highest percentage of crash-related death cost for children and Nevada (17 percent, $66 million) had the lowest.

“It’s tragic to hear that anyone dies on our nation’s roads. But it’s especially so when the person who loses his or her life is a child or teenager,” said Linda Degutis, Dr. P.H., M.S.N., director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “Child passenger safety laws and comprehensive graduated driver licensing laws are proven to protect young lives. We encourage states to strengthen and enforce these laws to help keep more of our young people safe.”

The CDC’s Injury Center recommends these strategies to decrease work loss and medical costs by preventing crash-related fatalities:
-Have a primary seat belt law which allows law enforcement to cite motorists for not wearing seat belts. Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death by half for front seat occupants.

-Require children to be in age and size appropriate child safety seats and booster seats while traveling in vehicles.

-Teen crashes can be decreased with a comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) system. The staging processes of GDL systems give new drivers valuable experience under lower-risk conditions. Statistics indicate that a decrease in crashes for 16-year-old drivers is as much as 40 percent with the most comprehensive GDL systems.

-Require all riders to wear motorcycle helmets. Wearing a helmet can decrease the risk of death in a motorcycle accident by more than 33 percent and brain injury by 69 percent.

“These preventable costs are a reflection of the terrible suffering of American families whose loved ones are killed or injured on the roads,” said Norman Mineta, chairman of Make Roads Safe North America and the longest serving Secretary of Transportation in U.S. history. “Today, on the launch of the first-ever Decade of Action for Road Safety, occurring in 30 cities across our nation and 50 countries worldwide, it is time for all of us to take action to save lives at home and around the globe.”
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May 19, 2011

Oversized Loads a Common Cause of Trucking Accidents in Boston

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Times Herald-Record recently reported on a tractor trailer rolling over with a load of more than 45,000 pounds of oranges. The truck driver told law enforcement that as he was rounding a curve heading into an exit when he felt his load shift, causing the truck to leave the roadway onto the shoulder where it overturned. There were no reported injuries and clean-up crews spent many hours offloading the trailer.

Our Boston truck accident lawyers find this story interesting in light of two bills in Congress involving semi truck weights.

The Coalition for Transportation Productivity is strongly in favor of SETA (Safe and Efficient Transportation Act), a bill that would give states the option to increase truck weight limits from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds for six-axle vehicles. The group says requiring a sixth axle would maintain braking capacity and weight distribution, and minimize road wear. It also mentions the increase in user fees could be used for bridge repair. They also think that with fewer trucks on the roads, motorists would be safer.

The Teamsters and safety advocates are fiercely opposed to SETA and support SHIPA (Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act). This bill proposes that it would leave the current weight limits in place. They argue that the heavier trucks would accelerate road wear and tear, and that our bridges wouldn’t be able to handle the loads. They counter that longer and heavier trucks would be much harder to stop and require a lengthy distance to come to a complete halt on our overcrowded roadways. Currently, an 80,000- pound truck traveling at 55 mph takes 400 feet to stop on perfect road conditions.

Earlier this month the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a two day forum in Washington D.C. that focused on truck and bus safety. One idea that is being considered to decrease driver fatigue is to limit driving hours to 10 a day. The current limit is 11 hours in a 14-hour work day, and truckers can drive 70 hours every eight days.
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May 18, 2011

Bike Sharing Program Could Increase the Number of Boston Bicycle Accidents Each Year

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Hubway stations are a hot topic in Boston right now as many cities are looking to offer kiosks to cyclists as part of the regional bicycle sharing program. An increased number of bicyclists raises the odds of a bicycle accident in Boston, so riders should be careful when sharing roadways with vehicles. Boston personal injury lawyers agree that the convenience of the hubways will encourage users to opt for bicycles over public or private modes of transportation because bike-riding is healthier and more economical.

We first posted about the topic of Massachusetts Hubways on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog earlier this month. The $6 million contract to be signed with Alta Bicycle Share is proposed to launch 61 bike stations and about 600 bikes throughout the city starting in July. The convenience of the bike sharing program allows commuters and visitors the opportunity to rent a bike for a quick trip or all day with the ease of returning it to any convenient kiosk location. The system will offer as many as 300 rental locations in the future, which means cyclists can get to and from their destinations with simplicity rather than withstand the aggravation of sitting in traffic or being late for an appointment.

Boston.com reports that Harvard is the latest to support bike share stations in Cambridge. Harvard will offer four Hubways in Cambridge and five stations in the Allston and Longwood communities. The bike sharing program will charge patrons a monthly membership or daily fee depending on what the bicyclist prefers. Quick trips under 30 minutes will be free of charge.

But the growing interest in the bike sharing program could concern bicyclists who have a higher risk of being struck by a motor vehicle. Bicyclists involved in motor vehicle crashes can sustain broken bones, severe head trauma or internal injuries that can change a victim’s life forever. The medical costs associated with hospital stays and medical care for these types of injuries can lead to a lifetime of debt.
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May 16, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend a High Risk for Car Accidents in Boston

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Many of us spend most of May anticipating Memorial Day because it marks the kickoff of picnics, barbecues and the first official three-day summer holiday weekend. The National Safety Council wants to remind motorists to buckle up this Memorial Day weekend because the risks of being involved in a Boston car accident are heightened this time of year.

Car accident lawyers in Boston and elsewhere throughout the state know how nice it is to sit back and relax at your first summer gathering, but the increased traffic and threat of too much alcohol consumption can make it risky getting home later.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported four fatal crashes in Massachusetts on Memorial Day. There were six deaths as a result of the crashes.

The NSC estimates that this Memorial Day weekend, which begins Friday, May 27 at 6 p.m. and ends Monday, May 30 at 11:59 p.m., will produce more than 400 traffic fatalities and another 39,400 injuries needing medical attention throughout the course of the holiday weekend. The council also estimates that more than 100 lives could be saved during the upcoming holiday weekend if motorists choose to fasten their seatbelts while riding in the car.

Over the last few years, Memorial Day weekend has been considered deadly when compared to similar non-holiday periods. Heightened traffic, aggressive driving, speeding and drunk driving have contributed to the averaged 12.2 percent increase in traffic fatalities during this holiday weekend over the last few years. In 2009, Memorial Day reported more traffic fatalities nationally than any other holiday, including New Year’s Day, Labor Day and Christmas Day.

The NSC offers the following safety tips as you venture out this Memorial Day Weekend:
-Allow sufficient travel time to get to your picnic or gathering so that heavy traffic and the urge to speed don’t play a role in your travel plans to arrive on time.

-If you are the designated driver, refrain from consuming any alcohol or have one cocktail at arrival which should cut off drinking hours before you plan to leave the barbecue.

-Minimize distractions while you are driving by putting your cell phone in the glove compartment and entering the address in the GPS before you put the car in drive.

-If stormy weather is a threat, use extra caution or wait out the storm in a safe place until it passes.

-Ensure everyone, especially children, are buckled in before you start to drive.

Massachusetts motorists are being warned that the zero tolerance enforcement of seat belt laws will be enforced throughout the state from May 23 to June 5, 2011. Police will pull over all motorists that are spotted without a sea tbelt.
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May 6, 2011

Massachusetts Anticipates Hubway Hoping Easing Traffic and Reduce Risks of Bicycle Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Massachusetts residents and visitors will soon be able to take quick trips in Boston as they’ll be able to rent bicycles from dozens of sidewalk kiosks as early as July of this year. Mayor Thomas M. Menino is scheduled to sign a $6 million contract with a company called Alta Bicycle Share. The company is also behind a program in the Washington area that currently boasts more than 1,000 cherry-red bicycles at nearly 115 stations.

Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers understand that this $6 million dollar contract will put roughly 600 bikes and more than 61 stations in our communities before July. This increased pedestrian traffic may increase the risks of accidents on our roadways and we ask that everyone practice safe traveling on our roadways.

The new system, which officials will be referring to as the Hubway, will be starting off the program with roughly 60 bicycles. They envision the program to grow and to accommodate as many as 5,000 bikes in the future, operating from Brookline to Sommerville, according to Boston.com. With an increased number of bikes on Massachusetts roadways, drivers are encouraged to increase their awareness of bicyclists and pedestrians to help keep our roadways safe and reduce risks of potentially fatal Boston bicycle accidents.

Boston officials said the system will open in July with 600 bicycles and 61 stations in the city, though they envision growing in a few years to as many as 5,000 bikes at more than 300 kiosks, from Brookline to Somerville.

“The vision here is that it’s a seamless system,” said Eric Bourassa, transportation manager for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. “I could pick up a bike in Cambridge and I could bike across the river and drop it off in Boston, and I wouldn’t tell the difference that I have a Cambridge bike vs. a Boston bike or anything like that,”

The program will not be funded by local tax dollars. Instead, the city is using grants and donations to cover the start-up costs. Corporate sponsorships and revenue from riders is planned to cover annual operating expenses after initial start-up.

Riders will need to first sign up for memberships, which will include a liability waiver and a pledge to wear a helmet, on kiosk touch screens similar to those of the MBTA. Memberships will range from about $5 a day to $85 a year. Trips less than 30 minutes will be of no charge and users will see incremental charges for longer rides.
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May 4, 2011

Children Involved in Car Accidents in Boston and elsewhere May Not Need CT Scans

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

When children are involved in a car accident in Boston and elsewhere in the United States, many receive brain CT scans to determine if they’ve suffered any brain damage. In most cases, traumatic brain injury (TBI) never occurs. Now there’s new research illustrating that a physician can determine whether the child has a serious problem after observing a child with head injuries for a certain period of time. This allows them to help treat the young patient without resorting to using a CT scan.

Our Boston car accident lawyers would err on the side of caution when it comes to diagnosing a head injury. However, eliminating needless CT scans will also help to eliminate some unnecessary and unwanted radiation exposure.

Children’s Hospital Boston and the University of California-Davis held the study as the results were later released by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. They study combined data from 25 different emergency departments, and looked at roughly 40,000 children who suffered minor blunt head trauma. Researchers discovered that more than 5,400 of the young patents, or nearly 15 percent, were checked out before making decisions regarding CT use. As the severity of the head trauma varied, so did the observation time.

Researchers found more than 5,400 pediatric patients, or nearly 15 percent, of those studied, were observed before making a decision about CT use. Observation times varied, as did the severity of head trauma. In the study, children who were observed had a lower rate of receiving CT scans than those who were not observed.

“There are actually three groups of patients that come into an emergency room with pediatric head trauma,” says Dr. Lise Nigrovic of Children’s Hospital Boston who co-led the study. “The first is the child that really has no symptoms and it’s obvious to the doctors that the child is fine. The second is the child that has all the major symptoms, vomiting, headaches, unconsciousness, perhaps bleeding. That child is obviously a candidate for a CT scan. It’s the children in the middle risk groups – those who don’t appear totally normal, but whose injury isn’t obviously severe – for whom observation can really help.”

Some may want to recommend a CT scan just as an extra precautionary measure, but researchers warn that CT scans to the head can add even more risks for children. A child’s growing brain tissue is much more sensitive to ionizing radiation than an adult’s brain is. As children typically have a longer life expectancy, their lifetime risk of developing a radiation-induced tumor is greater than an adult’s as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under the age of 4, those between the ages of 15 and 19, and adults over the age of 65 are most likely to sustain a TBI. Nearly half a million emergency department visits for TBI’s are made by children under the age of 14 each year.

In the United States, TBI proves to be a serious and oftentimes fatal injury as it is a contributing factor to roughly a third of all injury-related deaths. Over all, more than 50,000 die, roughly 275,000 are hospitalized, and more than 1 million TBI patients are treated and released from an emergency department. Among all age groups, motor vehicle accidents and other traffic-related incidents were the second leading cause of TBI and caused in the largest percentage of TBI-related deaths.
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May 3, 2011

Massachusetts Receives $20,000 in Funding to Help Reduce Risks of Teen Car Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

It’s National Youth Traffic Safety Month and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recently announced that four of its members will received grant funding from Ford Driving Skills For Life (Ford DSFL) totaling $80,000. The grant comes in support of a teen driving program developed collaboratively by Ford Motor Company Fund and GHSA.

Highway safety agencies in each of the winning states, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and New York, are being awarded $20,000. These states will use the funds to administer teen driving initiatives incorporating the Ford DSFL program.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that these programs are beneficial to the safety of our roadways and would like to congratulate our very own Highway Safety Division.

GHSA invited its members to apply for the grants earlier this year. The applications were judged by a panel, of GHSA and Ford representatives, and selected winners. The winners will be using the grants to help educate drivers and to help reduce risks of car accidents in Boston and their own states.

Massachusetts plans to put the funds to good use. The state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Highway Safety Division will be hosting an event, which expects nearly 300 attendees, that will offer elements mirroring Ford DSFL. Massachusetts will partner with a driving school to offer activities to young drivers and their parents. These activities will include crash prevention training, driving simulators and stations featuring new driving technology.

Since the programs beginning, in 2003, Ford DSFL has partnered with roughly 40 GHSA members on various teen driving programs and activities to help educate our younger drivers.

“With state budgets continuing to be very tight, this private sector support is absolutely critical. Ford has stepped in and helped states educate teen drivers in an innovative manner,” says to GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha.

In 2008, there were more than 208 million licensed drivers in the United States in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Drivers between the ages of 15 and 20-years-old made up more than 6 percent, more than 13 million, of the total number of U.S. drivers. Nearly 2,500 of these young drivers were killed in 2009, which illustrates a 15 percent decrease the previous year. In addition, there were nearly 200,000 young drivers injured in motor vehicle accidents in the same year, also a 14 percent decrease from the year before. In Massachusetts, nearly 50 young people were killed because of motor vehicle accidents in 2009.
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April 28, 2011

Massachusetts Motorcycle Accidents a Concern Despite Lower Fatality Rates

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent report from state transportation officials found that motorcycle deaths dropped 2 percent in the first nine months of last year, according to The New York Times. Many aren’t convinced, saying this decrease may just signal a blip and may mean absolutely nothing toward a lasting improvement in safety.

The Governors Highway Safety Association reports that there were 80 fewer motorcyclist fatalities in Boston and elsewhere in the United States from January through September of 2010 than the same time period of the previous year.

But wait, there’s a catch. While fatalities were down 25 percent during the first three months of the recorded period, they were down 1 percent during the second three months and up 3 percent during the last three months. This increase has many safety advocates worried.

“The drop is all in the front half of the year,” said report author Jim Hedlund, a safety consultant. “It looks very much as if we’ve hit bottom and may be starting back up again.”

A spokesman for the safety group that issued the report, Jonathan Adkins, says that recreational motorcycle riding appears to have declined while the recession was at its worst. He adds that this may be the reason why the number of deaths decreased.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 5,300 motorcyclists were killed, and an additional 96,000 injured, in 2008. Massachusetts contributed more than 40 motorcyclist deaths to the national number in the same year. It is estimated that, nationwide, motorcycle helmets saved more than 1,800 motorcyclists in 2009 and could have saved an additional 823 if all were wearing helmets.

Currently, only 21 states require that helmets be worn by motorcyclists. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, only 13 of those states specify that the helmet needs to meet federal standards.
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April 24, 2011

Proms, graduations bring a high risk for teen car accidents in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Spring is an exciting time for teens and young drivers, with prom and graduation right around the corner. Young drivers are more at risk of a Masscachusetts car accident this time of year given the temptation to drink and drive while attending these kinds of events at the end of the school year.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers know that peer pressure can be a beast to contest at this age. But giving in to a dangerous situation puts your life at risk as well as other motorists who share the road.

We are reminded of the dangers of drinking and driving in a recent article by the Boston Herald which reported the story of a 21-year-old whose life will be changed forever. The alleged drunk driver had a car full of passengers when he lost control of his vehicle coming home from a house party recently. He was allegedly speeding when his vehicle crashed into concrete barriers on McGrath Highway.

One 16-year-old female passenger died at the scene. Another 17-year-old passenger is fighting for her life at Massachusetts General Hospital. The driver and three other passengers in the vehicle were all treated for injuries at MGH. Only three of the six passengers in the vehicle were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The driver, with a long list of previous driving violations, is being charged with speeding, marked lane violation, operating under the influence, and motor vehicle homicide.

We posted a series of blogs last month about teen driver safety and the impact that distractions, alcohol, and speeding can have on their driving ability — parents can find these on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog.

Mile for mile, teens are involved in 3 times as many crashes in Boston than any other age group. In 2008, 68 motorists were killed in Massachusetts by a young driver involved in the crash.

Parents are urged to speak to your teen about driving safety during this important and exciting time in their life. Communicate the importance of the following safety issues to help ensure their safety:

-Always wear a seatbelt.

-Never drink and drive.

-Maintain the speed limit at all times. Spring weather can bring unsafe driving conditions so traveling under the speed limit may be necessary in certain situations.

-Don’t allow distractions to take eyes or mind away from the task of driving.

-Always call for help rather than risk an accident.
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April 22, 2011

Crossing the street can be a high risk for a pedestrian accident in Boston

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently released a report on how automobile technology is reducing pedestrian crash fatalities.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers applaud this new technology but cautions that drivers’ attentiveness is the best method for decreasing Boston pedestrian accidents.

The IIHS study identified the most likely kinds of pedestrian accident situations. They discovered that a vehicle moving straight at them as pedestrians cross the street is the most common. IIHS feels that using forward collision warning systems with pedestrian detection can prevent these types of accidents. This form of warning system is available on several vehicles including the Volvo S60 sedan. Volvo feels strongly that this kind of technology, if put in all vehicles, could potentially reduce pedestrian deaths by as much as 24 percent. Other technologies exist that could minimize the risk of injuries to pedestrians even further.

It appears European automakers are making design changes to limit injuries to pedestrians in crashes. Subaru has a pedestrian detection system which recognizes bicyclists and pedestrians. Their technology has the ability, if the driver doesn’t react to the warning, to hit the brakes automatically. Audi is currently developing a similar system as Subaru, BMW and Mercedes have pedestrian detection systems that also include night vision technology for detecting pedestrians.

It is somewhat disturbing that advances in pedestrian safety are occurring overseas but not in this country. The study stated the U.S. Department of Transportation did research for some 20+ years starting in the 1970’s to increase pedestrian safety but their ideas never came to fruition.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 4,092 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and another 59,000 were injured. Pedestrians accounted for 12 percent of all traffic fatalities. Massachusetts reported a total of 334 traffic fatalities, 48 were pedestrians in 2009.

The NHTSA offers these safety reminders:

-Utilize sidewalks whenever possible. If you walk in the road always face traffic.

-Make yourself visible, wear bright colors and carry a flashlight.

-Use crosswalks and be cautious if you don’t have a clear view of the street.

-In most circumstances pedestrians have the right-of-way when crossing the streets. Failure to yield the right-of-way happens often at intersections, be careful.
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