Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

April 28, 2014

3 Hurt in Weekend Avon, MA Motorcycle Crash

Three people were injured over the weekend in a crash involving two motorcycles and two cars, according to Massachusetts State Police.

Police stated that none of the injuries that the victims sustained were considering life-threatening, and that no citations were issued after the accident.

This is the second serious accident in less than one week to occur in New England. Last Monday a New Hampshire man suffered a serious head injury after he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed in Pelham.

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

Approximately 81,000 people were injured and 4,612 were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2011 in the United States; a 2% increase from the number in 2010 and a 41% increase from 2002. Motorcycle accidents account for an estimated 14% of the total number of motor-vehicle crashes in the United States annually, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that per every vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in an accident, and 5x more likely to be injured during an accident.

According to the NHTSA nearly half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve collisions with other motor vehicles. According to past data 75% occurred with the motor vehicle in front of the motorcycle. Fatal motorcycle accidents are most likely to occur with fixed objects, rather than collisions with other motor vehicles.

Speeding, rider inexperience, and alcohol use are the three main factors that contribute to the high risk of accident on a motorcycle, and according to the NHTSA, 35% of all motorcyclists involved in accidents in 2011 had been speeding before the crash. Inexperienced and un-licensed individuals made up 14% of those injured or killed in motorcycle accidents, and individuals who had had their licensed suspended previously were 1.4 times more likely to get into an accident compared to those with a passenger vehicle license revocation. Alcohol use is also a risk factor for fatal motor cycle accidents. The NHTSA estimated that about 29% of all motorcyclists were impaired by alcohol at the time of an accident. Riders aged 40-44 made up 38% of that group, respectively, followed by individuals ages 45-49 and 35-39 at 37%.
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April 25, 2014

11 Kids, Driver Hurt In School Bus Accident

by Altman & Altman

Eleven students and the bus driver are recovering after a violent school bus accident in Anaheim Hills, California. The crash happened as the children were being driven home from an afterschool program in the Orange Unified School District. Around 3:30 pm, the bus careened down the hill before jumping a curb and slamming into trees and a lamppost. Two children and the driver were taken to area hospitals in critical condition while nine others were treated for minor injuries.

Photos and video from the aftermath depict the chaotic scene with the severely damaged bus leaning on its side with several downed trees and debris strewn all over the street. The incident took place near the Anaheim Hills Golf Course in an affluent part of the city. According to local authorities, no other cars were involved in the accident. CBS Boston reported that the driver was trapped in the bus for hours before emergency workers were able to free him.

Jak Pintches, 14 told Boston.com the bus was making a turn when it lost control and struck a tree and a lamppost. ”I flew out of my seat and hit the other side of the bus” injuring his back, the student told the Orange County Register as he recounted the scary incident. Pintches also explained that a sharp piece of a tree punctured the metal frame and cut another female student’s leg.
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April 22, 2014

Fiery Accident Turns Fatal on the Zakim Bridge

by Altman & Altman

A tragedy occurred in the early hours of the morning on Marathon Monday. Debra Sarno, a 54-year-old taxi driver from Chelsea was killed when a tractor trailer slammed into her cab on the right travel lane on Route 93, and burst into flames. The accident occurred on the Zakim Bridge, a towering monument in the shadow of a city getting ready to run the most meaningful marathon to date in just a few short hours. Flames and plumes of smoke could be seen billowing high into the air as both the taxi and the truck were completely engulfed.

According to WCVB, “Firefighters rushed to help, but the fire proved too intense. By the time the vehicles were towed away, neither were recognizable. Both burned down to the metal.”

The exact cause of the accident remains unclear at this time, but investigators are particularly focused on why Sarno was stopped in the right travel line in the middle of early morning traffic. It is thought that her 2006 Ford Crown Victoria could have stalled, leaving her in an extremely dangerous spot. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office says it is still trying to figure out how the tractor trailer carrying a full load of produce hit her. The investigation will prove to be difficult as there was little left of the car and truck when the fire was finally put out, around 7 am.
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April 18, 2014

MBTA Bus Safety Under Scrutiny

by Altman & Altman

Each year, almost four million people ride the MBTA in Boston. The Transit system is the country’s oldest in operation, and connects all corners of the city through five subway lines and a fleet of 178 bus routes. When passengers board an MBTA bus, they would like to believe that they are safe-safer, perhaps, than they would be anywhere else on the road. Buses are often the largest vehicles on the street, and their sturdy metal frame makes them seem indestructible, but bus accidents are still responsible for hundreds of injuries every year in Boston. As victims of motor vehicle accidents know, some of these injuries can cause permanent damage that can forever alter someone’s lifestyle, or even lead to death.

Bus accidents involve more factors than the common fender bender between two cars. The cause for the accident could be attributed to negligence by the bus driver, the driver of another vehicle, distraction by a passenger, or perhaps faulty equipment on either vehicle. Each incident, of course, is unique and must be investigated thoroughly. Something to be considered, however, is the fact that the buses are usually carrying numerous passengers, which increases the number of injuries. MBTA buses carry a maximum of almost 50 passengers, meaning that every single one of those people has the potential to be injured in an accident.
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April 9, 2014

IIHS Crash Test Reveals SUV Safety Concerns

by Altman & Altman

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its findings on the newest crash test for mid-size sport utility vehicles, and the results may leave some drivers feeling a little uneasy. The IIHS is an independent research organization that submits vehicles to more demanding tests than the government standard, producing an annual list of “top safety picks” and exposing popular models that do not pass the especially strict crash tests. Of the nine major models analyzed in the “small overlap test,” only two passed with the highest rating of “good” while three popular models failed with the lowest possible rating of “poor.”

The small overlap test was introduced about a year and a half ago, and requires cars to travel 40 miles per hour into a rigid barrier. It differs from the government frontal crash test because the impact is concentrated to the left front corner of the car. According to the IIHS, “the small overlap test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole.” Because only 25 percent of the vehicle’s front end strikes the barrier, it is difficult for the car to redistribute energy away from the driver and the occupant compartment can collapse.
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April 8, 2014

Charlestown Bicycle Accident Proves Need for Upped Safety Measures

by Altman & Altman

The death of a bicyclist last Thursday near Sullivan Square in Charlestown has only fueled the urgency of the city of Boston’s efforts to enhance biker safety. City officials have made creating a safer environment for the hundreds of thousands of cyclists who regularly bike the roads a top priority, since Mayor Menino launched his biking initiative 7 years ago.

According to Boston Police, the cyclist was struck by a garbage truck. The driver of the truck left the scene because he “thought he hit a pothole;” a likely scenario according to officials because bicyclists can be hit by vehicles so big that the drivers never see or feel the impact.

Creating more bike-friendly roads and encouraging more people to ride bikes has been an important mission in the Hub. Most recently, Mayor Walsh announced the nation’s first program for doctors at Boston Medical Center to prescribe $5 Hubway bike-sharing memberships to low-income patients struggling with obesity. Already the city offers $5 Hubway memberships to nearly 900 low-income residents.

Boston was recently named a “Green Lane Project” city by PeopleForBikes, a national advocacy group for cyclists. And currently the city is working with the group to help lay the groundwork and prepare for major changes to roadways including a network of European-style cycle tracks that are protected from vehicle traffic for bicyclists and pedestrians. The goal is to have 10% of city commuters using bicycles by 2020.

Though many residents and Boston officials have shown serious enthusiasm for creating a more bike-friendly city (Cambridge was even named a Gold-level bike community last year), there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead for this goal to come to fruition. With more than three times the amount of bicycles on the road today in Cambridge and in Boston, than only a decade ago according to city officials more work needs to be done outside of infrastructural changes to enhance the safety of all cyclists.
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April 7, 2014

US DOT Aims New ‘Don’t Text and Drive’ Commercial at Distracted Drivers

by Altman & Altman

It can happen in a split second, with no warning. It can happen to anyone, and it could change your life. The new “Don’t Text and Drive” commercial put out by the United States Department of Transportation aims to shock drivers-especially teenagers-into putting their phones down and paying attention to the road. Distracted driving has become an epidemic in recent years as cell phones, tablets, and other devices have come on the market. Teenagers are especially susceptible to the effects of distracted driving because of their inexperience behind the wheel combined with an almost rabid attachment to their cell phones.

The commercial pinpoints the teenage and young adult audience with the slogan, “U drive. U text. U pay,” with the hashtag #justdrive. It features a group of young women traveling in a car on a seemingly normal day. They are seen talking and laughing as the driver becomes distracted by her phone and misses a stop sign. In an instant, they are struck by an oncoming truck in the intersection. The extremely jarring scene unfolds as the car flips over multiple times before coming to rest.

In perhaps the most poignant scene, a police officer stands beside the wreckage and explains, “Nobody likes to be stopped by police, but if I’d seen her texting while driving and given her a ticket, it just might have saved her life.” The shocking images are meant to jolt teens into understanding the reality and consequences of texting while driving at point in their lives when they may feel invincible.
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March 31, 2014

NHTSA Announces Final Rule Requiring Rear Visibility Technology in New Vehicles

by Altman & Altman

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today that has issued a final rule requiring rear visibility technology in all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds by May 2018.

Backover crashes, according to the NHTSA are defined as crashes where non-occupants of vehicles (such as pedestrians or cyclists) are struck by vehicles that are moving in reverse. Each year an estimated 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries are caused by backover crashes in the United States. The NHTSA reported that 31% of those fatalities occur among children aged 5 and younger, and 26% occur among adults aged 70 and older.

The new rule seeks to enhance safety for both drivers and pedestrians, and help reduce the risk and number of backup accidents which often lead to serious and fatal injuries. In compliance with the rule, automakers will have to equip new vehicles with rear visibility technology that expands the field of view to enable the driver to detect areas behind the vehicle. The field of view, according to the NHTSA’s website, must include a 10-foot by 20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle. The system must also meet other requirements including image size, linger time, response time, durability, and deactivation.

For years the agency has persuaded automakers to adopt the technology into newer vehicles as well as encouraged consumers to buy models with rear backup assistance. In fact, there is a great demand by consumers for cars with rearview cameras, that many automakers have already installed the technology into their vehicles.

Rear visibility systems meeting the requirements of the final rule are predicted to have an effectiveness of 28-33%, which is substantially higher than other systems (e.g., sensor-only systems) that are currently available. Including vehicles that already have systems installed, the NHTSA estimates that between 58 and 69 lives will be saved each year once the entire on-road vehicle fleet is equipped with rear visibility systems meeting the requirements of today’s final rule.

The final rule complements action taken by the agency last year to incorporate rear visibility technology into the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). NHTSA’s NCAP program, which is widely known for its 5-Star Safety Ratings, highlights for consumers the vehicle makes and models that are equipped with the agency’s Recommended Advanced Technology Features that can help drivers avoid crashes and reduce other safety risks. Forward collision warning (FCW) and lane departure warning (LDW) systems are also highlighted under NCAP.
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March 31, 2014

State Police Report 19-Car Accident Inside O’Neill Tunnel

by Altman & Altman

Massachusetts State Police confirmed four separate accidents involving a total of 19 cars on I-93 Monday morning. The accidents all took place in the left lane on the northbound side of the highway, right inside the Tip O’Neill tunnel. Traffic became a nightmare as “several miles of backups” were observed even after the crash site was cleared up. According to CBS Boston, the first accident was a chain-reaction involving nine cars. A few minutes later, four motor vehicles were involved in another, separate crash, followed closely by four more cars involved in yet another accident. The chaotic scene was capped off by a minor fender bender involving two vehicles.

State Trooper Todd Nolan said “one person was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with possible injuries.” CBS Boston reports that the injured person was involved in the initial nine-car crash. There were no injuries in the last three accidents. Luckily, at this time it appears there were no life-threatening injuries, but 19 vehicles are now damaged, some perhaps totaled.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known and is under investigation, according to authorities. Boston has been hit hard with heavy rain all weekend, flooding some roadways and forcing the closure of several tunnels and ramps, including the Prudential ramp off the Pike on Sunday. WCVB Meteorologist Danielle Vollmar explained that, “between 2 and 5 inches of rain have fallen in just a few hours.” The rainfall, combined with temperatures hovering slightly above freezing provided treacherous conditions for especially distracted drivers rushing in on their morning commute. Several factors could have led to the string of left-lane accidents in the same spot including speed, an unsafe stretch of road, or weather. State Police also reported several crashes along the Mass. Pike as well as in Palmer, Shrewsbury, and Chicopee due to ice.
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March 31, 2014

3 Pedestrians Injured at Logan Airport

by Altman & Altman

Three individuals were struck by a car and injured in Logan Airport’s Terminal C drop-off and pick-up area last week.

According to Massachusetts State Police, the incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon when a 1995 Lexus being driven by Erin Bringham, 53, jumped the curb. One of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries. No updates on the other victims have been provided, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 4,000 pedestrians are killed each year in the United States; representing about 3% of all fatal auto-related incidents. A majority of these pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas where high volume automobile and pedestrian traffic is inevitable. In fact, nearly three-quarters of all pedestrian accidents occur in city settings; typically during nighttime hours.

Often these types of accidents are caused when pedestrians and drivers do not obey laws and signals. In fact, only 60% of pedestrians said they expected drivers to stop when they were in crosswalks, even though they have the right-of-way. Additionally, both pedestrians and drivers frequently use cell phones and music players; a major distraction while walking or driving.
Pedestrian car accidents are entirely preventable, if both pedestrians and drivers obey the laws of the road. Here are a few safety tips for both drivers and pedestrians to stay safe:

Pedestrians:

– Wear lightly colored or reflective clothing and carry a flashlight while walking at night.
– Use crosswalks when crossing the street. If a crosswalk is unavailable, be sure to find a well-lit spot on the road to cross and wait for a long enough gap in traffic to make it safely across the street.
– If possible, make eye contact with the driver in a stopped vehicle to ensure that they have seen you before you cross in front of them.
– Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If a sidewalk is not available, but sure to walk on the far side of the road that is facing traffic. This will help increase your visibility to the drivers on the road.
– Avoid distractions such as looking down at your cell phone or playing music too loud while wearing headphones. Remember that your eyes and ears are the best tools you have to keep yourself safe.
– Know and follow all traffic rules, signs and signals, and anticipate what drivers may do.
– NEVER assume a driver will give you the right of way.
– Avoid walking along highways or other roadway where pedestrians are prohibited.
– Avoid alcohol consumption

Drivers:

– Be alert while operating your vehicle and avoid distractions such as electronic devices.
– Be constantly vigilant of pedestrians – Follow posted speed limits at all times, especially in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic.
– Be extra cautions while driving in poor visibility, such as a night, during heavy rainfall, fog, and snow. Remember, that it will be equally as difficult for pedestrians to see drivers, too.
– Be mindful of pedestrians when pulling out of, into, and backing out of driveways. Pedestrians can easily enter your path without your knowledge while you are backing up.
– Be vigilant near crosswalks, and always yield to pedestrians standing in a crosswalk-It’s the law.
– If you approach a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, do not try to pass them.
– DO NOT drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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