In addition to the text messaging ban for truckers and bus drivers announced by the Transportation Department last week, Massachusetts may soon join the 19 states that have outlawed text messaging behind the wheel for all drivers. The Boston Globe reports that a key legislative committee unanimously approved a bill…
Our Massachusetts motor vehicle crash lawyers would like to remind drivers to take extra care on wet or icy roads. The Union Leader reports that advisory speeds are down to 45 for state highways from Concord, New Hampshire south to the Massachusetts border. There are apparently reports of cars off…
MIT and Ford Motor Company are beginning research on driver workload and stress. The goal of this new study is to identify ways that in-vehicle technology can reduce driver stress, thus improving safety on the road. The six-month long project is a continuation of a partnership between Ford and MIT’s…
A joint investigation between Brockton police and state Department of Transportation authorities revealed serious violations among Massachusetts drivers of vans and station wagons transporting students to elementary schools and day care centers. Dozens of drivers received citations for violations including driving without a license, overloading vehicles, and bald tires. The…
A bill filed by Senator Robert L. Hedlund of Weymouth would make interlock safety devices mandatory for those convicted of drunk driving in Massachusetts. Currently, Melanie’s Law requires the devices for repeat drunk drivers. The device works like an in-car breathalyzer test so that the driver must blow into a…
Earlier this year, a report released by the Massachusetts Highway Department revealed that intersections in Boston, Brockon, Stoughton, Quincy, Braintree, and Abington are among the most dangerous in the state. The report was based on data compiled by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and covered motor vehicle accidents that…
Critics say that using cameras to fine drivers who run red lights is an attempt to raise revenue, rather than improve safety, but the Boston Globe and other media outlets report that Governor Deval Patrick is pushing to make Massachusetts the 25th state to adopt such a measure. Many mayors…
According to stats from the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than half of the passenger vehicle occupants who died in Massachusetts motor vehicle accidents last year were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. That rate was nine percent higher than the…
Several Massachusetts car accidents earlier this year have highlighted the controversial issue of whether senior citizens should be subject to extra scrutiny when renewing their driver’s licenses. While AARP has sponsored a driver safety refresher course for the past thirty years, Massachusetts seniors are not enrolling in the course at…
Drivers may soon have a new navigational system that is even more advanced than GPS. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has teamed up with Volkswagen to create AIDA (Affective Intelligent Driving Agent), a robot device will be mounted on the dashboard and will synthesize…