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If you have ever driven in Boston, you are familiar with the difficulties this provides on a near constant basis. Rotaries, one way streets, freeway exits appearing almost out of thin air when you’re trying to figure out how to get out of the tunnel and over to the airport. Government Center to Logan and back again. These situations would be difficult to navigate on their own—but when you add in the fact that Boston is currently listed as having the worst drivers in the country—it makes these issues even more problematic to deal with.

In an annual ranking conducted by Allstate Insurance, Boston was found to have the worst drivers in the country out of a list of 200 large cities. Two other cities in Massachusetts, Springfield and Worcester, also finished in the bottom five, with Springfield placing at number 196 and Worcester at number 199. When Allstate conducted the same research last year for their 2014 report, they found that Worcester, Massachusetts had the worst drivers in the nation. Apparently, they have become slightly less terrible in the past year and now Massachusetts’ largest city has taken over the bottom tier ranking. Nearby Providence, Rhode Island also placed poorly, finishing at number 195 on Allstate’s “America’s Best Drivers” report. It must be a New England thing.

Of the cities pooled to create the report, Allstate found that Kansas City drivers were the best nationwide. Brownsville, Texas finished as the runner up coming in second place behind Kansas City. Other notable cities that were found to be in possession of the best drivers were Boise, Idaho, Fort Collins, Colorado, followed by Cape Coral, Florida to complete the top five spots on the insurance company’s list. Continue reading

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With the new school year beginning this week in many Massachusetts communities, Altman & Altman would like to pass along some valuable safety information and tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and remind all drivers, students and parents to make safety a priority this year.

NHTSA 41-15

“Students travel to school by a variety of means: school bus (the safest means of transportation to and from school), walking, bikes, public transportation, or in vehicles with family or friends. It is everyone’s responsibility to use caution and stay focused and alert around traffic to ensure children can travel to and from school safely.

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Distracted driving can lead to a number of serious accidents—sometimes with fatal results. A few states have recently placed a new law in effect that bans drivers from being on their phone, whether to take a call or send a text, while they are operating a vehicle. The hope is that if people were to put down their phones, they would remain alert to their surroundings and drive safely. A recent incident in Maine is proving, however, that even if the driver isn’t the one holding the phone, they can still become distracted by the devices anyway. A man from Hampden, Maine lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree after he attempted to take a “selfie” with the passengers in his car. That’s right—he took his eyes off the road in an effort to squeeze himself into a picture that was being taken inside of the vehicle he was actively operating.

29 year old Jordan Toner has officially been charged with failing to maintain control of a car while being distracted following the incident that took place in Orient, Maine on Saturday. According to reports provided by Maine State Police, Toner lost control of his 2014 Mazda CX5 and crashed into a tree shortly after 1:30 PM. Jordan Toner was driving along Deering Lake Road with several passengers when one of his friends decided they wanted to take a “selfie”. Toner allegedly leaned over in an effort to join in the picture taking, and that was when he swerved off the road and into a nearby tree. Reportedly, two women were in the front seat beside Toner and neither of them had been wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The two women experienced the most serious injuries during the crash, with one suffering a fractured nose and facial lacerations and the other sustained neck and back injuries from the impact. Continue reading

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Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities in the United States. Every year, an estimated 5,000 teens die and approximately 400,000 are severely injured. When comparing statistics to those for adults, the risk of a collision is four times greater for  drivers between the ages of 16 and 19. Lack of experience and maturity are largely to blame for the high rate of collisions among teens. Additionally, misinterpreting or underestimating the risks involved with certain driving behaviors can lead to hazardous choices.

Teen males are particularly susceptible to motor vehicle accidents. In fact, statistics show that young males are over one and-a-half times more likely to die in a crash than females. To lower these statistics, it is essential for parents to educate their teens on common causes of teen crashes. By stressing the importance of utilizing safe driving practices, and the consequences of risky behaviors, you can help reduce the number of serious accidents involving teenage drivers.

Speeding

About one-third of fatal teen car accidents involve speeding. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Research Institute interviewed teen focus groups across the country. The majority of those polled considered speeding to be “over 10 miles above the speed limit,” and more than half admitted to regularly speeding. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association reports that teen speeding fatalities were up from 30% in 2000 to 33% in 2012. Many agencies, such as the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, are concerned that the recent focus on teens and distracted driving has taken attention away from working to decrease teenage speeding accidents.

Drinking and Driving

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that one in 10 high school teens drinks and drives. When the CDC surveyed high school students over the age of 16, a substantial number of students admitted to driving while under the influence at least once within the past 30 days. Although teenage drinking and driving has decreased by 54% since 1991, approximately 85% of those polled reported binge drinking (having five or more drinks) within two to three hours before driving. Perhaps the most common form of teenage rebellion, exploration, and peer pressure, teen drinking and driving greatly influences the high rate of car accidents involving young people in the United States. Continue reading

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The East Street Bridge in Westwood, Massachusetts has a long history of causing problems for trucks that exceed the height limit posted at the entrance of the bridge. Despite this warning, many individuals have attempted to pass under the bridge anyway—but a majority of those vehicles do not emerge unscathed. The latest victim of this low bridge was a box truck that had its roof scraped off while the driver attempted to pass underneath the bridge despite the various warnings. This incident took place on Thursday, and residents in the surrounding area are not surprised at the latest development.

Westwood Police Officers received a call at approximately 3:00 PM Thursday reporting that a box truck delivering food was traveling toward Route 128 when they struck the East Street Bridge—sheering off the roof of the vehicle. Refrigerator insulation spilled from the truck following the collision and the road subsequently became littered with debris. Local residents say that this is just the latest in a series of events where they have seen a wide range of items spilled across the road following crashes underneath the bridge. Anything from Twinkies to ice cream and now to refrigerator insulation could be found covering the street after a collision. Approximately $40,000 has been spent to provide signs and warnings around the bridge to inform drivers of its 10 foot 6 inch height clearance. The warnings are often disregarded, and Westwood residents and law enforcement officials are left to deal with the aftermath.

On Thursday afternoon, resident Scott Charland said he heard the impact of the crash and was concerned for the safety and well-being of those who may have been involved. Reports have not indicated that anyone was injured in the crash which is a welcomed relief for those who have had to witness so many accidents in the past few years. According to reports, there were 15 crashes at the bridge site in 2014 alone. The East Bridge is operated by the MBTA, as their commuter rail line passes over it. The MBTA also had an incident with one of their buses causing an accident at the same site a few years prior. Efforts have been taken in order to prevent any further damages from arising, but so far it seems as though those efforts have been in vain.

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A car that had been driving erratically, nearly avoiding multiple crashes, ended up colliding with a toll booth yesterday and killed the driver of the vehicle following the impact. The fiery crash happened on the Everett Turnpike in Merrimack, New Hampshire on Thursday afternoon. New Hampshire State Police arrived on scene shortly after the accident occurred.

According to reports, a 2006 red BMW had been reported for driving erratically earlier in the afternoon, around 1:00 PM. The car had been traveling south toward Bedford and Merrimack at the time of the initial call for their behavior. It was during this time that the driver of the BMW, who has yet to be identified by police pending family notification, narrowly avoided causing multiple accidents while reaching speeds close to 100 MPH. The BMW had apparently caused a minor crash with a pickup truck during this time period before they barely swerved out of the way in time to avoid a motorcyclist as well as a dump truck traveling along the same highway. Continue reading

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A man who was renowned in the Washington D.C. area for the countless hours he spent impersonating Batman at local hospitals has died following a car accident on a highway in Maryland. The man, 51 year old Leonard Robinson of Owing Mills, Maryland, was struck and killed while he was attempting to check the engine of his “Batmobile” along the eastbound I-70 highway on Sunday night. According to police reports, the crash took place at approximately 10:30 PM that evening.

Responding officers have stated that Robinson was hit by a Toyota Camry shortly after he pulled over to inspect the engine of his vehicle, a Lamborghini he had customized to look like a real-life Batmobile. Robinson was apparently coming home from a car show when he suddenly had to pull over in the fast lane in order to check issues he appeared to be having with his engine. It was around this time that the unidentified driver of the Toyota Camry struck Robinson’s Lamborghini, which in turn struck Robinson following the impact—he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Toyota Camry did not suffer any injuries during the accident, and investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is still ongoing. State police responding to the scene have said that no charges have been filed against the driver at this time.

Leonard Robinson first gained national attention after he was filmed being pulled over by police in 2012 while he was driving his Batmobile in full Batman attire. Before then, however, he was well known for adorning himself in a replica Batman suit in order to visit sick children at nearby hospitals. Reports have indicated that Robinson made his fair share of wealth in the cleaning business and made the decision to purchase over $25,000 worth of Batman shirts, toys, and books that he then gave to the children he was visiting in the hospital. Those who knew Robinson as the man and not just the hero have revered his dedication to bringing smiles to the children who needed it the most. He would frequently visit the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, and on one visit he took time to reflect on the vast injustices these children were facing every single day. Robinson himself had three healthy children—perhaps a driving factor in his decision to devote so much time to children who weren’t as fortunate.

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Dealing with property damage insurance claims after a motor vehicle accident that takes place in Massachusetts can be overwhelming and confusing. The questions of which party caused the accident, whether it was based on negligence, and what kind of insurance policies both drivers have are all taken into consideration. A basic understanding of policy limits, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage can be immensely helpful in the event of an accident. If you are involved in an accident, it is in your best interest to contact an attorney immediately. Without legal representation, knowing your rights and interpreting certain information may be a challenge. For example, the insurance adjuster may present a damage repair estimate that is much different than the one you have obtained. Understanding the legal aspects of motor vehicle accidents and property damage is essential to protecting your rights and obtaining compensation if the other driver is at fault.

Understanding Policy Limits

When damage to your vehicle is a result of another driver’s negligence, it can be covered only up to the policy limit of that driver’s insurance coverage. Their insurance company is only required to pay out the amount available in the plan they have chosen. If the damage is less than their policy offers, the other driver’s insurer will send a check for the full amount of damages determined by estimates and property worth. However, if the damage exceeds the amount their plan covers, you will have to examine your own policy’s collision coverage to determine if the difference will be covered.

Understanding Collision Coverage

With collision coverage, your insurance policy will cover the amount of damage to your vehicle (minus the deductible) regardless of who was liable. However, the amount may not exceed policy limits. In order to use your collision coverage to subsidize the difference between the damage amount and the other driver’s property damage coverage, your collision coverage must exceed the at-fault driver’s property damage coverage. This only applies to auto insurance. If a building was damaged, such as a garage or home, your homeowner’s insurance policy would determine how to proceed.   Continue reading

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Texting and driving is extremely dangerous, and in some states the action is even illegal. The number of vehicle related accidents that can be directly tied to phone distraction is on the rise. However, a few up-and-coming phone applications have been developed in an effort to combat these accidents from occurring at such a high volume. A range of different options allows drivers and cellphone enthusiasts to select the app they feel best suits their needs while they are on the road. As Boston car accident lawyers we often see what can happen when a driver briefly takes his or her eyes off the road. Sometimes it can be a minor fender bender other times it can be catastrophic.

For those of you who struggle with completely disconnecting yourself from your phone while you travel, app developers are hoping they can lend you a hand (figuratively and literally) to assist in your debacle. Keeping both hands on the wheel and remaining alert and attentive are the most important things you can do while you are driving. The first of these options provided for hands-free driving is an app by the name of Auto SMS. This application is described as being an auto-response to both text messages and phone calls received while traveling in your vehicle. Auto SMS will automatically respond to all phone calls and text messages received when the application is set to a “text-to-speech” setting. In addition to responding to your messages, the application also has the ability to read the text messages aloud to you so that you are aware of who is contacting you and what the matter is regarding. Auto SMS has a variety of settings that you can adjust to best suit your needs, offering you the ability to auto respond to certain people at certain times and the manner in which you would like to respond to these individuals. Continue reading

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Driver fatigue may be a huge contributing factor in accidents that take place nationwide. An accident that took place just last year could have been the direct result of a driver who had simply been on the road for too long and wasn’t as acutely aware of his surroundings as he should have been. Comedian Tracy Morgan was one of the victims of this particular accident—he suffered head trauma from the accident as well as a broken leg and broken ribs; he was also in a coma for two weeks due to the extent and severity of the injuries he suffered. One of the other passengers in the limousine that was carrying Morgan and friends that was struck during the accident was a fellow comedian by the name of James “Jimmy Mack” McNair, who subsequently died from the injuries he sustained during the crash.

The accident occurred on a New Jersey turnpike that was under construction at that time. A Wal-Mart truck operated by driver Kevin Roper of Jonesboro, Ga., slammed into the back of the limousine carrying Tracy Morgan and his friends. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has stated that Roper had reportedly been awake for over 28 hours when the accident occurred—an issue that may have impaired Roper’s ability to react clearly while on the road. In addition to the driver fatigue Kevin Roper may have been suffering, he was also in excess of the 45 MPH speed limit posted in accordance with the construction zone he was traveling through before striking the limousine. The NTSB has indicated that due to the excessive speed Roper was traveling at, he started a chain reaction involving 21 individuals in 6 vehicles after colliding with the back of the van-like limousine. Information about the additional individuals who were involved in the accident and the injuries they sustained was not immediately divulged. Continue reading

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