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A Philadelphia lawyer brought his campaign against distracted driving to Massachusetts. Joel Feldman gave his presentation at the State House on Monday, one day after a bus full of students crashed into an overpass. Feldman believes that at least part of the cause of that accident was the driver being distracted with GPS.

One of the keys to reducing distracted driving accidents, according to Feldman, is to educate students. “I’m a firm believer that the kids are better listeners than the parents,” Feldman said. “We get emails from kids and parents and part of the program is the kids speak with their parents. I’m convinced the kids are going to change the driving culture.”

Feldman views distracted driving as a cultural problem. “It’s kind of in terms of the way I used a seat belt when I was growing up, because my parents never did,” he said. “Then 20 years ago people started to look at drunk driving in a different way. And now the kids of today will be the impetus on how we will look at distracted driving.”

Part of Feldman’s presentation involved a new video that discussed the perils of distracted driving. The video showed both the driver and survivors of an accident that took place in Massachusetts, and resulted in a fatality. “In this case, the driver contacted the family and said ‘I’m so sorry,'” Feldman said. “The family said she should do something about it, so we started using her to give presentations in high schools. It is so compelling that we wanted to do a video with her and the family said we want to tell our side as well.”

Feldman chose to premiere the video in Massachusetts since the people featured in it are from the state. The video is available here.

An accident that struck too close to home inspired Feldman to undertake his crusade against distracted driving. Feldman and his wife, Dianne Anderson, lost their 21-year-old daughter Casey when a distracted driver hit and killed her as she was walking to work in July of 2009 in Ocean City, N.J.

Cell phone use is just one aspect of distracted driving, Feldman emphasized. “Texting and cellphone use, that causes less than a third of distracted driving accidents,” Feldman said. “We still have two-thirds of the causes out there. There needs to be education and awareness.”

Feldman says he has given the presentation to 7,500 students since April. He plans on having others give the presentation too, hoping to reach about 200,000 students by June.
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An SUV rollover on Interstate 93 resulted in the death of a Groton woman and critical injury to a 7-year-old boy.

Nicola Deluca, 23, was transported to Lawrence General Hospital, where she was declared dead Thursday afternoon.

A helicopter brought the boy who was riding with her to Massachusetts General Hospital.

According to Methuen fire officials, he has life-threatening injuries. Police said he was in critical condition immediately after the accident.

Deluca was driving the blue 1998 Chevrolet Blazer with New Hampshire plates when it swerved in the left lane of Interstate 93 southbound between the Pelham Street and Lowell Street exits in Methuen, rolling over multiple times before coming to a halt with its roof pressed against the rail barrier on the median. The State Police collision team was reconstructing the crash to get a better understanding of how it occurred.

The relationship between Deluca and the boy is unclear. The Blazer was packed with clothes and cleaning supplies that spilled out onto the grass median.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, but it did tie up traffic northbound beginning near Interstate 495. Police closed all of I-93 south briefly to allow the helicopter to land and take the boy to Boston. Some southbound lanes were closed for more than an hour, backing up traffic through Salem, N.H.
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Officials decided not to file criminal charges against a truck driver who struck and killed a bicyclist, so now the deceased’s family is filing a lawsuit against the driver.

Alex Motsenigos, 41, was riding his bike on Weston Road on August 24 when an 18-wheel dump trailer him him. Emergency responders transported him to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. “Alex was a wonderful husband and father who will never be forgotten. The family misses Alex incredibly and wishes to continue to honor his memory by celebrating the wonderful gifts he brought to all their lives,” the family said in a statement.

The grand jury announced Monday that it wouldn’t bring charges against the truck driver, Dana McCoomb of East Wareham, triggering the victim’s family to file the lawsuit in Norfolk Superior Court against the driver and his employer. “If the truck driver had used even basic care in operating the truck hat struck Alex down, the accident would have been avoided and Alex would be alive today,” lawyers for the family said in a statement.

The lawsuit alleges McCoomb has a history of driving violations. “His driving record demonstrated numerous driving violations which should have put Mabardy and Truck Leasing on notice McCoomb was an extremely dangerous driver who should not have been behind the wheel of a truck,” the lawsuit reads.

Records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles show that since 1982, McCoomb has received 26 moving violations, 11 of which were for speeding and seven for surchargeable accidents. Two of them occurred in the 12 months leading up to the fatal collision in Wellesley.

The lawsuit also questions the condition of the truck itself, arguing that the horn wasn’t functioning correctly, based on information from the police investigation.

Investigators questioned McCoomb about the incident, his past driving record, and whether he intentionally hit Motsenigos. According to the police report, McCoomb told investigators that he was aware of the incident, but “I didn’t hit him. That’s for sure. I know damn well I didn’t.”

A lawyer for Mabardy said McCoomb was properly licensed.
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With winter not yet finished bringing more dangerous road conditions and car accidents to the area, Massachusetts State Police are advising people to drive slowly but not to panic. “Once again, Massachusetts is gearing up for another snow storm,” State Police said in a press release. “This can cause major delays in traffic, accidents and other headaches making the daily commute stressful.”

Police offered the following tips to help reduce the risk of car accidents:

1. Be patient. “It’s New England, and we’ve been here before,” officials stated. “Remember to be patient with those operators with less skill driving in these expected conditions.”

2. Slow down, so your vehicle will be less likely to slide when snow and freezing rain create slippery road conditions.

3. Leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicles around you.

4. Plan ahead for the possibility that your commute will take longer than usual.

5. Having an SUV or other four-wheel drive vehicle doesn’t amount to invincibility. “Please, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security,” officials wrote. “Your four-wheel drive vehicle does not ensure you have better stopping or steering capabilities.”

6. Clear snow and ice off your vehicle before hitting the road. “Heavy chunks of snow coming off of buses and trucks can cause heavy damage to other vehicles,” officials said. “Clearing off just enough snow to barely see out of a small cleared spot in your windshield doesn’t count.”

7. Be careful around plow trucks and sanders, giving them plenty of space in which to operate.

8. Don’t text while driving. It’s always illegal and dangerous, but it becomes even more hazardous when wintery weather is in effect.

9. Don’t rage at other drivers. “Road rage will not get to your destination any faster,” State Police advised. “Don’t engage other operators in aggressive driving. Please note your location and call 911 if you observe such behavior.”
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A chartered bus carrying high school students and their adult chaperones crashed into a bridge in Boston, injuring more than 30 people, said Massachusetts State Police.

The accident happened Saturday night as the Destined for a Dream Foundation group was returning to the Philadelphia area after visiting Harvard University.

Boston EMS reported injuries to 34 people, with one person hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and three others seriously injured. The other passengers sustained minor injuries.

Authorities are investigating the incident, and have not charged the driver, Samuel J. Jackson, 66, of Philadelphia as of Sunday evening, said David Procopio, spokesman for the State Police. Bus owner Raymond Talmedge said police are interviewing Jackson, who apparently didn’t see a sign banning vehicles from that particular route.

Authorities are examining the bus, and a collision reconstruction team is working on a report that will take up to six weeks to finish, Procopio said.

Jackson may have been checking his GPS at the time of the accident, said Talmadge. “He said he looked at the GPS, looked down to make the turn, and when he looked back up, the bridge was a low bridge. He hit the low bridge,” Talmadge told ABC-6 TV in Philadelphia. Jackson has not yet commented on the incident.

Mary Slayton of Bistol, Pennsylvania, said her nephew, a student, and her sister, a chaperone, were on the bus when the accident occurred. He escaped without injury, but her sister is hospitalized at Brigham and Women’s after severe injury to her neck, spine, and head. She might have to stay at the hospital for a week. “She’s not doing well,” Slayton said. “She’s a little out of it.

The Destined for a Dream Foundation’s website states that the group offers educational and athletic programs to underprivileged students. Jeff Neal, a Harvard spokesman, said that the Philadelphia area students toured the Harvard campus on Sunday afternoon, led by staff in the Harvard Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program of the university’s admissions office.

The American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts is housing family members of some of the injured passengers in local hotels, and providing mental health specialists, said spokeswoman Kat Powers.
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An elderly man was hit and killed as he walked across Lowell Street in Peabody after leaving St. Adelaide Church on Sunday. Theodore Buttner, 87, of Somerville was in town visiting family. “He was coming to visit us,” said Patricia Caton, his daughter. “He thought we were at the church, but we weren’t there. He was on his way to our house.”

The driver, Richard Franco, 84, of Peabody struck Buttner at around 1:00 p.m. with his 2004 Buick LeSabre, Police said. Buttner died later that night at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Officials have not cited or charged Franco, and are still investigating the incident, said Peabody police Detective Michael Crane. A state police accident reconstruction team is helping to investigate. Officials will not release any additional details about the crash until the investigation is complete, Crane said.

Buttner, who went by the nickname Ted, regularly attended St. Adelaide’s when visiting family, even though he was from out of town. Caton learned her father was at church only after she received a phone call from Peabody police informing her that a car had hit him. “It was devastating,” Caton said.

Butter served in the Navy in World War II, stationed at Pearl Harbor. After that, he worked for the MBTA for 35 years. He was married to his late wife, Theresa, for 57 year. He had five children, seven grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. “He loved to get together with us as a family,” Caton said. “He enjoyed the holidays and cookouts.” He was a devout Catholic, and met Cardinal Sean O’Malley when he visited St. Adelaide last year, said Canton.

A nurse and many others came to Buttner’s assistance on the day of the accident. “He was never alone; they stayed with him,” she said. “It means a lot to my family that he was not alone when that tragedy occurred.”
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Two women drivers were hurt in a head-on collision in Franklin, MA, police said. A Toyota Solara heading northbound on Route 140 near Franklin Village Shopping Center crossed over the median, knocked over multiple road signs, and then slammed front-first into a Saturn Ion traveling in the southbound lane, police said. Dispatchers received numerous 911 calls at 8:33 pm reporting the two-vehicle accident, according to the Franklin police log.

Firefighters who arrived at the accident scene used hydraulic rescue tools to free the 47-year-old Bellingham woman from the Toyota. A medical rescue helicopter brought her to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, said Franklin Fire Chief Gary McCarraher. “She had an underlying medical (condition), which we think may have had something to do with the cause (of the accident), but it’s still under investigation,” McCarraher said. He added that her injuries were “severe.”

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash, a Saturn Ion, was able to climb out of her car without help. An ambulance brought her to Milford Regional Medical Center, and she has since been released, said McCarraher. “She was really lucky. She was walking around on scene for a little bit before we arrived,” McCarraher said. “We had her sit down, and she complained of some injuries.”

Officials closed the southbound lane of Route 140, where the accident occurred, while police and firefighters removed car fluid and debris from the roadway and Franklin Police Officer Richard Grover performed accident reconstruction. A tow truck removed both vehicles.
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The most dangerous intersection in Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley is about to get safer.

Planned improvements to the intersection of Boston Road and Parker Street in Springfield include advanced signage to help drivers plan where they’re going in the intersection, increasing the size and brightness of traffic signals, enhancing nighttime lighting, and most significantly: consolidating commercial driveways near the intersection to improve traffic flow, said Allan Chwalek, Springfield’s public works superintendent.

These changes are due in part to a recent report from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission that examined 100 high-crash intersections in the region, and found Boston Road-Parker Street to be the most dangerous.

Longtime Springfield resident Jennifer Smith, who was running an errand at the Walgreens located at the intersection’s northeast corner, said she was so frustrated with traffic on this busy roadway that she decided to move to Wilbraham, “That way, I never have to drive on Parker Street again.”

Even with the scheduled improvements, however, the intersection will probably remain in the list of top 10 most dangerous intersections due to the high volume of traffic that flows through it, said Chwalek. “It’s just an incredibly busy intersection,” he said. “There is not a tremendous amount of changes that can be done. I would be surprised if it ever fell out of the top 10.” Approximately 50,000 vehicles a day – totaling 16 to 17 million a year – travel through the Boston Road – Parker Street intersection, earning it the distinction of busiest crossroads in Western Mass, said Chwalek.

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission conducts traffic studies every other year, but this was the first time comprehensive data for Springfield and the Boston Road – Parker Street intersection was included, said executive director Timothy Brennan. The studies have found that almost half of the Pioneer Valley’s high-crash intersections are located in Springfield. “It was definitely the ‘aha’ moment'” (pertaining to the study), said Brennan.

One positive takeaway from these statistics is that the high number of accidents in Springfield will help attract state and federal funds to make the city’s roads safer. “More and more at the federal and state level, safety has become a key criteria in how federal and state dollars are spent,” Brennan said.
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Wintery weather contributed to a number of automobile accidents in Salem, MA and surrounding communities last Wednesday.

A woman driving a Toyota Corolla slid into a Ford F-250 truck that was parked on the side of the road at 290 Canal St. while the driver was trying to active the vehicle’s four-wheel drive. Manna Whitfield was identified as the driver of the Corolla and Matthew Plauche as the driver of the F-250. Both Salem residents escaped injury, said police.

Another driver, Robert Dee of Salem was struck the right rear of a school bus and then skidded into a parked car. He was traveling down Wilson Street toward Jefferson Avenue when he tried to brake but couldn’t stop. There were no reported injuries to either Dee, the bus driver, or any of the passengers. Police didn’t issue any citations. “It was snowing, and the roads were very slippery,” according to police.

Shortly after that, Walden Miranda of Lynn crashed into the rear bumper of an MBTA bus at 285 Lafayette St. The bus was picking up passengers at the time, but there were no reported injuries. The Maxima sustained damage to its front grill and bumper, and the bus had minor unspecified damage.
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A MA driver is now facing criminal charges after crashing his vehicle into a park bench in Haverhill, injuring a 71-year-old man on August 31.

Angel Suarez, 66, of Methuen, was arraigned in Haverhill District Court on multiple charges stemming from the collision. The victim, Victor Welch of Haverhill, who was sleeping on the bench at the GAR park across the street from the public library, lost his finger and suffered injury to his hip, ribs, and shoulder, said police. The district attorney’s office has not explained why it took over four months to bring Suarez to court.

Police said Suarez was driving drunk at the time, and that he also hit the Korean War Memorial. Suarez paused for approximately 30 seconds before driving off, said Prosecutor Stephen Patten. Suarez traveled over the New Hampshire border into Newton, where his SUV went off the road and he was arrested, police said.

Newton police found Suarez’s pockets contained three receipts from a restaurant in Salem, showing he purchased six margaritas and three beers about an hour before his vehicle went off the road on Route 108 in Newton, said police. Suarez failed a field sobriety test and was charged with driving drunk. A breathalyzer test showed he had a blood alcohol level of .196. “Police had to hold him up” and he “was in total disbelief that he was in New Hampshire, according to Patten.

In Haverhill Wednesday, Suarez was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and three counts of leaving the scene of property damage.

Robert Lewin, Suarez’s defense attorney, said his client accepted “full responsibility” by pleading guilty to drunken driving in New Hampshire and that he will be participating in a drunk driver education program in New Hampshire this week. Also, Suarez had his license revoked indefinitely in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Lewin said.

Patten asked Judge Stephen Abany to hold Suarez on $10,000 cash bail, arguing that Suarez has a “real problem with alcohol.” Lewin argued that a high bail isn’t justified because Suarez showed up for all of his hearings in New Hampshire, cooperated with Newton police, and allowed Haverhill police to search his vehicle.

Judge Abany ordered Suarez to return to court on February 27 for a pretrial hearing.
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