Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Last Wednesday morning, a Massachusetts car crash claimed the life of a 61-year-old woman from Peabody. The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which ended up in a river near Route 107 in Revere after a wheel feel off the car.

Two passerby were able to help a female passenger to safety, but the driver went down with the car after being unable to get out in time. In the background of the 911 emergency call, one could hear screaming for the driver to roll down her window.

The car was pulled from the water a few hours later, and investigators are searching for an explanation of what happened with the car’s wheel that caused the fatal accident.

Here in Massachusetts, the Good Samaritan law protects non-medical providers who make good faith efforts to help others in distress provided there is no willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence. A different set of standards govern physicians, nurses, and other medical professionsals.

Source: Woman dies after car crashes into water in Revere, Mass., NECN.com, October 13, 2010 Continue reading

On Monday, a Wellesley car crash on Route 128 claims the lives of a husband and wife from Arlington. The 80-year-old husband was reportedly driving a 1997 Dodge van when it veered off the road and hit the guardrail. He was taken to the hospital via helicopter and died of injuries sustained in the car accident the following day. His wife, who was sitting in the passenger side of the van, was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The motor vehicle accident occurred around 3:30pm and is still being investigated by State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.

Because this is a single vehicle accident and the driver passed away, auto insurance companies won’t be adjusting anyone’s premiums as a result. However, here in Massachusetts, insurance companies generally presume more than in 50% fault in cases such as when there’s a collision with a parked vehicle, a rear end collision, an out of lane collision, or when the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction.

Source: Arlington Couple Killed in Route 128 Crash, Wellesley Patch, October 12, 2010 Continue reading

On Wednesday morning, a Hyde Park man was involved in a car accident that took his life. The 32-year-old man was driving a 1993 Infiniti sedan when the vehicle reportedly crashed into a concrete barrier, flipping over and landing on its roof between two toll booths on Interstate 95.

State police freed the accident victim from his vehicle by cutting his seat belt. Authorities believe speed was a factor, but as of late Wednesday evening, they were still investigating the car crash.

Auto insurance companies typically handle single-vehicle accidents differently from accidents involving several vehicles. In this case, the driver unfortunately did not survive the accident, but in cases where the driver does survive, they are typically assumed to be at fault because no other vehicles were involved. However, in some cases, an investigation and witnesses might prove that the driver swerved to avoid another vehicle or a pedestrian.

Source: Driver killed in crash at Hampton tolls identified, Boston Herald, October 7, 2010 Continue reading

The driver involved in a Massachusetts car accident on Route 8 that killed a 29-year-old Tolland woman has been sentenced. The crash occurred in March 2009 when the driver, a 48-year-old Connecticut woman who was found to be operating under the influence of alcohol, collided head-on with the victim’s vehicle.

After pleading guilty to charges including motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol, she was sentenced to six to ten years in prison for drunk driving. Because she apologized to the family of the victim and has no prior record, her lawyer requested a lighter sentence.

Here in Massachusetts, defendants found guilty of vehicular homicide while operating under the influence are subject to mandatory jail time. The passage of Melanie’s Law means stricter penalties on drunk driving, including a mandatory minimum of two and a half years in state prison and a maximum of up to 15 years. Drivers may also have their license revoked and get substantial fines. Manslaughter by motor vehicle carries a minimum mandatory jail sentence of five years.

Source: Conn. woman gets prison time for fatal Mass. crash, Boston Herald, October 5, 2010 Continue reading

Massachusetts’ text messaging ban went into effect last week. The goal of the ban is to reduce the number of auto accidents caused by distracted drivers.

However, according to research released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, texting bans don’t actually reduce the number of roadway accidents. In fact, in the four states studied by the HLDI, three out of four states experienced an increase in car accidents after enacting a text messaging ban. HLDI researchers hypothesize that this increase may be due to drivers who continue texting but keep their cell phones low and out of sight, taking their eyes even further from the road. Some also say that texting bans take the focus away from other important safety measures.

However, some safety officials say the ban can be effective when paired with strict enforcement. Here in Massachusetts, drivers caught texting while driving are subject to a $100 fine for the first offense and $250 (plus a 180-day suspension) for the second offense. While it’s too soon to tell if Massachusetts’ text messaging ban will prove effective, we’ll be interested in seeing how the issue unfolds.

Just before midnight on Sunday evening, Ayer police received word of a single vehicle auto accident on Washington Street near the former Ayer fire headquarters. The car crash involved a 25-year-old man from Groton.

The driver, who was not wearing his seat belt, reportedly hit a telephone pole. He was found unconscious in his blue 2008 Mustang with what an Ayer police lieutenant described as “obvious head injury.” The Ayer Fire Department took him to Nashoba Valley Medical Center. He was later transported to Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston and was listed in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

Authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the motor vehicle accident.

Source: Groton man critical after Ayer crash, Nashoba Publishing, September 27, 2010 Continue reading

On Monday morning, an Arlington car accident sent two people to Massachusetts General Hospital. According to a report from the Arlington Fire Department and State Police, the two-vehicle accident occurred on Medford Street around 7:03am.

When firefighters arrived at the scene of the car crash, they found a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria tax cab engulfed in flames in a wooded area near Mystic Valley Parkway. A police spokesman said the taxi’s driver had driven off the road, then re-entered traffic, rear-ending a 2003 Toyota Camry. The taxi driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which crossed the roadway, crashed into a tree, and caught on fire.

Upon impact, the taxi’s passenger was thrown into the front seat. An MBTA Green Line inspector reportedly pulled him from the vehicle while it was on fire. The taxi’s driver suffered injuries to his head, legs, and other extremities. He was cited with operating a vehicle on a suspended license, crossing marked lines, and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

The driver and passenger were both taken to the Massachusetts General Hosital by Advanced Life Support.

Source: UPDATED: Two injured in Medford Street crash Monday morning, WickedLocal.com, September 20, 2010 Continue reading