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A driver was injured Tuesday when a tractor trailer rolled over on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Weston. Claudio Garcia, a 45-year-old Haverhill man, was driving westbound, entering an Interchange 15 ramp when his Mack truck rolled over on the side of the road. Garcia was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and no one else was hurt.

Highway exit and entrance ramps are a common place for rollovers to happen, especially for those driving tractor trailers and other tall, heavy vehicles. It is important to approach ramps at an appropriate speed. Trucks often roll over when the driver is going too fast when entering the ramp or underestimates the sharpness of the curve.

Truck drivers exiting or entering on a ramp should remember that the posted speed limits are largely meant for passenger vehicles, not tractor trailers or big trucks. Truck drivers should slow down even more when entering a ramp or curve because studies show that even when travelling at the speed limit, it’s not unusual for trucks to flip over. With bad weather approaching, slowing down is even more crucial.

Drivers like Garcia, who are involved in single-car accidents, might wonder about their ability to pursue compensation for their injuries. This will depend on the circumstances, and the only way to find out is to contact a personal injury lawyer in your area.

Source: The Boston Globe, Driver injured in Pike truck rollover
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A person walking a dog near Dover Road in Millis found the body of an unidentified man who died after his pickup truck veered off the road and into the Charles River. A spokesperson for Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating said the fatal truck accident most likely occurred between 6am and noon on Sunday.

Investigators are trying to determine if the truck crash was weather-related. Less than a quarter-inch of rain in the Millis area around the time of the accident, but that’s more than enough to create slippery and dangerous driving conditions.

Icy roads across parts of Massachusetts led to multiple smaller car accidents yesterday morning. State police said conditions had improved by mid-afternoon. Several crashes involved vehicles that veered off the highway into the median along Route 20 in Waltham, according to a State Police spokesman. In fact, Waltham police issued an advisory to drivers around 7am yesterday after 15 motor vehicle accidents were reported in the area.

Because snow and icy roads can put drivers at greater risk for an accident, it’s especially important to drive responsibility in times of inclement weather.

Source: Man found dead after pickup veers into Charles River, Boston Globe, December 13, 2010 Continue reading

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Fifteen car accidents were reported in the Waltham area on Sunday morning as a result of icy roads, causing warnings from Waltham police to stay at home if possible. The accidents included one six-car crash on Route 128 and a tractor trailer accident on the Route 20 rotary. Most of the accidents involved spin-outs, skidding, and steering into the Route 20 median. No major injuries were reported, and roads became less dangerous as the mixed precipitation turned to rain.

Although those involved in Sunday’s accidents were fortunate that no serious injuries occurred, others were not so lucky this weekend. There were three fatal accidents on Saturday, and four are dead as a result. A 16-year-old Westport male died in a Fall River crash on Route 24 after losing control of his Jeep Wrangler. A 20-year-old woman was thrown from her vehicle after a Walpole two-car accident on I-95. Two others were killed in a two-car crash on I-91 in Longmeadow. That accident happened when one of the cars was going north on the southbound side.

While not all of these accidents have been officially linked to weather, our car accident attorneys would like to take this opportunity to remind you to drive safely as we begin to see harsher weather conditions. Here in Massachusetts, we are no strangers to snow, ice and rain. All too often, this kind of weather causes drivers to skid and lose control of their vehicles. It is important to remember to take due care when driving in bad conditions. For example:

• Drive more slowly.
• Leave more space between your car and the car in front of you.
• Clear snow off of your car, and make sure your windshield isn’t foggy.

Although snow, ice and bad roads can make car accidents more likely to happen, we still have the responsibility to drive carefully.
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A dump tuck reportedly spilled debris which hit a vehicle, causing delays during the morning commute on 195 near the Plymouth Avenue exit. A spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police said the roadway accident occurred at 9:45am. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

The Massachusetts Highway Department came to clean up the spill, and traffic was routed to a passing lane so that crews could clear the debris as of an hour following the accident.

In addition to debris hitting vehicles or causing distractions, highway accidents can also occur as the result of driver fatigue or inattention, speeding, equipment failture, and negligent maintenance.

Source: Dump truck spills debris on 195, casuses one accident with no injuries, December 9, 2010, Herald News Continue reading

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According to an article in the Boston Herald, a bus crash last Friday injured 16 University of Massachusetts at Amherst students who were en route to Canada for a ski trip. The bus driver sustained head injuries and some internal injuries but was listed in stable condition at Darthmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on Monday.

State police said the bus driver apparently had a pre-existing heart condition, but it’s unclear if that was a factor in Friday’s bus crash. They added that the driver has shown no signs of taking evasive action. They are still investigating the bus accident.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, there are several parties who can be found at fault for injuries from a bus accident. These include the bus company, bus maintenance companies, bus manufacturers, the bus driver, and drivers of other vehicles.

Source: Cops: Bus driver in UMass ski crash had heart woes, Boston Herald, December 7, 2010 Continue reading

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Christopher Kaszyk, a state trooper, was hit by a car on a Fall River highway Wednesday. The accident occurred where Route 97 merges onto Route 24.

The trooper was outside of his car helping with a previous single-car accident around 6:30 a.m. when a driver attempting to merge hit him as well as the car he had stopped to assist. Kaszyk was taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Police are investigating, and no charges have been filed.

We know that being a police officer is a risky job in terms of fighting crime, but it can easy to forget the personal injury dangers that come with being a cop. Officers are frequently injured in circumstances like this one or while on details like directing traffic. Chases, emergency responses and long hours patrolling in cruisers also increase officers’ chances of becoming involved in a serious crash. In fact, car accidents are the most common cause of police officer deaths. Recent statistics show that 35% of officer deaths were vehicle-related, with only 3% of those occurring during vehicular pursuits or chases. In addition Injured- On- Duty pay, police injured on duty may be able to collect other compensation.

If you have been injured in a car accident, call Altman & Altman to discuss your options with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Source: The Boston Globe, Trooper injured in Fall River highway accident
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A 28-year-old New Bedford man was killed in a Taunton car crash today. State police say the accident occurred when an 81-year-old Rhode Island woman lost control of her Buick Century while exiting Route 24 onto Route 140 north. They say she drove across a median and slammed into the driver’s side door of the man’s Oldsmobile Bravada SUV, causing a rollover. The man was ejected from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seatbelt. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Providence’s Rhode Island Hospital, and the woman suffered serious injuries. No one is facing civil or criminal consequences yet, but the investigation continues.

This is the second Massachusetts fatal car accident in weeks involving an elderly driver. About 8 percent of fatal crashes in our state involve a driver over the age of 75. Of course, this may be because elderly persons are less likely to survive a crash than younger individuals. Still, some may be alarmed by the fact that drivers age 75 or older account for 7 percent of license holders and 3.6 percent of all crashes in our state.

There are many possible factors that contribute to the frequency of older-driver accidents. As we age, it may become more difficult to see or read signs, navigate complex intersections and stay alert. Health conditions such as hearing and vision loss, dementia, and decreased reaction time (as well as taking medications to treat medical conditions) can cause elderly-driver crashes.

No matter our ages, we can all decrease dangers to others and ourselves by making sure that we are able to drive safely before we get on the road.

Sources:
Wickedlocal.com, New Bedford man dies after Route 24 on-ramp crash in Taunton

The Boston Globe, New Bedford man killed in Route 24 crash in Taunton, State Police say
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A 16-year-old junior at Shrewsbury High School was killed today when his 2002 Honda Accord crashed into a Central Street tree near Woodland Estates. The teen, a student leader and member of the Shrewsbury High golf team, was the only occupant of the car. Authorities aren’t sure whether or not he was on his way to school. He was flown by LifeFlight to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester and died shortly later.

There was one witness to the crash, and Boylston and state police are investigating the incident.

The principal of Shrewsbury High e-mailed parents about the death, and the school is making counselors available for students.

As an earlier blog post notes, teens have the highest fatal car accident rate of all age groups.
Every year, more than 5,000 persons between the ages of 16 and 20 are killed in crashes, and 400,000 are injured. Teen drivers are four times (per mile driven) more likely to crash than other drivers. Teen-aged males, like this student, and their passengers are significantly more likely than their female peers to become involved in fatal car accidents. Although this accident occurred on a school day, most teen- driver car crashes take place over the weekend between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. As far as school day accidents go, a new study indicates that earlier school start times may increase teen car accident rates. This is not very surprising, as fatigue is a common cause of car accidents in all age groups.

Source: Telegram.com, Shrewsbury High student killed in morning crash
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According to federal data released earlier this year, the number of teens applying for driver’s licenses nationwide is on the decline. While 44.7% of 16-year-olds got their driver’s license in 1988, that number had dropped to 30.7% in 2008.

Safety experts say there are several factors involved in this trend. One of them may be the rise of Facebook and other social networking sites that allow teens to stay in touch with friends without hanging out in person. The economy and the high cost of insuring teen drivers is thought to be another factor. A report from the U.S. Department Transportation shows that teens have the highest fatal crash rate of any age group, so safety concerns (both among parents and teens) could be playing a role in delaying applications for driver’s licenses.

Here in Massachusetts, teens are eligible to apply for a learner’s permit at age 16. In order to receive a Junior Operator License, the driver must be at least 16 and a half years old and have held a learner’s permit for at least six months. Junior Operators must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when driving between the hours of 12:30am and 5am. Massachusetts teen drivers may not use cell phones while driving at any time day or night.

Source: Fewer 16-year-olds applying for driver’s license, South Florida Suntinel, November 30, 2010 Continue reading

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Last Wednesday evening, a Boston car accident killed a 79-year-old woman from Beverly and injured two others. The woman was declared dead at the scene. The collision occurred on the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge when a Lexus reportedly collided head-on with a taxi approaching in the opposite direction.

The driver of the Lexus, a 58-year-old man from Beverly, was hospitalized with serious injuries, as was the 46-year-old cab driver. State troopers closed the bridge for roughly two hours while an accident reconstruction team investigated the cause of the fatal crash.

Investigators have not indicated to the public if any charges will be filed. Massachusetts is a no-fault state, so drivers are typically covered by their own Personal Injury Protection Insurance (PIP); however, sometimes medical costs surpass PIP policy limits.

Source: One dead in Mass. Ave. bridge crash, Boston Herald, December 2, 2010
Woman Killed In Mass. Ave. Bridge Crash, The Boston Channel, December 1, 2010 Continue reading

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