Interstate Driving

January 20, 2013

Somerville Had Fewer Serious Traffic Accidents in 2012

Serious traffic accidents in Somerville were down in Somerville in 2012, according to data from Somerville Police. Police Chief Tom Pasquarello announced on Wednesday that serious accidents were reduced by 23.8 percent in 2012.

Pasquarello links the reduction in accidents to the efforts of Somerville police. “There appears to be a direct correlation between the sharp reduction in serious accidents and an aggressive effort by Somerville Police to step up traffic regulation enforcement in high-accident areas,” Pasquarello said.

In 2011, there were 455 serious accidents in Somerville that resulted in personal injury or damage exceeding $1,000. In 2012, there were 350. These numbers don’t take into account crashes that occurred on state highways. Somerville had no motor-vehicle related fatalities in 2012.

Somerville police sought to improve the safety of city streets by focusing enforcement in areas where traffic accidents had occurred in the past. “Using smart enforcement to reduce accidents is making our streets safer for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians,” Pasquarello said. Somerville police issued 11,076 moving violations in 2012 compared to 8,239 in 2011.

A grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau helped the Somerville Police Traffic Unit to implement specialized enforcement measures, such as using plain clothes officers as pedestrians and looking for seat belt offenses by drivers who commit other violations. The Unit also focused on enforcing bicycle traffic safety rules. Pasquarello said of these measures, “Enhanced traffic enforcement based on statistical analysis has significantly improved safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists across the city. In the year ahead, we plan to do even more with statistical analysis of trends and hot spots, not only in the area of traffic enforcement, but in other areas of community policing.”

Somerville police, in conjunction with the city’s Department of Public Works and Traffic and Parking Department, have also been analyzing whether roadway, signage, and signaling can make Somerville streets safer.
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November 26, 2012

Holiday Travel Car Safety

by Altman & Altman

As Thanksgiving weekend comes to an end, so does one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, and New England roadways return to business as usual. An estimated 1.7 million people took to the roads in New England the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the days following the holiday proved to be as busy.

The busiest travel days in the Bay State occurred Wednesday and Sunday as major backups and minor accidents occurred. Traffic was heavy on Interstate 93 and the Mass Turnpike on Wednesday; on Thursday, holiday travelers were jammed in a thirteen mile backup on I-90. On Sunday, the intersecting point of Interstate 84 and Interstate 90 proved to be the source of the most traffic during the day.

Two minor car accidents occurred on the Mass Pike this Sunday as well as many similar accidents throughout the weekend. The accidents caused prolonged backups for a major part of the day. No major accidents were reported. Authorities in Connecticut reported that two people had died on the state’s roadways.
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September 23, 2011

Lynn Man Dies After Windshield Hit by Wheel

by Altman & Altman

An accident is under investigation in which a 27-year-old man from Lynn died on Monday after a heavy-duty tire/wheel assembly had loosened from a flatbed truck and crashed into his windshield on Interstate 93 in Somerville. State Police spokesman David Procopio said that the flatbed truck was going south on I-93 from when one of four tires came loose from a single strap on the bed of the truck. The tire assembly, weighing approximately 400 pounds, bounced over the median into northbound traffic and subsequently crashed into the windshield of Joseph LeBlanc´s 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. After being hit by the tire, the car continued northbound before it crashed into the median wall and became jammed in between two sections of the retaining wall. Rescue crews used the “jaws of life” to remove the driver. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The vehicle was registered to Ryder Truck in Braintree and was being leased by Sullivan Tire, according to State Police. The tire/wheel assembly was one of four being hauled by Sullivan Tire and was reportedly taking the tire assemblies to a customer. The tires had a tire fill material in them, making them even heavier in an attempt to weigh them down.

The truck driver, Gregory Ross, 62, of Merrimack, N.H., reportedly noticed a strap flapping around and came to a stop as soon as he could. He said: “We had tires strapped on the back of the truck…The pallet they were sitting on broke. So naturally the strap loosened up and they started falling off…I noticed in the review mirrors, naturally, that the strap was flapping and another tire was about to come off.”

Procopio said that no charges have been filed but police are continuing their investigation in order to determine if anyone involved in the crash should receive charges.

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Man Killed After Loose Tire Smashes Car, TheBostonChannel.com, September 19, 2011
Lynn man, 27, dies after tire from truck strikes car on I-93, Boston Globe, September 20, 2011
Merrimack man drove truck involved in fatal I-93 crash in Mass., police say , Nashua Telegraph, September 21, 2011
Related Blog Posts:

Wheel Separates from Vehicle and Causes Fatal Accident in Warren

Summer Traffic woes continue, Cross-country drive turns fatal
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June 29, 2011

Single-Car Rollover Accident in Salem Leaves New Hampshire Man Seriously Injured

by Altman & Altman

A 42-year-old driver from Northwood, New Hampshire, was found Sunday evening on the side of Interstate 93 in Salem after his vehicle rolled over multiple times. Police have confirmed that the driver, Gary Torrey, was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle upon impact. Torrey´s 1998 Jeep Cherokee reportedly rolled across three lanes of traffic on I-93 North. Police are investigating the accident but the cause is not yet known.

Torrey faces life-threatening injuries and was taken first taken to Lawrence General Hospital and then by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. He was treated at the scene of the accident by Salem Fire and Rescue.

Section 13A, Chapter 90, of the Commonwealth´s General Laws, states that all occupants of motor vehicles in a private vehicle, including vans and trucks, are required to be properly restrained by a seatbelt: “No person shall operate a private passenger motor vehicle or ride in a private passenger motor vehicle, a vanpool vehicle or truck under eighteen thousand pounds on any way unless such person is wearing a safety belt which is properly adjusted and fastened.”

In 2008 alone, there were 364 recorded fatalities and 3,193 severe injuries connected to car crashes in Massachusetts. Since 2002, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division has annually implemented the “Click It or Ticket” campaigns and have reportedly helped to increase Massachusetts seatbelt use from 51% in 2002 to 74% in 2009. Fatalities of vehicle occupants also dropped from 57% of crash fatalities to 23% during this same 7-year period.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year in the United States. The NHTSA provides the following tips on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing your seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in an accident • Airbags do not replace seatbelts • To buckle-up correctly, the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage • In order for a seatbelt to work correctly, it must fit correctly; belt extenders or new shoulder belts are available from car dealers and manufacturers.
• Everyone should wear a seatbelt despite age or condition. Pregnant women, obese, and eldery, can all effectively buckle-up safely.

Single-car accidents are common throughout the densely populated state of Massachusetts. Whether you have accidently backed up into a pole or were run off the road by another vehicle, at Altman and Altman we have handled numerous single-car collision cases. Often times when an accident occurs by a phantom vehicle, it is our job to prove that such a vehicle existed. In the above is case above we do not know enough about the circumstances to know if a second car was involved. In cases such as this, seeing if there is any paint transfer, side or rear damage, any possible witnesses, or any other piece of evidence that would help the firm piece together how the accident occurred.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

NH man flown to hospital after Salem rollover crash, The Telegraph, June 27, 2011
Click It Or Ticket Overview, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
The top 5 things you should know about buckling up, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Related Blog Posts:

Drunk Driver Kills Two Teens Not Wearing Seatbelts in Somerville

Victims of Fatal Crash Not Wearing Seatbelts

Single-Car Rollover Accident in Northborough
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June 17, 2011

Drunk Driver Crashes Stolen Car After Police Chase on Interstate 93

by Altman & Altman

After a high-speed chase on Interstate 93 South, Frank S. Ceccaroni Jr., 47, from Holliston, is being held without bail. It will be decided if he is a danger to the public in hearing on Monday. In the Woburn District Court, Judge Paul Yee charged Ceccaroni with his sixth offense for driving under the influence of liquor, receiving a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen property, four counts of refusing to stop for police, driving to endanger, driving with a suspended license due to previous drunk driving charges, driving an unregistered car and driving an uninsured car. In addition to these charges, he was cited for attaching plates, speeding and for violating marked lanes.

At 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning, State Trooper Peter Stanley pulled over Ceccaroni in a construction zone for swerving between lanes and for almost hitting another vehicle on I-93 South in Stoneham. According to Stanley, Ceccaroni was showing signs of intoxication. The trooper then ran the license plate number and found that the plate belonged to a Dodge Caravan. Stanley noticed the vehicle´s brake lights going on and off while he was checking his license information and Ceccaroni then drove off extremely fast. He reportedly almost hit the road workers and police officers who were directing traffic through the construction zone. According to Middlesex assistant district attorney Amanda Rowan, as he drove off, he was “exceeding speeds of more than 130 mph.”

A high-speed chase ensued and ended in Medford when Cecceroni crashed the vehicle into a trailer truck and was subsequently dragged underneath the trailer truck for a short distance before the truck driver was able to stop. The rescue team had to remove the roof off of the vehicle to extricate Cecceroni. The truck driver was not injured. Rowan commented: “Fortunately this ended with no one, other than the defendant, suffering any injuries…It was an extremely dangerous event.”

State police later confirmed that the car he was driving, a red 2005 Infiniti, was stolen on June 1 from Mass Auto Exchange in Framingham. Police also confirmed that the license plate was stolen from a green Dodge Caravan that was parked at Massachusetts General Hospital when the plates were stolen.

In his arraignment on Wednesday, Rowan asked the judge to hold Ceccaroni as a danger to the public. Lisa Kavanaugh, Ceccaroni’s lawyer, pleaded not guilty on his behalf and asked that the judge send Ceccaroni to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation and alcohol abuse treatment. She cited the Commonwealth´s general laws, Section 35 in Chapter 123, in which the definition of an alcoholic is one who has lost control and their livelihood due to their dependency.

Judge Yee instead ordered that Ceccaroni be held without bail at Middlesx Jail in Cambridge until his hearing on Monday. Our office has handled numerous cases where an individual is injured as a result of a police chase. Often times an innocent bystander can sustain the most significant injuries. If one is injured as a result of a police chase many of the same benefits that they are ordinarily entitled to remain, but depending on the circumstances the possibility exists for a potential uninsured motorist claim or an underinsured motorist claim. Some factors that will influence what type of claim can be brought are whether the vehicle involved in the chase was stolen, whether the vehicle was insured at the time of the chase, what type of automobile you or someone in your household had at the time of the accident.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

I-93 chase ends in crash, OUI arrest, The Boston Globe, June 9, 2011
Holliston man charged with Framingham car theft, drunken driving, The Milford Daily News, June 9, 2011
Related Blog Posts:

Breathalyzer Test Records Not Considered Testimony In Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for Convicted Drunk Drivers

Drunk Driver Causes Fatal Accident on Interstate 95

Driver Crashes, Seriously Injures a Bystander
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May 10, 2011

Single-Car Rollover Accident in Northborough

by Altman & Altman

A serious single-car rollover accident on I-290 in Northborough is under investigation. Massachusetts State Police reported that around 1 p.m. on Saturday, a Mazda rolled over in the median between the east and west-bound lanes. The female driver and the male passenger have been taken to the Worcester UMass Memorial Medical Center. Although their names have not yet been released, police confirmed that the passenger´s injuries were very severe.

Data produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that approximately 85% of rollover fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. Most rollover accidents do not involve another vehicle and thus the status of the driver at the time of the crash is a key factor in the crash.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reports that 15% of vehicles involved in Massachusetts fatal crashes were rollovers in 2006.

Driving while exhausted, distracted, and under the influence can lead to a higher chance of rollover accidents. Properly inflated tires and ensuring that your cargo weight is not too heavy for your vehicle can also increase your ability to maintain vehicle control.

A tripped rollover, or a rollover caused by the tires digging into soft soil or hitting an object, can occur due to any of the following circumstances:

• Soft soil • Guardrail • Another vehicle • Steep slope
When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Single-car rollover accident on I-290 seriously injures one, TheDailyNorthborough.com, May 07, 2011
Roadway Safety Tips, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Related Blog Posts:

Vehicle Hit and Rolls Over on Route 9

SUV Rollover Accident in Sandisfield

Man Injured in Mass. Pike Rollover
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February 28, 2011

Victims of Fatal Crash Not Wearing Seatbelts

by Altman & Altman

Massachusetts State Police are investigating a fatal accident in which Karla Nieves-Vazquez, 23, and Jesus Nieves, 17, both of Springfield, were killed on Interstate-91. Police believe that neither Nieves-Vasquez or Nieves were wearing seatbelts. In this single-car crash, it is reported that Nieves-Vasquez lost control of her 2002 Dodge Stratus. The car turned over multiple times and then landed in the ditch of the median. The car’s other two occupants, Jesus A. Ferreira, 20, and Martin A. Nieves, 18, also of Springfield, were taken to Baystate Medical Center for medical attention.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year. In 2006, over 60% of victims of fatal car crashes between the ages of 16-24 were not wearing seatbelts. These lives could have been saved if they were wearing seatbelts. The NHTSA provides the following life-saving reminders on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing your seatbelt is the best thing you can do to protect yourself in an accident • Airbags are not designed to replace seatbelts • Buckle-up correctly; the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage, which can endure crash forces better than other parts of your body • Make sure your seatbelt fits; you can obtain belt extenders or a new shoulder belt from your car dealer or manufacturer • Age or condition is not an excuse; everyone should wear a seatbelt. There are effective ways for pregnant women, obese, and eldery, to safely buckle-up. Visit A Parent’s Guide to Child Safety on
how to safely buckle-up your child.

Our experienced lawyers have over 25 years of knowledge representing car accident victims throughout Massachusetts. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question on a case or would like a free consultation.

Sources:

I-91 crash victims identified, WWLP-22News, February 25, 2011
The top 5 things you should know about buckling up, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Continue reading

January 9, 2011

40-vehicle pileup shuts down part of 1-93

by Altman & Altman

At least 8 people have been reported injured as a result of a massive pileup on Saturday afternoon. Police said about 40 vehicles, including a small school bus and a commercial tour bus, were involved in the pileup, which blocked both southbound lanes of Interstate 93.

The pileup was the result of a snow squall that started around 12:30 p.m., triggering sudden whiteout conditions.

Tom Lawson and his girlfriend, Jennifer Phillips, were heading to Boston after staying at a Lincoln, NH inn most of the week snowboarding in the region. Phillips, who lives on Cape Cod, was glad the couple escaped unharmed except for the damaged Hyundai rental.

Phillips was surprised when the snow squall hit.

“Everything just went white, and you couldn’t see anything, and the cars were backed up on each other,” Phillips said while waiting at the Sunoco station. “I love snow, but I didn’t love that.”

Both lanes of the highway were shut down for over an hour and traffic was backed up for miles.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency estimates that roughly “70% of winter deaths related to snow and ice occur in automobiles,” and, as a result, has issued a list of automobile safety tips for winter driving as well as a winter emergency car kit checklist. Both can be found on their website.

Source:
Eight injured in 40-vehicle pileup on I-93, Union Leader, January 8, 2011; Tips to Ensure Safe Winter Driving, www.mass.gov Continue reading

August 24, 2010

Several Injured and One Killed Following a Four Vehicle Car Crash in Lexington

by Altman & Altman

This past week, a four vehicle car accident occurred on Route 2 in Lexington. The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m., when a vehicle headed eastbound crossed over the median into oncoming westbound traffic.

The vehicle then collided head –on with three automobiles driving in the westbound lanes on Route 2. The accident occurred at a high rate of speed. The driver of the vehicle which crossed the median and struck the other cars was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to state police, another individual involved in the accident was in “very bad shape” and was transported to the hospital for treatment of the injuries sustained in the collision. Reportedly, all but one of the people involved in the four-car accident were transported to the hospital. The one individual that was not taken to the hospital was able to walk and was treated at the scene.
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August 13, 2010

Franklin Pedestrian Killed by SUV on 495 in Westford

by Altman & Altman

The MA personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman have been made aware of a fatal accident this morning on route 495 in Westford. An unidentified woman was walking along the highway when she was struck and killed by a 2009 Toyota RAV SUV. The vehicle was operated by a Lowell resident whose name has not been released by the local authorities.

The pedestrian accident caused all three northbound lanes of Route 495 to be shut down for over two hours. A preliminary investigation has shown that the pedestrian was possibly struck by multiple vehicles, including the Toyota SUV.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an automobile accident, please contact the attorneys at the law firm of Altman & Altman for an initial consultation free of charge. Our firm has successfully handled thousands of car accident cases and our lawyers are available to answer all of your questions and help to put your mind to rest.
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