Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Drivers in Lancaster, Massachusetts had an unusual encounter on their afternoon commute last Wednesday. Apparently an injured 200-pound animal was found by the side of Route 2 in Lancaster. Police believe the wild boar was hit by a car. The state trooper who discovered the wounded animal called for reinforcements.

Because the animal was badly injured and could potentially cause a car accident if it wandered into traffic, authorities decided to redirect traffic and put the boar out of its misery. The Boston Globe reports that Chet Hall, a farmer in Royalston, labeled the animal a Russian wild boar based on its rodent-like snout and cinnamon-colored collar. Hall had arrived to claim the animal’s remains for use as coyote bait.

According to a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, wild boars are not usually found in Massachusetts and would require a special permit. The animal was believed to have escaped from a game farm.

Wild boar struck on Route 2 causes a stir, Boston Globe, October 24, 2008

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A Wareham, Massachusetts teen was struck by a train and seriously injured on Friday afternoon, according to police. The teen’s identify has not been released to the press, but police say he was walking along the railroad tracks near Main Avenue when a train operated by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad came up behind him.

The train engineer blew the horn, and the Wareham teen did not react, because he was wearing headphones. The engineer used the emergency brakes and blasted the whistle, but the teen still did not respond. The train hit the teen in the back before the teen disappeared under the train. With only one foot of clearance between the bottom of the train and the ground, the boy stayed underneath the train as it passed over him.

Wareham police and rescue workers and the Onset Fire Department responded to the train accident at 4:20pm. The accident victim was still lying on the railroad tracks. He was treated at the scene of the railroad accident and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. His condition was unknown and injuries were unspecified.

Teen struck by train in Wareham, Cape Cod Times, October 25, 2008

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In Whitman, Massachusetts last week, rescue crews rushed to the scene of a two-car accident reported on West Street at Washington Street. One car had flipped onto its roof, making it difficult for firefighters to enter the vehicle and transport its driver to the hospital.

Fortunately, a firefighter/paramedic was able to aid the driver through the driver’s side window, while other firefighters worked to cut off the rear passenger door. The car accident victim was safely removed through the rear door of the car, given medical treatment in Whitman Ambulance-1, and taken to the Brockton Hospital.

The intersection where the motor vehicle accident occurred has a two-way stop sign and has long been considered a dangerous intersection for drivers.

Massachusetts Crews Free Trapped Victim, Firehouse.com, October 20, 2008

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Traffic accidents can have a huge impact on heavily traveled highways like Interstate 93. In fact, when a driver lost control of his vehicle on September 30, the aftermath of that car crash shut down northbound lanes on I-93 during rush hour, forcing drivers onto local roads and significantly increasing their evening commute.

The traffic situation could get even worse, as drivers prepare for slowdowns and bottlenecks thanks to construction along I-93. That’s why transportation officials put together Smart Work Zones, which allows motorists to check traffic information online or on highway-side message boards. After viewing data on traffic flow, highway drivers can choose to use alternate routes and avoid traffic congestion.

At the very least, these signs should help drivers stay informed. When there are no traffic slowdowns, the message boards flash the anticipated travel time to the next exit. According to the Department of Transportation, the Smart Zone website attracts about 3,000 hits per day.

Technology helps commuters avoid traffic, New Hampshire Union Leader, October 13, 2008

Web Resource
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) & Technology, US Department of Transportation

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In Becket, Massachusetts, a Saturday morning car accident claimed the life of a Becket man. It also injured the driver, who was from East Longmeadow. The car crash occurred on Route 20 just before 3:30 am when a 1997 Ford Contour went off the road near the Becket/Chester town line, hit some boulders and a tree, and became airborne, finally landing on its roof.

Thomas A. Sacchetti Jr was trapped in the Ford Contour after the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene of the car accident. The driver, Catherine A. Rivet, was transported to Berkshire Medical Center, where she was admitted to the surgical floor.

Investigators from the Massachusetts State Police are assisting Becket Police Sergeant Marc Portieri in an investigation of the car crash. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, police said Rivet may face charges.

Becket police probe fatal Route 20 crash, MassLive.com, October 17, 2008

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Out of concern for police officers and tow truck drivers who have been injured or killed on the side of the highway, Massachusetts legislators have called for new legislation called the “Move Over Law.” Sponsored by State Representative Christine E. Canavan, of Brockton, the law would require highway drivers to move out of the right lane if emergency vehicle lights are flashing.

For instance, Massachusetts state trooper was hit by a 2008 Nissan Maxima while the trooper was stopped in a breakdown lane near Newton, Massachusetts, investigating a car crash. The impact of the collision sent the trooper through the windshield of the Nissan.

Fortunately, the trooper survived the car accident, but the incident does reinforce the need for legislation. A fatal breakdown lane accident occurred in 2004, when two tow truck drivers were hit and killed along Interstate 495 in Brockton.

According to Move Over America, a coalition of national law enforcement agencies who are favor of the new law, forty-three states have already passed similar legislation.

'Move Over Law' sought after trooper struck, Boston Globe, October 19, 2008

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In Lawrence, Massachusetts, the city’s auto insurance task force is investigating a two-car crash that occurred in January, 2003. Nine people were charged with auto insurance fraud last week in connection with the car crash, and four of those have filed seven or more auto insurance claims, raising potential questions about the claimants’ credibility.

One of those people, Jose Cruz, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, has reportedly filed over twenty auto insurance claims in a 5.5 year period. Eight of his insurance claims involved injuries. Another, Rita Lopez, also of Lawrence, Massachusetts filed 22 auto insurance claims in a little over a decade. She claimed to have sustained injuries in six of those car accident claims.

The car insurance industry has a nickname for those who file five or more claims in a decade: “frequent flier.” Two passengers have already come forward to tell police that the 2003 auto accident was a fraud. The city of Lawrence is in the midst of a five year crackdown on auto insurance fraud. This case brings the total number of people charged to 333.

Participants' insurance claims history raises 'red flags' in latest auto fraud case, The Eagle Tribune, October 12, 2008

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Last Friday afternoon, a Massachusetts couple was injured in a motorcycle and SUV collision at the intersection of Route 13 and Purgatory Road. According to police, the driver of the SUV and her passengers were not injured. The pair on motorcycles, Tracy and Lisa Talbert, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, were taken to South New Hampshire Medical Center.

Although the condition of the two cyclists from Massachusetts was unknown over the weekend, witnesses say they were wearing helmets and were not speeding, which may have saved their lives.

Witness Scott Chausee said he was riding southbound on Route 13 behind the Talberts when the traffic collision occurred. Chausee was not wearing a helmet at the time and believes that if he had been riding in front of the Talberts and had been hit by the SUV, then he would have been killed. “Maybe this was my wake-up call,” he told the Nashua Telegraph.

Police said they do not suspect speed, drugs, and alcohol were involved in the SUV collision.

Motorcycle, SUV collide, two injured, Nashua Telegraph, October 11, 2008

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The Boston Herald reports that transportation officials Massachusetts and New Hampshire received a report recommending a “bus-on-shoulder” system as the best strategy for reducing traffic congestion on Interstate 93. Passengers would be picked up by express buses that would use a breakdown lane closed to other vehicles.

Those who supported a passenger train service between Boston and Manchester worry that this study could disrupt their plans and prevent economic growth in southern New Hampshire.

Rail travel is still a possibility, although cost was a major factor in considering the bus-on-shoulder option. The transit planning company that is investigating commuter options said that rebuilding the old rail lines would cost almost $200 million, whereas starting up the bus service would cost about $80 million. Noise and safety concerns were also factors in the company’s recommendation.

Transit study says commuter bus lane best I-93, Boston Herald, October 12, 2008

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In Dighton, Massachusetts, a Bristol County Agricultural High School student was hit by a car on Center Street around 9am last Friday morning. Dighton Police Sgt. Edward Dutra said the student, 15, was crossing Center Street on way to homeroom when the driver of a 2002 Plymouth Seabring hit her.

Fortunately, the student suffered no broken bones and remained conscious at the scene of the car accident. She was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, but she is now resting at home. Dutra believes that the student’s backpack may have absorbed the impact of her fall and saved her from more serious injuries.

Because two bridges in the area are currently under construction, Center Street and the area surrounding the school has become more heavily trafficked. Dutra and the Massachusetts Reconstruction Unit are investigating the auto accident.

Aggie student hit by car, Taunton Daily Gazette, October 6, 2008

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Note: this post has been updated with information courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

The Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts launched a new vehicle inspection program this month, complete with a new logo, website, and toll-free hotline. The vehicle inspection program is expected to take less time and increase the number of car safety checks performed at local service stations. It will cost the same $29 per vehicle.

Owners of vehicles that fail the safety inspection will be required to get safety repairs done immediately and get their vehicles retested within 60 days. However, under the new program, owners with emission repairs that exceed specific cost thresholds are now able to apply for an economic hardship waiver. If granted, the waiver allows the owner to continue driving the vehicle for up to a year.

Vehicles built before 1996 will no longer be required to undergo emission testing, but vehicles with smoke coming out of tailpipes will be failed. Car models from 1996 and later will undergo yearly on-board diagnostic emissions testing.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Environmental Protection have hired Parsons Commercial Technology Group to manage the program and install equipment at 1,400 sites throughout Massachusetts.

New car inspection plan launches tomorrow statewide, Boston Globe, September 30, 2008

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A researcher at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst is about to publish two studies on driver distraction. Both will illuminate the hazards of drivers who spend too much time fussing with car gadgets and not enough time focusing on the road.

Donald L. Fisher, an engineer who runs the Human Performance Lab at UMass-Amherst, found that drivers who used an iPod while driving on a simulator looked away from the road for at last two full seconds, long enough to increase the risk of a car accident by a factor of three.

Another finding from the study was using a voice-activated system makes drivers less likely to take their eyes of the road for a dangerous period of time. The Boston Globe suggests that drivers can also decrease the risk of a car accident by presetting a song line-up so drivers don’t have to adjust iPods or letting the passengers handle the playlist.

Study points to hazard of driver iPods, Boston Globe, October 5, 2008

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In Fall River, Massachusetts, a car crash on Route 24 killed an elderly woman driving a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire.

Evelyn Rebello, 85, of Fall River, reportedly lost control of her car and struck the guardrail, veering right across several lanes of traffic and stopping in the breakdown lane.

Emergency crews transported the car crash victim to Rhode Island Hospital. She suffered serious injuries and died the day after the auto accident.

The Massachusetts State Police are investigating the fatal crash.

Woman dies in Fall River car crash, EyeWitnessNewsTV.com, September 30, 2008

State Police investigate fatal crash on Route 24 in Fall River, SouthCoastToday.com, September 30, 2008

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In Amherst, Massachusetts, a University of Massachusetts graduate student was hit by a car on campus last night. Li Cai, 25, was transported to Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts after the pedestrian accident.

According to the university’s news office director, the impact of the car threw Cai about 20 feet. The Camry sedan was driving west on Massachusetts Avenue near the Isenberg School of Management, and it is believed that the setting sun may have cast a glare that contributed to the car accident.

Cai’s condition is unknown, and the university police are investigating the motor vehicle accident. No charges have been filed.

University of Massachusetts graduate student struck by car in campus accident, The Republican Newsroom, October 3, 2008

Graduate student hurt in crash, The Daily Collegian, October 3, 2008

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The Worcester Telegram recently published an editorial in response to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s proposal to raise the minimum driving age across the country. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens, and the statistics show that younger drivers do have a higher rate of car accidents than those with more experience on the road.

However, according to the editorial, uniformly raising the minimum driving age is not the solution. As the writer points out, Massachusetts issues junior operator’s licenses to drivers aged 16.5. Before driving by themselves, teen drivers must hold a learner’s permit for at least six months and complete classroom driving instruction and training before the wheels. Teen drivers in Massachusetts must also follow restricted driving hours and obey a passenger limit.

Some would suggest the graduated licensing system used in Massachusetts might help drivers gain experience on the road without exposing them to unsupervised or unsafe driving conditions too soon.

State’s graduated licensing for youth best route, Worcester Telegram, September 11, 2008

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