Distracted Driving

August 3, 2016

Pokemon Go Car Accident Results in Personal Injury

By now, most people have heard about Pokemon Go. This smartphone app which just became available for download recently allows users to walk around the real world while hold their phones and looking for game characters.

Not only has the new app already become hugely popular, it has resulted in more than a few serious problems. News of the problems first broke when when a pair of alleged robbers managed to use the game to get players in a remote area and rob them. They were later apprehended, but users were warned to be careful. Continue reading

June 6, 2016

Checking Facebook While You Drive? Better Check Your Insurance Rates.

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Your smartphone contains all kinds of juicy data – from where you eat to what your hobbies are to what your plans are next week and who you talk to most.

Now, your insurance companies want to be able to access your information to determine how well you drive. More specifically, they want to find out if you’re a distracted driver because, if you are, that puts them at risk for having to dole out more cash if you’re in a crash. They also want to know how long your daily commute to work is and whether you have a tendency to speed – both also things that up their risk and which are accessible by tapping into your phone. And they would love to know if you chat on the phone while changing lanes.

Auto insurance companies in Massachusetts and across the country have been introducing mobile phone applications that can help keep an eye on insured’s behind-the-wheel habits. Continue reading

January 10, 2016

MIT Helps Develop Safe Driving App

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

There is no question that smart phones have changed many aspects of our daily lives. The days of waiting to get a land line to check your messages, and having to coordinate everything ahead of time are over. We can now look up anything at the touch of a button and do a variety of other tasks we now take for granted.

However, the need to read that text and even respond to the text has led to a new series of problems. We see people walking down the sidewalk and even crossing the street with their head pointed down at the phone. As if that wasn’t dangerous enough, we see people reading and even sending texts while driving. This is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do, and it can easily lead to a serious car crash. Continue reading

June 20, 2015

“Doggie Distraction”: Why Unrestrained Pets in the Car is a Deadly Decision

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Americans love their pets. Dogs are among the most popular pet with some 78 million canines residing in 46 million homes in the U.S., according to the American Pet Products Association.

One AAA survey revealed nearly 60 percent of respondents had driven with their dog in the vehicle at some point in the last year. When a dog (or any pet, really) is unrestrained in a moving vehicle, the potential for distraction is high.

Respondents to the survey conceded that while driving with their dogs, they engaged in the following: