Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
The Patrick Administration is asking residents to keep their cars parked in their garages or driveways, and to get out and walk, bike or use public transit.
It’s all a part of Massachusetts Car-Free Week. The underlying theme of this awareness campaign is “Pick a Day, Commute Another Way.” During this time, the state of Massachusetts is joining more than 1,000 cities in 40 countries across the world in an effort to showcase the community, financial and environmental benefits of reducing the number of vehicles on the road with an entire week dedicated to choosing a day to commute another way, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
“Car-Free Week is also a great time to remind individuals to sign-up for NuRide to get rewards for their green commutes. It’s a free program, it’s easy to use and MassDOT is actually rewarding you for incorporating sustainability into your daily travels,” said MassDOT Secretary Richard A. Davey.
Our Boston personal injury attorneys are glad to participate in Massachusetts Car-Free Week, but are reminding residents of the risks involved with alternative transportation. Remember that when you’re walking, biking and even using public transportation, there are still risks for accidents. While traveling, regardless of how you do it, you’ve got to be aware of the others traveling around you. Defensive driving is your best defense against a collision with another traveler.
Officials with MassDOT are teaming up with MassCommute and MassRIDES to offer incentives for those who participate in Car-Free Week through NuRide. NuRide is the country’s largest rewards program for people who take greener trips. Commuters who use this program are ultimately rewarding their community by helping to promote a cleaner Commonwealth. You can participate and get rewards by reporting your alternative form of transportation use on a commute calendar. With the points you rack up, you can earn coupons to restaurants, discounts to some awesome stores and tickets to various attractions and shows.
This Car-Free week also helps to promote GreenDOT, an initiate of MassDOT that helps to increase awareness of environmental responsibility and sustainability. The policy imitative of the program includes reducing greenhouse gas and has even been mandated under the Global Warming Solutions Act that was signed by Governor Deval Patrick back in 2008. Under this law, were under an economy-wide 2020 emissions reduction mandate of 25 percent. Another important part of the GreenDOT initative is to triple the amount of travel by bike, on foot and via public transit.
This Car-Free Week, we’re asking you to bike, walk or hitch a ride to the store or to work. Not only will you help to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, but you’re helping to improve your health. Exercise fuels your well-being, too.
Each year, on September 22, communities around the world join together in this fight, to get people to travel less in motor vehicles. There are a number of events held on this day across the nation, but there is no other state in the country that has proclaimed a statewide Car-Free Day celebration.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, contact Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
School Back in Session, Accident Risks on the Rise, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, September 7, 2013
New England Travel Safety: Preparing For Your Next Road Trip, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, August 23, 2013