Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

After an extensive investigation, a Peabody teenager whose car crashed into a house last month has recently been arraigned for driving under the influence of alcohol. As reported in Peabody Teenager Survives After Crashing into House and Catching Fire, Robert Habeeb, Jr.’s car exploded into flames after it crashed into a house . Firefighters were able to pull him from the burning sedan at approximately 2:30 a.m. on December 11. Habeeb was not seriously injured in the crash despite the crashes´ severity. He has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including operating under the influence of alcohol and reckless operation of a motor vehicle in the Peabody District Court. The 18-year-old Peabody High senior was additionally charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to yield, and failure to have an inspection sticker.

According to papers that were filed in court, a blood sample taken in the hospital after the crash revealed that Habeeb’s blood alcohol level was two-and-a-half times the legal limit. The State Police Lab sent the blood results to the Peabody Police Department last Wednesday. Before this more serious finding, Habeeb was issued a criminal motor vehicle citation after the accident for operating a motor vehicle recklessly so as to endanger. The records also revealed that Habeeb was traveling 109 miles per hour five seconds before the crash.

Peabody Police formally summonsed Habeeb with the charges filed against him this week while he was at school, including the operating under the influence of alcohol charge. Richard Chambers, Jr., Habeeb´s Lynnfield-based attorney, said that defendants are usually sent a summons in the mail at least two weeks in advance. Both Habeeb and his lawyer declined to say if he drinking or what his activities were on the night of the crash. He was not given a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer test on the night of the crash.

A spokeswoman for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office, Carrie Kimball Monahan, said that there is not a standard procedure to summon a defendant to court in Essex County. She said, “In this case charges were sought yesterday and the clerk issued an arraignment for today so he was served…It had to be done.”

Peabody Police spokesman Michael Crane said “An extensive investigation was conducted, the charges were filed accordingly based on the investigation.” He said that the Peabody Police led the investigation and worked together with members of the Massachusetts State Police Accident Reconstruction Team.

In a separate hearing after the arraignment, Judge Richard Mori ordered Habeeb not to consume any alcohol while the case is pending and he must take random alcohol tests. He must also adhere to an 8 p.m. curfew while the case is pending. Mori also ordered him to turn in his license to the court despite the fact that the Registry of Motor Vehicles has already suspended Habeeb’s driver’s license.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Source:

Peabody teen charged with OUI in crash at Herrick Road home , www.boston.com, January 11, 2012

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Continue reading "Peabody Teenager Charged With OUI After Crashing Into House" »

Recent car crashes in December involving drivers or passengers not wearing seatbelts has resulted in a strong response from seatbelt advocates. Advocates are calling for stricter enforcement of the state’s seat belt law after these car crashes, many of which ended fatally. They are arguing that this is more than enough evidence that seatbelts save lives and they are calling on lawmakers to act in the New Year.

Massachusetts law already requires drivers and passengers to wear seat belts; however, police can only enforce the rule if they have stopped the vehicle for another violation, such as running a red light or speeding. Senator Patricia Jehlen, D-Somerville, and Representative Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, are the chief sponsors of a bill that would make Massachusetts the 32nd state in the nation to let police pull over drivers for seat belt violations.

A recent UMass-Amherst study found that approximately 73 percent of Massachusetts drivers use seat belts, which is the lowest seatbelt usage rate in the United States and has thus sparked this debate. This number is also slightly lower than last year´s percentage of seatbelt users. All of the accident victims of the four accidents that occurred in December were young adults. Deborah Pentecost, a trauma program manager at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, witnesses the flux of young victims entered into the emergency room who were not wearing seatbelts and believes that the message must also come from education. She commented “It’s the younger population that takes the risks…I think we’ve gotten the message to adults that have kids…and the population over 50.”

Mary Maguire, a spokeswoman for AAA Southern New England and co-chairwoman of Belts Ensure a Safer Tomorrow (BEST), a coalition of about 60 health, law enforcement and driver-safety groups, said “When there’s stronger, more effective enforcement, compliance increases.” BEST estimates that a stricter seat belt law could save Massachusetts approximately $1 billion over six years, because of avoided hospital bills, lower insurance premiums, and eligibility for federal grants.

The legislation to update the seatbelt law died in a tie vote in the House in 2004. In 2006, a similar bill passed both chambers in 2006, but was later shot down in a procedural vote in the House when three representatives changed their votes. Robert Fitzpatrick, Senator Jehlen’s chief of staff, said “We think we have the votes in the Senate…(In the House) it’s hard to know.”

Opponents to the bill, such as civil liberty groups, argue that the stricter seat belt law could give the opportunity to police to easily abuse the law by making unnecessary traffic stops or as an excuse for racial profiling.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Groups calling for tougher seat belt laws, Taunton Daily Gazette, January 5, 2012

Update sought on Massachusetts seat belt law, The Patriot Ledger, January 3, 2012

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Continue reading "Recent Accidents Spark Seatbelt Enforcement Debate in Massachusetts" »

After a teenage driver crashed his vehicle into a Peabody home last week, the car flipped onto its side, burst into flames, and the engine detached onto the front lawn. Robert Habeeb, Jr. 18, of Peabody, was reportedly returning home from hanging out with his peers at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning when the accident occurred. The vehicle first hit a tree stump, then a stone wall which sent the car into the air, and then into a house on Herrick Road, which caused both the car and house to catch fire. The owners of the house were not home when the accident occured but the damage to the house has been estimated at approximately $50,000.
Firefighters were said to have had to climb on top of the overturned vehicle as it was still burning to look for the driver. He was released from Massachusetts General Hospital with only relatively minor injuries including a bruised pelvis, back pain, a bump on his head, and burns on his knuckles.

The teenager´s father, Robert Habeeb said, "He fell asleep driving home…He doesn't remember anything…I just want to thank the Peabody Fire Department and Police Department for finding Robert and pulling him out of the car and saving his life…When I think of what might have happened if they'd come a minute later ..."

Peabody fire Capt. Dale Kimball recalled the scene of the accident as the most horrible he'd ever seen in more than a decade as a firefighter. A witness, neighbor Charles Annino, called his mere survival a miracle. The teenager´s father agreed and said "If you saw the car, you would think that, too…The tow-truck people said it was the worst wreck they'd ever picked up." Family members have mentioned that the teen is looking forward to thanking the firefighters who rescued him.

Police Spokesman Michael Crane said that the investigation is open but they had not filed charges against Habeeb. Crane did not confirm if chargers could be filed at a later date. Peabody police have not involved the state police accident reconstruction team.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Driver saved from burning car is home from hospital, The Salem News, December 13, 2011

Peabody teen whose car hit house released from hospital
, www.boston.com, December 13, 2011

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Continue reading "Peabody Teenager Survives After Crashing into House and Catching Fire" »

A Peabody police officer was seriously injured this week when he was hit while working a paid detail at a construction site on Route 1 in Peabody. Sergeant Eric Zawacki, 37, was standing next to his police cruiser when a driver of a black Chevrolet Avalanche stopped and asked the officer for directions. A 1991 red Chevrolet pick-up truck driven by Elroy Halfrey, 76, of Salem, N.H., then hit both Zawacki as a pedestrian and crashed into the truck that was pulled over for directions, causing both a pedestrian accident and a two-car crash. Zawacki was thrown over the hood of the truck. He was taken Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where he remains in critical condition.

David Procopio, Massachusetts police spokesperson, confirmed that he had surgery for his serious injuries and is expected to survive. Massachusetts General Public Affairs Officer Kory Dodd reported that Zawacki was in serious condition and that his "vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. The patient is acutely ill."

After the crash, Halfrey remained at the scene of the accident. Although the accident is still under investigation, police commented that the wet roads and the driver´s speed were each potential factors of the accident. State Police Lieutenant Tracy Webber said, “It’s still a preliminary investigation…Because it’s an active work zone, that is a contributing factor too. The roadway was wet, that comes into play.’’ She said police will determine if the driver of the red pickup truck will be charged.

Peabody Police Detective Michael Crane said that although no charges have yet been filed against the suspect, he said “I’m sure once they are done with [the State Police investigation] if a citation is required they will process that accordingly.”

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts pedestrian or car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Peabody police sergeant struck, seriously injured by vehicle on Route 1, www.boston.com, December 5, 2011

Peabody officer working detail hit by car, seriously injured, The Boston Herald , December 5, 2011

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After a series of deaths in which drivers have stepped out of their vehicles on Massachusetts highways, Massachusetts State Police are reminding drivers to always remain in their vehicles after an accident until police arrive. After these three recent accidents, all of which appear to have initially been minor auto accidents, three people have died as a result of exiting their vehicles and stepping out into traffic. The first of these three incidents occurred on Friday morning, when a 75-year-old Somerville man was struck and killed in the Tip O'Neill Tunnel in Boston. Before hit by oncoming traffic, David Dang was reportedly standing in the traffic lane when he got out of his car after what seems to have been a minor car accident.

Just a few hours later, two other motorists were hit after getting out of their car in Lynnfield, just fifteen miles north of Boston. State Police report that a 2000 Saturn SL2 sedan had halted in the median on the southbound side of Route 128, at approximately 11:45 p.m. Two of the four occupants of the vehicle then exited the car and were standing in the travel lane when they were both hit by a vehicle. Police said Conner Toscano, 18, of Billerica was pronounced dead at the scene and 17-year-old Billerica woman was severely injured. She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Saturday morning, Massachusetts State Police responded to yet another similar accident in Lancaster. On Route 190 northbound, just north of Exit 7, authorities reported that a 2005 Toyota Camry had hit the guardrail and was disabled in the median. The driver, Scott Symonds, 38, of West Boylston, then exited his vehicle and was hit by a 2006 Ford pickup truck driven by Eric Sifert, 42, of Westminster. Symonds was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

David Procopio, spokesperson for the state police, said "The crash remains under investigation to determine if any charges are warranted…The investigation is being conducted by Troop C of the Massachusetts State Police, along with the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section."

Each of these highway-related fatalities involving people getting out of vehicles remain under investigation by Massachusetts State Police. State police are reminding motorists in disabled cars to try to get their vehicles out of the road immediately following an accident and to stay in their cars until police arrive at the scene of a reported crash.

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

2 Killed Standing On Highways, www.thebostonchannel.com, November 27, 2011

Massachusetts man killed on highway after exiting vehicle following minor crash, www.MassLive.com, November 26, 2011

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General Motors Company has recently announced that they are developing a way to discharge the battery in Chevrolet Volts to prevent the battery from causing car fires after car crashes. This announcement comes after the Volt was crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and subsequently caught fire three weeks later, causing skepticism over safety of the electric vehicle.

Rob Peterson, a GM spokesman, said that GM is currently working with the NHTSA and will announce their safety procedures as soon as they are finished. Peterson said “We had a process internally but I don’t believe it was shared with anyone…The incident with NHTSA raised awareness that we had to develop a procedure and alert all stakeholders.” The executive director of the Center for Auto Safety in Washington, Clarence Ditlow, said “I can’t conceive that they didn’t have a standard operating procedure in place for handling a wrecked vehicle before the car went on sale…NHTSA and GM should have established protocols in place before it went on sale.” Although The Volt´s counterpart, the Nissan Leaf, had already developed and established a safety plan by the time both cars were released for sale in December 2010. Additionally, Nissan´s Leaf has a protective steel case around its battery to protect the battery from puncture, unlike the Volt.

GM believes that a coolant leak carried an electrical charge to a flammable material inside the battery. When a lithium battery is punctured by steel, a chemical reaction will raise the temperature and could potentially cause a fire. GM’s chief engineer for electric cars, Jim Federico, said that GM´s new technology reduces power in the battery so it won’t catch on fire after a collision. He said “The fire occurred because the battery wasn’t completely discharged after the test…GM developed its battery depowering process for the Volt after NHTSA’s test.”
GM previously had a process to discharge the Volt batteries but the automaker did not distribute the training to tow truck drivers, body shops, salvage yards and others who may handle or be in contact with the car after emergency personnel had finished working at the scene of an accident. The company was individually sending out engineers to check any Volt that got in an accident. If it was necessary, they would discharge the battery.

Although the NHTSA confirmed that it did not believe the Volt or any other electric vehicles are at higher risk for fires than gasoline engines, the NHTSA is currently examining the safety of lithium-ion batteries that power all electric vehicles. NHTSA is asking all automakers that sell lithium-ion powered vehicles or will sell in the future, about the batteries´ safety and potential fire risk.

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

U.S. probes EV batteries after Chevy Volt fire, Reuters, November 11, 2011

GM Seeks Ways to Discharge Volt Batteries Following Car Crashes, Bloomberg News, November 17, 2011

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Massachusetts and Connecticut police report that three teens have been hospitalized and remain in serious condition after they stole a car from Connecticut and crashed in Massachusetts. Early Friday morning, the three teenagers stole a gray Dodge Sebring from Grosvenor Dale, Connecticut. Connecticut State Police notified Massachusetts State Police that they were chasing the stolen vehicle on Route 395 North near the Massachusetts state line in Webster. A Massachusetts police officer, Ronald Tetreau Jr., was parked on the side of the road, and soon saw the car speeding over 100 miles per hour in Douglas. The officer attempted to follow the vehicle but temporary lost sight of the speeding vehicle. Officer Tetreau then came upon the vehicle´s debris on Webster Street, also known as Route 16. The vehicle had hit a fence, a utility pole, and rolled over several times.

The two occupants who were seated in the front of the car had been thrown from the vehicle. A 15-year-old from Putnam, Connecticut, was driving, police said. A 16-year-boy from Dudley, Massachusetts was in the front passenger and was also seriously injured. A 16-year-old female passenger was sitting in the back seat and had to be extricated from the vehicle. Police have identified the female passenger as Skyelynn Mathieu of Ware, Massachusetts, but have not released the identities of the two males in the vehicle. All three victims were taken to University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, University Campus in Worcester, where they remain in critical condition.

Authorities found stolen property in the vehicle and charges could potentially be filed when the investigation is complete.

Police Chief Patrick T. Foley said that the crash is under investigation. Douglas Police are working with Connecticut State Police, and the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Crash Reconstruction Unit and the District Attorney’s Office are also investigating.

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Teens remain hospitalized from stolen car crash, Worcester Telegram, November 14, 2011

3 Teens Hurt in 100 MPH Crash, NBC Connecticut, November 11, 2011

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New wireless technology enables communication between vehicles that has the potential to improve safety and to help drivers avoid car accidents. At a recent research clinic hosted by the Department of Transportation at Walt Disney World® SPEEDWAY in Orlando last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, "Thanks to the efforts of automakers and the safety community traffic fatalities have reached historic lows. Despite these great strides though, more than 32,000 people are still killed on our nation's roads every year. That's why we must remain vigilant in our effort to improve safety…This research should bring us a step closer to what could be the next major safety breakthrough."

Research by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that connected vehicle technology could potentially decrease approximately 80 percent of vehicle crashes involving non-impaired drivers. The research shows that such technology could help to prevent many types of crashes that typically occur in the real world such as crashes at intersections or during lanes changes.
The "Driver Acceptance Clinic" is one of many that will eventually be held across the nation in order to evaluate cars equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems in a controlled environment where researchers can observe drivers' responses to audible warnings. The in-car collision warnings for the drivers include messages such as "do not pass", alerts that a vehicle has suddenly stopped ahead, and other similar safety warnings.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said, "With its potential to save lives and prevent injuries, connected vehicle technology could be a real game-changer for vehicle safety…These clinics are vital to understanding how drivers will respond to the technology and how connected vehicles communicate in real world scenarios."

These driver clinics are the first of a two-phased research program jointly developed by the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Research, the Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Driver response clinics have already been held in Michigan and Minnesota. Future clinics are planned for Virginia, California, and Texas before January 2012. Following the driver clinic programs, the Department of Transportation will launch 3,000 vehicles with communication technology to continue testing from the summer of 2012 through the summer of 2013. These vehicles will operate on roads in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and will test a limited number of vehicle-to-infrastructure applications in addition to continuing the research on vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems.

The information collected from both phases of the research will be used by NHTSA to determine by 2013 whether to continue with additional vehicle-to-vehicle communications and to determine possible future laws.

Although this is an important step for the future, car accidents still happen today. If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation Hosts Research Clinic to Test 'Connected Vehicle Technology' , NHTSA Press Release, October 19, 2011

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Two young men were killed early on Sunday morning in a Worcester car accident when another vehicle slammed into them. Robert J. Curran, 22, was allegedly driving between 80 to 100 mph at approximately 2 a.m. when he crashed his vehicle into a 2005 blue Acura driven by 18-year-old Andres Guzman. Both Guzman and his passenger, 19-year-old Joel Rodriguez, died at the scene of the accident. Jesus Molina, 19, another passenger in Guzman’s car, was seriously injured and remains in critical condition at UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus. The identity and condition of a male passenger in Curran's car was not released.

According to State Registry of Motor Vehicle records, Curran has had a number of driving offenses since 2005 and his license was suspended at the time of the accident.

Curran also allegedly left the scene of the accident after briefly speaking to a paramedic about chest pain. The paramedic reportedly briefly helped another accident victim, and turned back to Curran but he was gone. The paramedic was later able to identify Curran at a police station from an array of photos. According to court records, Curran first went to Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard in Webster where he told hospital staff that he was hurt in a bar fight. He was later transferred to UMass Memorial Medical Center—University Campus where he is currently being treated for his injuries.

During his arraignment this week at the hospital, Assistant District Attorney Brett F. Dillon detailed the allegations and asked that Curran be held on $100,000 cash bail. Dillon said, “Mr. Curran's operation of that vehicle was reckless to say the least…Witnesses have him going between 80 to 100 miles per hour and colliding with these young men.”

Andrea Levy, Defense lawyer for Curran, said her client has no convictions on his record and asked that her client be released on personal recognizance.

Judge Margaret Guzman ordered that Curran be held on $20,000 cash bail and continued his case to November 8. She charged him with two counts of motor vehicle homicide by negligent driving, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident after causing death, negligent driving, leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury, speeding, leaving the scene after causing property damage and driving with a suspended license. Curran pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Source:

Driver in double fatality is held on $20,000 bail, www.Telegram.com, October 11, 2011

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Danielle Morin, a 23-year-old woman, was given a suspended jail sentence and probation after pleading guilty to causing a March head-on collision in Attleboro. In the Attleboro District Court, Morin was given a two-year jail sentence, which was suspended for two years with probation by Judge Daniel O'Shea after she had pleaded guilty to driving to endanger.

The March 5 head-on collision occurred around 9:30 p.m., when a passenger in the rear seat of Morin's car allegedly put her hands over Morin's eyes, which caused her to lose control of the car and crash into an oncoming car. The passenger, Latoya Garnes, 26, who allegedly covered Morin's eyes, is scheduled to face trial on October 5. She pleaded innocent to assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, being disorderly, possession of an open container of alcohol and malicious damage. Police found a bottle of vodka, an open bottle of whiskey and a can of beer in the back seat of the vehicle. Morin, the driver, did not have alcohol on her breath and was not charged with drunken driving, according to court records. Morin was found responsible on civil charges of failing to drive within marked lanes and driving with an open container of alcohol, which were filed by the court.

O'Shea additionally ordered Morin to attend the Brains at Risk Program, which is a program to promote awareness about traumatic brain injuries and promote responsible driving. The Brian Injury Association of Massachusetts uses video, graphics, and group discussions as learning tools to demonstrate the importance of choices made by drivers and the potential impact of irresponsible driving.

The accident injured all three people in the other car. Jessica Coburn, 32, of Attleboro, and her 13-year-old daughter Janessa suffered from serious injuries while Scott Wilkins, 38, of Attleboro, had an arm injury. Coburn spent approximately a month in the hospital and another three months in a wheelchair from hip, leg and chest injuries.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Source:

Driver pleads guilty to causing head-on crash, The Sun Chronicle, September 28, 2011

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An accident is under investigation in which a 27-year-old man from Lynn died on Monday after a heavy-duty tire/wheel assembly had loosened from a flatbed truck and crashed into his windshield on Interstate 93 in Somerville. State Police spokesman David Procopio said that the flatbed truck was going south on I-93 from when one of four tires came loose from a single strap on the bed of the truck. The tire assembly, weighing approximately 400 pounds, bounced over the median into northbound traffic and subsequently crashed into the windshield of Joseph LeBlanc´s 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. After being hit by the tire, the car continued northbound before it crashed into the median wall and became jammed in between two sections of the retaining wall. Rescue crews used the “jaws of life” to remove the driver. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The vehicle was registered to Ryder Truck in Braintree and was being leased by Sullivan Tire, according to State Police. The tire/wheel assembly was one of four being hauled by Sullivan Tire and was reportedly taking the tire assemblies to a customer. The tires had a tire fill material in them, making them even heavier in an attempt to weigh them down.

The truck driver, Gregory Ross, 62, of Merrimack, N.H., reportedly noticed a strap flapping around and came to a stop as soon as he could. He said: “We had tires strapped on the back of the truck…The pallet they were sitting on broke. So naturally the strap loosened up and they started falling off…I noticed in the review mirrors, naturally, that the strap was flapping and another tire was about to come off.”

Procopio said that no charges have been filed but police are continuing their investigation in order to determine if anyone involved in the crash should receive charges.

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Man Killed After Loose Tire Smashes Car, TheBostonChannel.com, September 19, 2011

Lynn man, 27, dies after tire from truck strikes car on I-93, Boston Globe, September 20, 2011

Merrimack man drove truck involved in fatal I-93 crash in Mass., police say , Nashua Telegraph, September 21, 2011

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A Bridgewater woman has been charged with drunken driving in a crash last weekend that killed an Easton woman. Patricia Neville-Colp, 48, was arraigned on September 12 in the Stoughton District Court for motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, for leaving the scene of an accident, and for 7 other related charges. Her cash bail was set at $100,000, which was ten times higher than the bail sought by prosecutors. Such a high bail is an example of lawmakers´ recent attempts to crackdown on repeat dangerous drivers.

Neville-Colp’s state driving record revealed seven surchargeable accidents. Under Massachusetts law, a driver may incur a surcharge for any of the following reasons:

• pays the fine assessed
• is found guilty or responsible by the court
• is assigned by the court to a driver alcohol education program or a controlled substance abuse treatment or rehabilitation program
• defaults on the citation by failing to pay the assessed fine or attending the hearing

Three of these surcharges occurred within the past five years and Neville-Colp received four speeding fines since 1982.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), who is responsible for last month´s bill to toughen penalties for repeat dangerous drivers, said “We have to have some system in place that recognizes the cumulative nature of these offenses — and today we don’t…With each passing day, we see more tragedy on the roadway of the commonwealth, and we need to address it.”

State police report that Neville-Colp’s Jeep Grand Cherokee smashed into the side of a Kia Sportage just after 11 p.m. Saturday on Route 24. Kia passenger Maureen O’Brien Ellis, 57, of Easton was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Kia, Steven H. Cadoff, 64, and passenger Martha A. Cadoff, 63, were hospitalized with injuries.

State police reported that Neville-Colp was obviously intoxicated when they pulled her over on Route 25. Trooper Brian Berry reported: “Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy…Her speech was slurred and thick-tongued.” Neville-Colp first told police she was coming from work but then later admitted she had been drinking at a local bar. State troopers also reportedly found 17 marijuana cigarettes and a bottle of pills in her car.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

High bail set for Mass. woman in fatal car crash, Boston Globe, September 12, 2011

Crackdown urged after deadly crash, The Boston Herald, September 12, 2011

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Authorities are investigating a fatal car crash in Warren on the Massachusetts Turnpike that killed a woman from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on September 2. Police report that 62-year-old Kathleen Meats died after her left rear wheel had dislodged from her vehicle which caused her to lose control of her car. Her vehicle hit a guardrail, spun out of control, and crashed into an embankment.

Kathleen Meats was taken to the Palmer Wing Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead. Meats´ 24-year-old daughter, Kathleena Meats, was a passenger in the vehicle and was wearing her seatbelt. She was also taken to the Palmer Wing Memorial Hospital and is reported to have suffered minor injuries from the accident.

The accident remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. State Troopers were assisted at the scene of the accident by the Warren and Brimfield Fire Departments and the Department of Transportation Highway Division.

Although the details of this accident are still under investigation, this accident could potentially be a defective products case as the tire was possibly defective or not properly attached to the vehicle. Investigators would need to know whether or not Meats´ vehicle had any recent tire maintenance.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year. The NHTSA provides the following tips on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing a seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in an accident
• Airbags do not replace seatbelts
• To buckle-up correctly, the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage
• Everyone should wear a seatbelt despite age or condition. Pregnant women, obese, and elderly, can all effectively buckle-up safely.

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

NH woman dies in Mass. car crash, Boston Herald, September 3, 2011

Massachusetts turnpike crash in Warren claims life of Kathleen Meats, 62, of Portsmouth, NH, MassLive.com, September 2, 2011

Woman killed when tire comes off on Mass. Pike, Worcester Telegram, September 3, 2011

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Continue reading "Wheel Separates from Vehicle and Causes Fatal Accident in Warren" »

A mother from Massachusetts was driving her six children from Massachusetts to the West Coast for a family gathering when she lost control of her vehicleearly in the morning on August 2nd in Beaver Creek, Minnesota. Pamela Roper, a 43-year-old mother from Massachusetts, admitted to falling asleep at the wheel around 4 a.m. near Exit 5 on Interstate 90. Minnesota State Patrol established that the vehicle went off of the road, through a ditch, and hit an embankment.

Her 14-year-old teenage son, Daniel Davis, was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. He was not wearing his seatbelt. Roper and three of her other children were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Their ages are 11, 9, and 7. Two of her other children were treated at the scene of the accident, aged 19 and 4.

Minnesota State Patrol commented that the accident was "a sad reminder of the dangers on the road". Minnesota State Patrol Captain Brian West confirmed that in addition to Roper feeling fatigued, not everyone, including the teenager, was wearing their seatbelt. He commented that wearing a seatbelt on the interstate is especially important: "If you are, you're going to survive that crash…If you're not, especially at highway speeds like 70 miles per hour, your chances of death or serious injury are significantly increased." Despite the fact that this portion of the interstate does not have frequent traffic, many accidents occur in this rural area. "A majority of the crashes that occur in Minnesota that result in fatalities occur in rural Minnesota…So, even though we may not always have a lot of traffic, some people may think there's no need for the belt because it appears to be safer roadways," said West.

Roper has been released from the hospital but her three children remain in critical condition.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year. The NHTSA provides the following tips on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing your seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in an accident
• Airbags do not replace seatbelts
• To buckle-up correctly, the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage
• In order for a seatbelt to work correctly, it must fit correctly; belt extenders or new shoulder belts are available from car dealers and manufacturers.
• Everyone should wear a seatbelt despite age or condition. Pregnant women, obese, and eldery, can all effectively buckle-up safely.

The NHTSA also advises frequent or potentially fatigued drivers with the following:

• Do not start your journey tired.
• Do not continue to drive if you become tired. Pull over to a safe stop as soon as possible.
• For long drives, plan at least 15-minute breaks every two hours.
• Opening the window for fresh air or turning up the radio are only sufficient until you find a place to pull over.

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced car accident lawyer.

Source:

Fatigue, Seatbelts Factor In Fatal I-90 Crash , Keloland.com, August 2, 2011

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A 40-year-old man from Foxboro was ejected from his pickup truck after it rolled over multiple times due to a crash with another vehicle. He was airlifted by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General in Boston on Tuesday afternoon. The two-car crash happened at approximately 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of South and West streets in Foxboro.

Deputy Fire Chief Steve Bagley confirmed that the driver of the pickup truck seemed have chest injuries and also difficulty breathing. Acting Fire Captain David Laracy said that the pickup driver "suffered serious head and chest injuries."

According to the Foxboro Police Department, a 13-year-old boy who was also in the pickup was taken to Norwood Hospital. He was not severely injured.

Witnesses reported to police that the pickup truck rolled over twice before coming to a complete stop. Officials confirmed that the truck was driving North on South Street when it crashed with a sedan which was turning from West Street onto North Street. The truck rolled over twice and landed on its wheels. The driver of the sedan was examined at the scene of the accident but did not sustain any injuries. Truck rollover accidents are frightening and sometimes fatal. While we may never know the exact cause of this accident, we know significant damages were caused by this event.

Due to the accident, the intersection was closed for an hour. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reports that in 2006, 15% of all Massachusetts fatal crashes were rollovers.

Driving while exhausted, distracted, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs can increase your chances of a rollover accident. If your tires are not properly inflated or if your cargo weight is too heavy for your vehicle´s recommended weight, your chances of a rollover are also increased.

A tripped rollover, such as the case above, or a rollover caused by the tires digging into soft soil or hitting an object, can occur due to any of the following circumstances:

• Soft soil on the side of the road
• Guardrail
• A collision with another vehicle
• Steep slope or ditch

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Man airlifted in Foxboro crash, The Sun Chronicle, August 10, 2011

Roadway Safety Tips, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

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The driver of a gasoline tanker truck has died after his tanker crashed into a median in Saugus on Route 1 and exploded. Neal Michaud, 59, from Manchester, N.H., lost control of the vehicle at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. David Procopio, a State Police spokesman, reported that the truck hit the median before rolling over the barrier and into the opposite lane of traffic. Six cars collided into the gasoline truck and an explosion ignited from the leaking oil. It is approximated that the truck was holding up to 11,000 gallons of fuel.

Michaud could not escape from the cab of the truck and he died at the scene of the accident. He was driving the truck for PJ Murphy Transportation of Methuen. The truck was burned to its frame. Several vehicles were also severely damaged and many had their tires burned completely off of their wheels. Three motorists sustained minor injuries and were treated at local hospitals. Procopio confirmed that one motorist, Kevin Fitzgerald, 60, a resident of South Hamilton, sustained severe burns and had emergency surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Approximately 45 minutes after the truck crashed, a second explosion ignited in a nearby creek due to the spilt gasoline leaking into storm-drains. Fire Chief James L. Blanchard said that this fire sent burning embers into a neighborhood, catching fire to a house, two greenhouse buildings, fences, and numerous areas of brush. Blanchard said, “Lights were shaking from the ceilings of homes, and people woke up to see flames in the back of their house.’’

Saugus resident Michael Shaw, 41, woke up to the sounds of explosions: “They sounded like transformers popping off. That’s what I thought it was first, but then three more came…I looked out the window again and I saw a ball of flame rising.’’ His wife, Nicole, 36, said, “There were explosions going down and the embers were flying on top of our house…I grabbed my kids and the dogs and put them in the car.’’

The residential neighborhood was evacuated and 120 residents had to find shelter in the early morning until they were allowed to return home later that day. The Saugus Fire Department reported an eight-alarm response and fire crews from Boston, Revere, Chelsea, Woburn, Somerville, Belmont, Cambridge, Lynn, Lynnfield, Burlington, Danvers, Stoneham, Malden, Winchester, Medford, Wakefield, Everett, and Winthrop responded. Special units from Massport Fire Rescue helped to contain the gasoline fire with chemical foam equipment that is used for putting out airplane fires. Fire Chief Blanchard said, “We had to get foam in there, and we needed lots of it…Without foam, there’s no hope of controlling the fire.’’

Officials confirmed that most of the gas had burned off in the fires and that drinking water was not affected. Edmund Coletta, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said “It appears that the gasoline was consumed by the fire…Even though it was released into the environment, it appears to have been consumed at this point.’’

State Representative Donald Wong, who toured the scene of the accident and subsequent fire, said, “We’re fortunate that it happened when it happened…If it happened on a weekday when Route 1 is filled with traffic it would have been much worse.’’

State Police are investigating the accident and the cause of the crash. Procopio said the company has a sound safety record and that “Our commercial vehicle team has had interactions with the company in a positive manner. They have a very good safety record.’’

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

Gas tanker crash creates Route 1 inferno, The Boston Globe, July 24, 2011

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A hit-and-run bicycle accident in Attleboro is under investigation. Just before 11:30 p.m. on Thursday night, a resident of Attleboro, Justin Duphilly, 20, was riding his bike on South Main Street when he was struck from behind by a vehicle that drove up onto the sidewalk and then drove off. Detective Sgt. Arthur Brillon said that the vehicle was a black sedan, which could have been a black Ford Taurus. Police are asking anyone who was near the scene of the hit-and-run accident at 456 South Main Street on Thursday night to contact the authorities.

According to authorities, Duphilly was flung into the air due to the collision and landed on the sidewalk. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence for numerous injuries, but none were life-threatening. He was released after treatment for stitches, an abrasion on his back, a gash behind his ear, and multiple bruises.

Duphilly´s cousin was with him at the time of the accident. He was riding his bike behind Duphilly and witnessed the accident but was not injured.

Police report that the driver did not stop after hitting Duphilly and fled the scene of the accident. He continued north on South Main Street in the direction of Attleboro´s city center. Because of the nature of the accident, it is possible that the car sustained damage on the front of the vehicle which could help police to identify both the vehicle and the driver.

The accident continues to be under investigation by officers Joseph Ryan, Brett Poirier, and Sgt. James MacDonald while police search for the vehicle and driver.

The 20-year-old victim stated, "I would like to know what he was on and I want him to get caught."

According to Massachusetts General Law, Part I, Title XIV, Chapter 90, Section 24, the first offense for knowingly fleeing the scene of an accident is: "a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than two years, or both."

We have seen this spring and summer an increase of bicycle accidents in and around the Commonwealth. The warm weather, the expensive gas prices, and the exercise that bicycle riding provides leads to many more cyclists in the warmer seasons. In this case, the victim was very fortunate that the injuries weren’t life threatening.

The victim will still have to deal with his injuries and damage to his bicycle. There are different insurance avenues that one goes through when hit on a bicycle, and the issues become even more complex when the vehicle leaves the scene. For instance did the bicycle rider have an automobile policy, did a household member have an active insurance policy? Did anyone get the license plate of the vehicle? These among many other issues need to be identified to successfully assist someone that has been hit while riding a bike.

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts bicycle accident or involved in an accident with a bike and car, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer.

Sources:

Bicyclist struck by hit-and-run car, WPRI.com, July 16, 2011

Police seek help in crash probe, The Sun Chronicle, July 16, 2011

Massachusetts General Laws, Part I, Title XIV, Chapter 90, Section 24

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A Jamaica Plain man has died after a two-car crash early on Sunday morning in Quincy. A preliminary investigation by State Police reveals that the 50-year old Jamaica Plain man was driving a 1995 Ford Explorer on Quincy Shore Drive northbound when another vehicle driven by a man from Plymouth, 28-year-old Anthony Deicicchi, was driving southbound and crossed over the center divider line into the opposite lane of traffic. Deicicchi hit the Explorer head-on. The 50-year-old driver and his passenger, a 22-year-old Dorchester man, were both taken to Boston Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. The 50-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the hospital. Deicicchi´s passenger, a 27-year-old man from Hull, was taken to Boston Medical Center, also with serious injuries.

Deicicchi will be arraigned for the death of the driver in Quincy District Court. State Troopers found that Deicicchi was under the influence at the scene of the accident and arrested him. He has been charged with motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily injury for the two surviving victims, operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and for violating marked lanes.

The accident is under investigation by Troop H of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.

Massachusetts General Law, Part I, Title XIV, Chapter 90, Section 24, (1) (a) (1), states that “Whoever, upon any way or in any place to which the public has a right of access, or upon any way or in any place to which members of the public have access as invitees or licensees, operates a motor vehicle with a percentage, by weight, of alcohol in their blood of eight one-hundredths or greater, or while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, or of marijuana, narcotic drugs, depressants or stimulant substances…shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years, or both such fine and imprisonment.”

Although the circumstances and the cause of the accident are still under investigation, it is very likely that this accident was due to Deicicchi´s inebriation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that in 2006 alone, 17,941 people died because of alcohol-related collisions in the United States.

As summertime approaches its midpoint, we unfortunately see more of these tragic accidents. Failing to use common sense while drinking and driving can have catastrophic consequences on your life and the lives of others. You have heard this a thousand times before but it can’t be said enough - if you choose to drink, drink responsibly. Whether it requires to take a cab, leave your car, call a friend, our just stay where you are until you are able to safely drive, please do it.

If you have been a victim of a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Source:

Plymouth man charged in fatal crash, Wicked Local Plymouth / Enterprise News, July 11, 2011

Massachusetts General Laws, Part I, Title XIV, Chapter 90, Section 24

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The driver of a fatal accident over two months ago in Somerville has been indicted and will be arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on July 6. Kenneth Belew, 21, from Somerville, has been indicted on two counts of motor vehicle homicide. He was allegedly driving under the influence and crashed his vehicle. The crash resulted in the death of two of his five passengers.

Belew has been indicted by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of motor vehicle homicide by operating under the influence of liquor.

On April 21, Belew allegedly left a local bar after alcohol consumption and met up with a group of people at a house in Somerville where he reportedly continued to drink. At 3:15 am, Belew and a group of five people left the house to drive to local restaurant. Belew was asked to slow down by his passengers after speeding and running a red light. At this point, three of the passengers in the vehicle put on their seatbelts. The two deceased teenagers were sitting on the laps of two other passengers in the backseat and remained unrestrained. According to investigators of the accident, Belew was driving excessively fast before losing control of his vehicle. His passangers were thrown forward upon impact and were ejected from the vehicle. All of the victims were transported to Massachusetts General Hospital where their injuries were treated. This is a tragic situation and is a needless end to two lives of his passengers.

Although the charges against Belew are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty, his blood alcohol was measured at the scene of the accident as 0.17 which is more than twice the legal limit of blood alcohol content.

While we have limited facts as to how much alcohol he consumed at each location, one of the questions that needs to be addressed is whether or not he may have been over served at the bar he went to. Also, when he went to the house, who served him the alcohol- -an issue to be investigated is whether there is a social host liability issue? No matter who did the serving, this is a horrible tragedy that could have been avoided.

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said “This defendant is alleged to have driven under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol level over twice the legal limit, while recklessly driving erratically and at a high rate of speed along a public highway…This defendant’s alleged actions resulted in killing two young girls and injuring three passengers. Impaired driving is a serious public safety concern that can have life changing consequences, as is alleged to be the case here.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 17,941 people died because of alcohol-related collisions in the United States in 2006 alone.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Source:

Somerville man indicted on motor vehicle homicide charges, The Somerville News, July 1, 2011

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A 42-year-old driver from Northwood, New Hampshire, was found Sunday evening on the side of Interstate 93 in Salem after his vehicle rolled over multiple times. Police have confirmed that the driver, Gary Torrey, was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle upon impact. Torrey´s 1998 Jeep Cherokee reportedly rolled across three lanes of traffic on I-93 North. Police are investigating the accident but the cause is not yet known.

Torrey faces life-threatening injuries and was taken first taken to Lawrence General Hospital and then by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. He was treated at the scene of the accident by Salem Fire and Rescue.

Section 13A, Chapter 90, of the Commonwealth´s General Laws, states that all occupants of motor vehicles in a private vehicle, including vans and trucks, are required to be properly restrained by a seatbelt: “No person shall operate a private passenger motor vehicle or ride in a private passenger motor vehicle, a vanpool vehicle or truck under eighteen thousand pounds on any way unless such person is wearing a safety belt which is properly adjusted and fastened.”

In 2008 alone, there were 364 recorded fatalities and 3,193 severe injuries connected to car crashes in Massachusetts. Since 2002, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security's Highway Safety Division has annually implemented the "Click It or Ticket" campaigns and have reportedly helped to increase Massachusetts seatbelt use from 51% in 2002 to 74% in 2009. Fatalities of vehicle occupants also dropped from 57% of crash fatalities to 23% during this same 7-year period.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year in the United States. The NHTSA provides the following tips on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing your seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in an accident
• Airbags do not replace seatbelts
• To buckle-up correctly, the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage
• In order for a seatbelt to work correctly, it must fit correctly; belt extenders or new shoulder belts are available from car dealers and manufacturers.
• Everyone should wear a seatbelt despite age or condition. Pregnant women, obese, and eldery, can all effectively buckle-up safely.

Single-car accidents are common throughout the densely populated state of Massachusetts. Whether you have accidently backed up into a pole or were run off the road by another vehicle, at Altman and Altman we have handled numerous single-car collision cases. Often times when an accident occurs by a phantom vehicle, it is our job to prove that such a vehicle existed. In the above is case above we do not know enough about the circumstances to know if a second car was involved. In cases such as this, seeing if there is any paint transfer, side or rear damage, any possible witnesses, or any other piece of evidence that would help the firm piece together how the accident occurred.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

NH man flown to hospital after Salem rollover crash, The Telegraph, June 27, 2011

Click It Or Ticket Overview, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

The top 5 things you should know about buckling up, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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After a high-speed chase on Interstate 93 South, Frank S. Ceccaroni Jr., 47, from Holliston, is being held without bail. It will be decided if he is a danger to the public in hearing on Monday. In the Woburn District Court, Judge Paul Yee charged Ceccaroni with his sixth offense for driving under the influence of liquor, receiving a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen property, four counts of refusing to stop for police, driving to endanger, driving with a suspended license due to previous drunk driving charges, driving an unregistered car and driving an uninsured car. In addition to these charges, he was cited for attaching plates, speeding and for violating marked lanes.

At 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning, State Trooper Peter Stanley pulled over Ceccaroni in a construction zone for swerving between lanes and for almost hitting another vehicle on I-93 South in Stoneham. According to Stanley, Ceccaroni was showing signs of intoxication. The trooper then ran the license plate number and found that the plate belonged to a Dodge Caravan. Stanley noticed the vehicle´s brake lights going on and off while he was checking his license information and Ceccaroni then drove off extremely fast. He reportedly almost hit the road workers and police officers who were directing traffic through the construction zone. According to Middlesex assistant district attorney Amanda Rowan, as he drove off, he was "exceeding speeds of more than 130 mph."

A high-speed chase ensued and ended in Medford when Cecceroni crashed the vehicle into a trailer truck and was subsequently dragged underneath the trailer truck for a short distance before the truck driver was able to stop. The rescue team had to remove the roof off of the vehicle to extricate Cecceroni. The truck driver was not injured. Rowan commented: "Fortunately this ended with no one, other than the defendant, suffering any injuries…It was an extremely dangerous event."

State police later confirmed that the car he was driving, a red 2005 Infiniti, was stolen on June 1 from Mass Auto Exchange in Framingham. Police also confirmed that the license plate was stolen from a green Dodge Caravan that was parked at Massachusetts General Hospital when the plates were stolen.

In his arraignment on Wednesday, Rowan asked the judge to hold Ceccaroni as a danger to the public. Lisa Kavanaugh, Ceccaroni's lawyer, pleaded not guilty on his behalf and asked that the judge send Ceccaroni to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation and alcohol abuse treatment. She cited the Commonwealth´s general laws, Section 35 in Chapter 123, in which the definition of an alcoholic is one who has lost control and their livelihood due to their dependency.

Judge Yee instead ordered that Ceccaroni be held without bail at Middlesx Jail in Cambridge until his hearing on Monday. Our office has handled numerous cases where an individual is injured as a result of a police chase. Often times an innocent bystander can sustain the most significant injuries. If one is injured as a result of a police chase many of the same benefits that they are ordinarily entitled to remain, but depending on the circumstances the possibility exists for a potential uninsured motorist claim or an underinsured motorist claim. Some factors that will influence what type of claim can be brought are whether the vehicle involved in the chase was stolen, whether the vehicle was insured at the time of the chase, what type of automobile you or someone in your household had at the time of the accident.

If you have been involved in a road accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

I-93 chase ends in crash, OUI arrest, The Boston Globe, June 9, 2011

Holliston man charged with Framingham car theft, drunken driving, The Milford Daily News, June 9, 2011

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Over Memorial Day Weekend, two separate fatal car accidents occurred early yesterday morning in Massachusetts. According to Massachusetts State Police, the first accident happened at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Sunday morning in Burlington on Interstate-95. The driver was a 46-year-old male from Burlington whose identity has not been released. He was driving a 2000 Land Rover Discovery and was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. Authorities believe that speed was the cause of the accident. The victim was not wearing his seatbelt.#

The second accident under investigation involved a pedestrian on Interstate-195 in Swansea and occurred at 3:12 a.m. Chrisie J. Wallace, aged 40, from Fall River, was hit by a 1998 Cadillac Deville in the eastbound lane. She was declared dead at the scene. The driver was Julian Juan, aged 48, from New Bedford. No charges have been filed against him but State Police are investigating the reason as to why Wallace was walking on the freeway.

As with any holiday or long weekend, it is especially important to use caution and judgment when travelling, always were your seatbelt, do not drive under the influence, and to be wary of possibly intoxicated drivers. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation warned drivers of congested roads and freeways over the weekend and reminded motorists that traffic would be particularly heavy during the daytime and early evenings.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) especially warned motorists to wear their seatbelts over the weekend after releasing their 2011 Click It or Ticket campaign on Thursday, May 26th. In a statement about the campaign, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, "We are reminding Americans to buckle up before they hit the road for the long Memorial Day weekend…Seat belts are a lifesaver, but too many people are failing to buckle their seat belts at night, and it’s costing lives."

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland warned that holidays, such as the Memorial Day weekend, are particularly dangerous and motorists should thus always wear their seatbelts. During the 2009 Memorial Day weekend, 55% of the 306 people who died in car accidents in the United States were not wearing seatbelts. Strickland commented: "Statistics tell a powerful story about the fate of unbelted motorists in crashes. That’s why law enforcement is exceptionally vigilant at this time of year."

If you have been involved in a fatal accident or a pedestrian car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Two fatalities in separate car crashes early this morning, The Boston Globe, May 29, 2011

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces 'Click It or Ticket' Campaign, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 26, 2011

Continue reading "Memorial Day Weekend Driving Results in Two Fatalities in Separate Accidents" »

A car accident in which an unoccupied vehicle hit a pedestrian in Beacon Hill yesterday is under investigation. At approximately 3:15 p.m., emergency personnel were called to the intersection of Mt. Vernon Street and Charles Street. Several witnesses dialed for help after witnessing an empty BMW barrel down Mt. Vernon Street, crash into a Smart car, and then into a woman who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. The 45-year-old pedestrian was dragged across the street by the moving vehicle and then pinned by the car.

Boston Fire spokesman Steve MacDonald reported that before emergency crews arrived, construction workers had attempted to lift the car off of the victim. She was eventually extricated by firemen who used a special jack to lift the vehicle. Police report that she had life-threatening injuries, including a severe head injury and multiple fractured bones. She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and is reported to be in serious condition.

The owner of the BMW reportedly double-parked on Mt. Vernon Street, put his car in neutral, and applied the emergency brake before entering a house on the street to visit his uncle. It is reported that his emergency brake failed and the vehicle thus started rolling down the hill. A witness who had seen him run to the accident when he had learned of what had happened, described him as being visibly panicked. Witnesses in cafes and shops in the Beacon Hill neighborhood responded quickly to call for help.

Both the owner of the vehicle and the pedestrian remain unidentified and there have not been any charges as the investigation continues.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reminds pedestrians to:

• Follow the rules and cross in the intersection, cross when the pedestrian signal lights up with the “walk” light, cross with the green light if there is no pedestrian signal, and in both instances, look both ways for turning or approaching vehicles.
• Walk along the shoulder of a road facing traffic if there is no sidewalk.
• Pay attention to vehicles that are backing up or pulling out as drivers may not see you in their rear view mirror.
• When walking, wear bright or florescent colors in the daytime and lit or reflective material at night to increase your visibility

Because the vehicle in this case was not occupied when it hit the pedestrian and the vehicle´s emergency brake reportedly failed, the legal implications of this accident could be very complicated and will undoubtedly need an experienced Boston pedestrian accident lawyer. If you have been involved in a pedestrian car accident, it is in your best interest to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

This case has numerous angles we could discuss, for the purpose of this blog we will look at some of the insurance coverage issues that the injured pedestrian may encounter. Clearly the pedestrian has a claim against the owner and his insurance carrier. While the owner claims that the brakes failed, this argument doesn’t necessarily get him or his insurance carrier off the hook. The vehicle needs to be looked at by experts that can determine if the brakes failed and if that was the sole cause of the accident. In addition, the pedestrian may find out that the vehicle didn’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for the injuries in the claim. It will be important to know if the pedestrian had their own insurance policy or if someone in the household had an active automobile insurance policy. Generally hiring a personal injury attorney can help you get answers to these questions in a prompt manner. In addition an injury lawyer can assist with the medical bills, lost wages and other expenses that can occur with an accident of this magnitude.

Sources:

Woman seriously injured by rolling vehicle on Beacon Hill, The Boston Globe, May 25, 2011

Chaos ensues after empty car hits woman, The Boston Globe, May 27, 2011

Pedestrian Safety Tips, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Related Blog Posts:

UConn Student from Westminster, Massachusetts, Killed by Campus Shuttle Bus

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Continue reading "Unoccupied Vehicle Hits Pedestrian in Beacon Hill" »

An accident in Avon involving a young boy and a police cruiser yesterday evening is under investigation. Anthony Charette, age 7, was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a Holbrook police officer. Charette first landed on the cruiser´s windshield and then fell into the street. He was taken to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries, but reportedly not life-threatening. He is reported to have multiple broken bones. Police report that the police cruiser was travelling at a slow speed. The boy was out with his grandmother and younger sister and had just come out of the driveway and onto the street at the time of the accident. The name of the cruiser´s driver has not yet been released.

This bike accident comes at the time of National Bike Safety Month and last week was Massaschusetts´ Bay State Bike Week, from May 14th to 20th. MassBike and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, along with several statewide departments, have created Same Roads. Same Rules., a helpful safety resource for bicyclists of all ages.

Safety guidelines for all bicyclists are to:

• Give yourself space from cars
• Ride in the same direction as traffic
• Always wear your helmet
• Stop at red lights and stop signs
• Put front and back lights on your bike at night
• Give pedestrians the right-of-way

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children under the age of ten should not ride in the street as is recommended for older bicyclists. They recommend that the sidewalk is a safer place for a child under ten to ride their bike. The NHTSA also reports that 630 bicyclists were killed in 2009 in the U.S. and 51,000 bicyclists were additionally injured in accidents with cars.

At Altman and Altman we have been representing individuals who have been injured in bike accidents, motorcycle accidents and mo-ped accidents for over three decades. We have seen that once springtime arrives, bicyclists hit the roads after a long winter hiatus. Drivers are not often used to seeing bicyclists, which often leads to an increase bicycle accident injuries. When a bike accident occurs often times it is confusing for the cyclist. There are insurance coverage questions, lost wage issues, and bike repair bills that need to be addressed.

In addition, bicycle accidents can sometimes be catastrophic. If you have been involved in an accident, it is generally in your best interest to get a lawyer involved sooner than later. Preserving the evidence, hiring experts, bringing in accident reconstruction teams, often has to be done immediately after an accident. These types of steps among others are often needed to identify which party was at fault.

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts bicycle accident or involved in an accident with a bike and a car, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer.

Sources:

Child hit by police cruiser, Fox25/ MyFoxBoston.com, May 23, 2011

Same Roads. Same Rules., MassBike.org

Bicycles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Related Blog Posts:

Keeping Safe on the Roads; May is National Bike Safety Month

74-year-old Bicyclist Killed in Boston

SRPEDD Releases List of 100 Most Dangerous Intersections in SE Massachusetts

Sedan Injures Boy on Bike in Lowell Traffic Accident

Continue reading "Boy On Bike Hit By Police Cruiser in Avon" »

Charges are pending for 29-year-old Timothy Tatro from Pittsfield as an investigation is underway as to why he drove his van off of the road and crashed into a house on Route 7 in Williamstown. Tatro´s vehicle drove approximately 178 feet off of the road at a large curve, onto the front lawn, and into the house´s front bedroom. The crash then quickly ignited a fire in the house and Tatro was rescued before he was harmed by the fire.

The two residents of the house were home but out of harm´s way in the living room. Authorities explained that everyone involved is very fortunate, given the severity of this situation. Williamston Police Chief Kyle Johnson confirmed "There were two people in the home. I'm told they were both away in the living room when the car hit, and I think it jolted one of them out of their seat."

Donna Sampson, a neighbor who witnessed the house catching on fire explained that the house was quickly engulfed in flames after the car hit the house. She said that the accidents on this road are usually coming from the opposite direction of the curve, whereas this vehicle was heading southbound.

Although the cause of this crash is still under investigation, given the circumstances, distracted driving could have played a role in this one-car accident. Distraction.gov, the Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving, reports that in 2009, approximately 448,000 were injured in car accidents due to distracted driving, meaning that 20% of all injury crashes involved distracted driving.

Distractions that can inhibit driver ability are:

• Talking on a cell phone (even if it is hands-free)
• Texting
• Eating or drinking
• Talking with passengers
• Grooming
• Reading (including maps)
• Using a PDA or navigation system
• Watching a video
• Changing the music or radio station

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident or your personal property has been damaged due to a car accident, it is in your best interest to contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Car crashes into home, bursts into flames, WNYT/CNN, May 18, 2011

Statistics and Facts About Distracted Driving, Distraction.gov

Continue reading "Car Plunges into Home and Catches Fire in Williamstown" »

A woman has been charged with drunk driving after causing a fatal accident in Burlington on Saturday night. Nicole Parziale, 39, from Amesbury, was driving on Interstate 95 around 10:30 p.m. when she quickly turned left and crossed the middle lane into oncoming traffic. State Police report that Parziale´s Pontiac Grand Am hit the rear side Kayla E. Trenholm´s 1998 Buick sedan. The Buick came to rest in the third lane of traffic and the Grand Am came to rest on the left lane´s guard rail.

Trenholm, 20, from Hope Valley, R.I., and her passenger, David N. Torrey, 19, of Shannock, R.I., were taken to Winchester Hospital for potential minor injuries.

Parziale and her two passengers, Glenn Robichaud, 55, from Bedford, and Denis J. Splaine, 53, from Boston, were taken to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington. Splaine was released from the hospital after his injuries were treated and Parziale was listed as being in stable condition yesterday. Police report that Robichaud died from his injuries sustained in the accident.

A State Police spokesman, David Procopio, said that Parziale will likely also be charged with motor vehicle homicide. The charges against her currently include operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. This is Parziale´s second offense for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident is still under investigation and being conducted by Troop A of the state police, the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, the Middlesex County State Police Detective Unit, the Lexington Police and Fire departments, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's highway division.

If you have been involved in a car accident in Massachusetts, it is in your best interest to contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

1 killed, 4 hurt in I-95 crash, The Boston Globe, May 16, 2011

Related Blog Posts:

Drunk Driver Kills Two Teens Not Wearing Seatbelts in Somerville

Massachusetts Woman Arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Causing Fatal Accident on I-395

Plymouth Man Sentenced for Fatal Crash in 2008

Continue reading "Drunk Driver Causes Fatal Accident on Interstate 95 " »

A serious single-car rollover accident on I-290 in Northborough is under investigation. Massachusetts State Police reported that around 1 p.m. on Saturday, a Mazda rolled over in the median between the east and west-bound lanes. The female driver and the male passenger have been taken to the Worcester UMass Memorial Medical Center. Although their names have not yet been released, police confirmed that the passenger´s injuries were very severe.

Data produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that approximately 85% of rollover fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. Most rollover accidents do not involve another vehicle and thus the status of the driver at the time of the crash is a key factor in the crash.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reports that 15% of vehicles involved in Massachusetts fatal crashes were rollovers in 2006.

Driving while exhausted, distracted, and under the influence can lead to a higher chance of rollover accidents. Properly inflated tires and ensuring that your cargo weight is not too heavy for your vehicle can also increase your ability to maintain vehicle control.

A tripped rollover, or a rollover caused by the tires digging into soft soil or hitting an object, can occur due to any of the following circumstances:

• Soft soil
• Guardrail
• Another vehicle
• Steep slope

When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Single-car rollover accident on I-290 seriously injures one, TheDailyNorthborough.com, May 07, 2011

Roadway Safety Tips, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Related Blog Posts:

Vehicle Hit and Rolls Over on Route 9

SUV Rollover Accident in Sandisfield

Man Injured in Mass. Pike Rollover

Continue reading "Single-Car Rollover Accident in Northborough" »

A severe two-car accident on the Boston Turnpike/Route 9 in Shrewsbury yesterday resulted in an overturned vehicle and the temporary closure of Route 9 Eastbound. A 2008 Subaru Forester, driven by Antonia Cappuccio who is 61 and from Jefferson, rolled over when she was hit by a 1995 Lincoln Continental driven by Mary Iannotti, age 84, from Worcester. Cappuccio and Iannotti both hit the center divide and the Subaru continued to rollover. The Lincoln drove off of the road to the right.

Each driver suffered injuries and were both taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. The two passengers in the Subaru were also taken to the hospital, one of which was a young child
who was taken to be evaluated.

The cause of this accident continues to be under investigation by an accident reconstruction team and the Shrewsbury Police.

Rollover accidents can occur in many different circumstances. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that there is a greater rollover risk if:

• The driver is inexperienced or fatigued
• The driver is distracted
• The tires are not the correct size for the vehicle
• The tires are improperly inflated
• Cargo or passenger weight surpasses the recommended weight found in the vehicle´s user manual.

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

Major accident snarls Route 9 in Shrewsbury, The Shrewsbury Lantern, May 3, 2011

Rollover, safecar.gov

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2-year-old in Car Seat Survives Fatal Crash in Raynham

SUV Rollover Accident in Sandisfield

Continue reading "Vehicle Hit and Rolls Over on Route 9 " »

A fatal accident in Raynham over the weekend is under investigation. The head-on collision on Saturday killed a mother from Taunton. Her only passenger was her 2-year-old daughter, who survived. Kerrin Durrigan was driving a white sedan on South Main Street when it collided into a black pick-up truck driven by Richard Lawrence, 25. His passenger was Justin Hauk, 27. Both from Raynham, they were taken to Morton Hospital and Medical Center. They were treated and have since been released.

Durrigan was trapped inside her vehicle and had to be extricated from the severely damaged car. Firefighters then performed CPR on Durrigan and she was taken to Morton Hospital and Medical Center. Fire Chief James Januse said that she was pronounced dead soon after.

Her daughter, Teagan Wilson, was taken to a Boston hospital to be monitored. Fire Chief Januse said “The child was in a car seat. That probably saved her life.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately 8,959 young lives were saved from 1975 to 2008 because of child seats and restraints. Massachusetts law requires the use of child car seats until children are 8 years of age and are at least 57 inches tall.

The NHTSA recommends to:

• Find a car seat that fits your child's age, height, and weight.
• Keep your child in the car seat for as long as they fit the seat's height and weight requirements found in the manual.
• Children under 13 should always sit in the back seat.

When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Raynham Fire Chief: Being in car seat 'probably saved' child’s life in car crash, Taunton Daily Gazette, May 2, 2011

Child Passenger Safety Laws, Governors Highway Safety Administration, May 2011

Related Blog Posts:

Massachusetts Car Crash Injures Mother and Baby

Continue reading "2-year-old in Car Seat Survives Fatal Crash in Raynham" »

A number of Wednesday morning car accidents this week left one man dead and Massachusetts State Police busy from accident to accident during the morning commute.

The most severe of four accidents involved a 46-year-old man from Derry, John Perry. After losing control of his vehicle on Route 3, he crossed over an exit ramp in Tynsgborough, crossed the median, rear-ended another vehicle, and then tumbled into the side embankment. Perry was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. State Police report that the accident is under investigation but Perry might have suffered from a medical condition that led him to lose control of his vehicle.

Another crash, on Interstate-93 South, was a two-car crash near Ballardvale Street in Wilmington at 6:45 a.m. One person was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

The third accident involved a commercial vehicle and a 2008 Pontiac Grand Am. William Gurrisi Jr., 48, from Haverhill, was driving the commercial vehicle and Rosalie Papoutsy, 73, from Atkinson, was driving the Pontiac. Gurrisi was transported to Lawrence General Hospital for his injuries. Both vehicles were towed from the scene of the accident. The accident is under investigation and the cause of the accident is not yet known.

The final accident occurred at 6:50 a.m. on Interstate-93 South near Dascomb Road. Thomas Judd, 58, from Lowell was driving his 1998 Buick Regal when it caught fire. He was able to pull over to the side of the road and escape without any injuries before the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The Andover Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Although the causes of all of these early morning accidents are under investigation, it is important to be aware of common early morning driving hazards and to never drive when fatigued.

• Do not start your journey tired.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle if you become tired while driving. Pull over to a safe rest stop as soon as possible.
• Plan at least 15-minute breaks every two hours for long drives.
• Opening the window for fresh air or turning up the radio are only sufficient until you find a place to pull over.

If you have been in a Massachusetts car accident in which fatigue may have been a factor, contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

Derry man dies in Mass. accident, The Eagle-Tribune, April 28, 2011

Continue reading "Series of Early Morning Commute Accidents in Massachusetts Leave One Dead and Several Injured" »

A single-car accident on Route 24 in Fall River is under investigation in which one woman has died. The only person in the crash, Alexandra Medeiros, 20, from Fall River, was driving North on Route 24 in the early afternoon when her 2002 Nissan Altima crashed into woods on the side of the road.

According to State Trooper Lori-Ann Wheaton’s preliminary investigation, the engine subsequently caught fire due to the crash. Three State Troopers who were at a nearby location responded to the radio dispatch and were able to extinguish the fire. Medeiros was trapped inside until emergency crews were able to extract her from the wreckage. She was then taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River where she was pronounced dead.

Although it is still under investigation, high speed is being considered as a possible reason for the crash. Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, are all contributing to the investigation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is one of the most common reasons for car accidents. The NHTSA estimates that the economic cost of speed-related crashes is $40.4 billion per year. Speeding was the cause of 31 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 and in that same year, 11,674 people died in speed-related car accidents.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a fatal Massachusetts car accident, contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Fall River woman killed in fiery crash on Route 24, Bridgewater Independent, April 25, 2011

Police ID woman who died in Route 24 crash, Taunton Gazette, April 26, 2011

Driver Education, Speeding, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Continue reading "Fall River Woman Killed In Single-Car Crash" »

After a single-car accident at 3:30 a.m. on Friday in Somerville, two teenage girls aged 16 and 17 have died. The first teenager died at the scene of the accident, and the second died on Saturday at Massachusetts General Hospital from her injuries sustained from the crash. Their names have not been released. State Police report that neither girl was wearing a seatbelt.

The teenagers were passengers of Kenneth W. Belew, 21, of Somerville. David Procopio, State Police spokesman, said Belew faces two charges of motor vehicle homicide, drunken driving, a marked lane violation and speeding. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in Somerville District Court. Three other passengers, Jerry Altidor, 21, from Somerville, Rafaela Pereira, 19, from Everett, and Rudolph Reis, 20, from Somerville, were all wearing their seatbelts and sustained only minor injuries.

State Police report that this is not Belew´s first driving violation. He has been cited seven times for speeding, violating lane markings, driving without an inspection sticker, and a seat belt infraction.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S. and are the cause for more than one in three deaths for teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19. In 2009, eight teenagers in this age group died from car accidents every day. They further report that in 2008, three out of every four teenagers killed in car crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

2d teen in Somerville crash dies of injuries, The Boston Globe, April 25, 2011

Teen Drivers, Injury Prevention & Control: Motor Vehicle Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Ipswich Teenager Faces Charges for Breaking Massachusetts Junior Drivers’ License Law

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Continue reading "Drunk Driver Kills Two Teens Not Wearing Seatbelts in Somerville" »

An accident involving a dump truck set off a four-car accident that left three people injured on Route 16 in Uxbridge. A Toyota Camry driven by George Cournoyer, 73, of Slatersville, R.I., drifted into the opposite lane of traffic and hit a dump truck that was towing an excavator. The dump truck then lost control and the trailer flipped over, blocking both lanes. Two other cars were hit as the trailer rolled over.

Cournoyer was severely injured. Mendon Police Chief Ernest Horn, who led the accident reconstruction investigation reported that,"He had significant internal injuries and left-sided injuries from the crash." According to Police Chief Scott J. Freitas, the roof of his car had to be removed in order to extricate him. He was then taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester by helicopter.

A pregnant woman from Webster, Stephanie Daigle, and her 6-year-old son were taken to Milford Regional Medical Center with what Freitas described as "very, very minor injuries." She was taken to the hospital as a caution because she was pregnant and has since been released. Her vehicle was hit by the trailer as it rolled over.

Because diesel fuel spilled onto the road from the crash, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Clean Harbors were contacted to clean up the environmental hazards.

Although no charges have been filed yet, the accident is currently under investigation and charges are expected to be filed.

When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer. Especially in the case of a multiple-car accident with one vehicle at fault, it is important to find a >lawyer who has decades of experience with multiple-car accident insurance claims.

Source:

Several hurt in Uxbridge crash, The Milford Daily News, April 19, 2011

Similar Blog Posts:

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Continue reading "Multiple Vehicle Accident Involving Dump Truck Leaves Several Injured in Uxbridge" »

An accident involving at least six cars at the Boston Logan International Airport is under investigation. On Monday morning at approximately 6:35 a.m., the multiple vehicle crash happened at the Terminal C drop-off departure level outside of the Jet Blue check-in area. State police report that a 63-year-old North Reading woman caused the accident by accelerating instead of braking. After hitting five cars in a row, her 2007 Ford Explorer finally came to a halt in a baggage checking area on the curb. Logan Airport spokesman Phil Orlandella confirmed that the vehicle came to a stop at the AirTran area of the terminal.

Police report that the woman driving the SUV has been identified as Carol Guthrie. In a preliminary investigation, State Police found that she mistook her gas pedal for her brake pedal. She has nonetheless been issued a summons and has been cited for negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Boston Emergency Medical Services reported that three people, including Guthrie, were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with minor injuries. This accident continues to be under investigation.

If you have been injured in a car accident, contact one of our experienced Boston car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

North Reading woman cited by State Police for crash at Logan Airport, boston.com, April 18, 2011

Minor injuries in Boston airport car crash, Boston Globe, April 18, 2011

Continue reading "Vehicle Accelerates and Crashes Into Five Cars at Logan International Airport Terminal C" »

Three people were severely injured on Thursday night in a car accident with a pick-up truck in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Around 5:30 p.m., a pick-up truck was turning left onto Route 130 from Grand Oak Road and collided head-on with a car coming from the opposite direction. Authorities report that the driver of the pick-up truck was John Spinella, 46, from Forestdale, and Anthony Mastrangelo, 26, from Sandwich, was driving the car. Although no one in the truck was injured, all occupants in the car sustained serious injuries.

According to medical personnel at the scene of the accident, a 20-year-old female passenger had a severe head injury and was taken by a medical helicopter to Boston Medical Center. The two males in the vehicle, including Mastrangelo, were also reported to have serious injuries and were taken to Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital.

Sandwich Police Sargent Joseph Cotter reported that the names of the other two victims are being withheld until their families are notified. The accident is still under investigation.

If you have been injured on the road in car accident, contact one of our experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

Three seriously injured in head-on car crash, Fox 25 / MyFoxBoston.com, April 14, 2011

Three people injured in Route 130 crash, Cape Cod Times, April 15, 2011

Continue reading "Head-On Collision in Sandwich Leaves Three Severely Injured " »

The driver of a car was cited on Tuesday for failing to stop at a stop sign on Providence Highway and as a result caused a crash with a Route 34E bus in Dedham. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority reported that six people were injured in the car and bus crash. Five people on the bus were taken to hospitals in the area with back injuries. The 19-year-old driver of the car was taken to Norwood Hospital with a back injury.

Although the accident is still under investigation, MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera reported that the bus was damaged on the right side and that the car was dented at the front.

The MBTA website provides passengers with emergency safety information and recommendations in the case of an emergency or accident. For bus transit emergencies, MBTA recommends to:

• Remain calm and to follow the instructions of the driver
• Know where the emergency exits are located
• Only exit the bus when the driver says it is safe to evacuate
• Sit close to the bus driver at the front of the bus during off-hours
• If you are medically qualified and capable of helping in an emergency, identify yourself to the driver or Transit Police
• Notify the bus driver of any trouble or suspicious activity on the bus. The driver can radio the dispatcher and notify the MBTA Transit Police Department.

If you have been injured on the road in a bus or car accident, contact one of our experienced Boston car and bus accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

6 Hurt In Car, Bus Crash, TheBostonChannel.com, April 12, 2011

Emergency Instructions and Transit Safety Tips, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Continue reading " Car Runs Stop Sign and Crashes into MBTA Bus in Dedham" »

A fatal two-car accident on Interstate 395 is under investigation. Police report that Dina Senibaldi, 26, of Everett, Massachusetts, was driving southbound between exits 77 and 78 when she hit the car in front of her. She was arrested at the scene for driving while under the influence, and for possession of marijuana and narcotics. Although she refused medical treatment, her passenger, Marirose Lynch, 25, also from Everett, was taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for a cut on her forehead.

The car that Senibaldi hit was carrying Edmund L. Davis, 52, from New Haven, Connecticut, and Lisa Delprete, 45, from North Haven, Connecticut. Davis lost control of his vehicle after the impact and crashed into the guardrail on the passenger’s side of the vehicle where Delprete was seated. Delprete was reportedly taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for severe head injuries. She was pronounced dead later that day. Davis was also taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for severe head and chest injuries. State police report that because of the severity of his injuries, he has been transported to Yale New Haven Hospital and is in critical condition.

The Department of Transportation reports that the accident happened just after 11 p.m. on Friday night. Emergency personnel requested for a medical helicopter but it was too cloudy for flight.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that almost one-third of all traffic deaths involve drunk or impaired drivers. If you have been injured in an accident, contact on of our experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Alleged Drunk Driving Accident Claims Life of North Haven Woman, North Haven Patch, April 9, 2011

Impaired Driving, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "Massachusetts Woman Arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Causing Fatal Accident on I-395" »

In Mattapan, Massachusetts, an SUV carrying an off-duty Boston police officer crashed into a Boston fire truck that was on its way to respond to a car accident. The fire truck, Engine 29, reportedly had sirens and lights on but according to witnesses, it went straight through a red light without slowing down. After colliding with the SUV, it crashed into a light pole. The accident occurred on Harvard Street at a very busy intersection.

The police officer who was in the SUV has sustained a serious leg injury from the accident. He was scheduled for a leg operation on Wednesday. The victim’s sister, Allyson Vinson Bowore, said that her brother, Darrell Vinson, has been with the Boston Police Department for twenty years. She said he was off-duty and headed to work when “The light turned green and he went and that’s when he got hit by the fire truck.”

The accident is under investigation by State police and no charges have been filed yet. Investigators are hoping that the traffic camera has captured this accident. Massachusetts state law requires that all emergency vehicles must stop at intersections for a red light even with their sirens and lights on. Officials have confirmed that the driver of Engine 29 has had drug and alcohol tests in the aftermath of the accident.

If you have been involved in an accident, contact on of our experienced Boston car accident attorneys for a free consultation.

Source:

SUV hits Boston fire truck in Mattapan, 7-News / whdh.com, April 6, 2011

Continue reading "Off-Duty Boston Police Officer Collides With Boston Fire Truck" »

A fatal accident in Dorchester is under investigation in which a 39-year-old mother was killed. The other passenger in the car was the sister of the deceased. Police report that the accident was caused by another driver who fled the scene. The sister informed authorities that they slammed into a tree after they were hit by another car who was trying to pass them. The hit and run accident occurred at the corner of Washington Street and School Street, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

In the event of an accident in Massachusetts, drivers are required by law to stop at the scene of the accident and exchange information with the other driver. If the accident occurred on someone’s property, then the driver is also required to exchange information with the owner of the property that was damaged. It is illegal for a driver to flee the scene of an accident. The minimum punishment for fleeing the scene of an accident resulting in death is 2 and a half years of imprisonment and a fine of no no less than $1,000.

Boston Police are searching for a small to medium-sized black car that was seen within the vicinity of the accident.

If you are the victim of a hit and run accident, contact on of our experienced Boston hit and run accident attorneys for a free consultation.

Source:

Mother of 3 killed in hit and run, FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com, April 4, 2011

Continue reading "Fatal Hit And Run Accident in Dorchester Kills 39-Year-Old Mother" »

A teenager from Ipswich faces charges for breaking the Massachusetts junior drivers’ license law by driving after midnight. Drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. After speeding and crashing his car in Gloucester around 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning, 17-year-old Alden Burnham told police that he had slid on snow and into a rock. Police have reported that when they arrived at the scene, there were approximately 40 feet of skid marks on about 4 inches of snow on the unplowed road. Burnham was not injured in this accident.

Such charges are very common amongst young drivers. In an effort to minimize teen accidents and teen driving fatalities, the state has adopted and implemented rules for junior drivers. Because car accidents are the most prominent killer of teens in the nation and young drivers are four times more likely to be killed and 14 times more likely to be injured than any other age group, the state has recently revised and toughened its junior driving law. Drivers under the age of 18 in Massachusetts can now expect to face multiple charges or license restrictions if they violate any of the following state laws:

• Not allowed to carry passengers for first 6 months (other than parents)
• Time Restriction Violation, 12:30 a.m. – 5 a.m.
• Operating to Endanger/Recklessly or Negligent
• Drag-Racing not permitted
• Speeding not permitte
• Conviction for the use of a mobile electronic device (text or phone)
• Negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use

The first-offense charges for violating the time restriction is a 60-day license suspension and a $100 reinstatement fee.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact on of our experienced Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

Ipswich teen charged in Gloucester accident, The Salem News, April 2, 2011

Junior Operator License, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, mass.gov

Continue reading "Ipswich Teenager Faces Charges for Breaking Massachusetts Junior Drivers’ License Law" »

Earlier this week, a man responsible for a 2007 fatal car accident in Somerville was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in state prison, after which he has a 15-year probation on the condition that he is not allowed to operate a vehicle or does not try to reinstate his driver’s license. According to the Office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone, Javier Morales, 29, from Somerville, pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter, driving with a suspended license, subsequent offense, and failure to stop for a police officer.

Morales caused the accident in May 2007 by failing to pull over for State Police on Route 16, who then proceeded to pursue him through Somerville. It is reported that he was driving 76 mph without his headlights on at about 1:30 a.m. before he crashed his SUV into a taxi. The driver of the taxi was Walid Chahine, 45, of Methuen, and the passengers were Paul Farris, 23, of Medford and a woman who has remained unidentified. Both Chahine and Farris died from their injuries incurred in this accident and the woman was extensively hospitalized. She is said to still be affected by her injuries from the accident. All passengers in the taxi were wearing their seatbelts but the force and speed at which Morales was traveling caused an impact that the seatbelts could not withhold.

In a statement released by District Attorney Gerard Leone, he explained that “This defendant pleaded guilty to causing a horrific car crash that resulted in the death of two innocent men and left a third victim with life-long injuries…This defendant had numerous opportunities to stop for the police officer, yet continued to make decisions to drive unsafely at high rates of speed through densely-populated areas, endangering those around him. By pleading guilty today, this defendant is admitting to these troubling charges and will remain off the roads and out of communities for an extensive period of time.”

If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident because of a negligent driver, our experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyers are here to help with over 25 years of experience and a free consultation.

Source:

Driver In Somerville Motor Vehicle Crash Pleads Guilty To Two Counts of Manslaughter, Office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone Press Release, March 28, 2011

Continue reading "Man Responsible For Fatal Somerville 2007 Car Accident Found Guilty of Manslaughter" »

Late on Sunday night, a single car crashed inside the Sumner Tunnel in Boston, resulting in the death of an unidentified man. Around 10 p.m., State Police responded to the scene of the fatal accident, which shut down the Storrow Drive ramp. Authorities confirmed that the car, identified as a white pick-up truck, was heading towards Storrow Drive when it crashed into the side of the tunnel.

Although the cause of the accident has not yet been determined, witnesses reported that the driver was speeding. Roman Wunderlich, a witness who was first passed by the truck and the only other vehicle in the tunnel at the time of the accident, said, “He didn't stop, he didn't brake, nothing…no screeching tires, there was nothing, he just went right into the wall…I’d say he was probably going about 100 miles an hour.” A second witness arrived at the scene of the accident and pulled up next to Wunderlich who warned him of the deadly accident up ahead. The second witness asked him if it was a white pick-up truck as he had just seen him speed through the toll booth just minutes before. The driver has not been identified yet and authorities have not found a driver’s license at the scene of the accident.

The Storrow Drive ramp inside the Sumner Tunnel has been the site of other fatal accidents in the past. In November 2009, a woman died and two were seriously injured in an accident and another crash in February 2008 killed a man and injured three more.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a car accident, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced Boston car fatality lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

Crash in Boston’s Sumner Tunnel kills 1 person, Boston Herald, March 28, 2011

One dead after crash in Sumner Tunnel, Boston Globe, March 27, 2011

1 dies in crash in Sumner Tunnel, 7-News, whdh.com, March 28, 2011

Continue reading "Fatal Accident Closes Sumner Tunnel in Boston" »

In Sandisfield, Southern Berkshire County, a woman driving an SUV has been severely injured after her vehicle flipped over in a single-car accident. Massachusetts State Police have reported that Jazmine Solero, 33, of New York, was driving four passengers on Route 8 in an Isuzu Rodeo. Because of ice and snow, Solero lost control and veered off of the road into an embankment. Her vehicle then crashed into a telephone pole and flipped over. Solero was trapped inside until the emergency crew pulled her from the wreck. All four passengers, two in their twenties and two teenagers, are reported to have potentially serious injuries but the extent of which is unknown. Police have confirmed that Solero was not speeding when the accident occurred.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rates the Isuzu Rodeo with an average of three out five stars for rollover safety on models made between 1990 and 2010. They also explain that rollover accidents have a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes and are most likely to happen on rural roads as almost 75% of all rollover accidents occur on rural roads. As a precaution for drivers, the NHTSA provides these safety tips on how to prevent a rollover accident:

• Use extra caution on rural roads and highways, especially on undivided two-way roads. Soft shoulders or embankments can increase chances of flipping.
• Avoid panicked or quick steering; quickly overcorrecting steering at high speeds can result in loss of control and rolling over.
• Maintain tires with the correct amount of air. This will help the driver to control the vehicle and prevent a vehicle from sliding on wet or icy pavement.
• Know your vehicle’s weight limit. Find your car’s suggested weight limit in your car’s owner manual to ensure that the vehicle load does not exceed the suggested safe load.

If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyers for advice and a free consultation.

Sources:

Five injured in Sandisfield SUV crash, 22News, wwlp.com, March 22, 2011

5-Star Safety Ratings, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "SUV Rollover Accident in Sandisfield" »

Two and a half years after a fatal accident on Mt. Hope Bridge, Jamie Pretti of Plymouth has been charged with one count of driving under the influence resulting in death and to leaving the scene of the accident resulting in death. On September 12, 2008, Jamie Pretti was driving with his friend, Timothy Macleod, of Plymouth, from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth to Roger Williams University for a party. Pretty is reported to have lost control of his vehicle when he tried to pass another vehicle on the Mt. Hope Bridge, resulting in the death of Macleod. The Office of the Attorney General said that a breath test confirmed that Pretti’s blood alcohol was more than twice the legal limit.

Since the accident, Pretti has been out on $100,000 surety bail but is now in the custody of the Department of Corrections. Pretti pleaded no contest to his sentence of 15 years, with seven to serve, three and a half of which will be held at Adult Correctional Institutions and three and a half years on home confinement. He also lost his license for five years and has been ordered to pay $5,000 in fines.

Drinking and consumption of alcohol on or around campuses affect almost all college campuses. College Drinking Prevention reports that approximately 3,360,000 college students drive under the influence of alcohol in one year. The National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a part of the National Institutes of Health, has recently conducted research projects in which colleges and their surrounding communities attempt to reduce excessive alcohol consumption by targeting local drinking settings and implementing prevention strategies in an attempt to minimize college-related alcohol abuse and drunk driving.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a car accident, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Massachusetts Man Sentenced in Connection with Fatal Crash on Mt. Hope Bridge, Bristol-Warren Patch, March 14, 2011

NIH-Supported Study finds Strategies to Reduce College Drinking, National Institutes of Health, November 11, 2010

Continue reading " Plymouth Man Sentenced for Fatal Crash in 2008" »

In an effort to make Massachusetts drunk driving laws easier to understand and apply, State Senator Katherine Clark has called for legislation that would make the laws more comprehensible. In Massachusetts, impaired driving laws have been amended 69 times and continue to become more confusing and repeated in many places. For example, when the legislation was changed in 2005 for repeat drunk driving, not only did it adopt the new name, “Melanie’s Law,” in memory of 13-year old Melanie Powell who was killed by a repeat drunk driver, but the change added eight new sections and seven new categories of amendments to the law that was already ambiguous. As a result, the law can be construed and interpreted in many different ways.

In an article written by State Senator Clark in today’s Boston Globe, Clark writes that: “…judges, prosecutors and defense counsel struggle to apply the law. Most experts agree that the content of the law is solid, but the language needs to be re-worked to ensure protections against drunk drivers.” She continues to say, “In an effort to reorganize the Commonwealth’s OUI laws, I have filed An Act to Protect the Citizens of the Commonwealth from Drunk Drivers.” She argues that this call to clarify the law will not change the substance, criminal sentences, or penalties, but will rather make it easier to understand and use in order to protect citizens from drunk drivers.

There are approximately 13,000 Massachusetts drivers who are convicted of drinking and driving each year. In 2008 alone, there were 363 traffic fatalities due to drunk driving in Massachusetts. State Senator Clark asserts that this legislation will improve the drunk driving law to “protect the citizens of the Commonwealth.”

If you have been injured in an accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced lawyers for a free consultation.

Source:

Clark calls for clarifying drunk driving laws, The Boston Globe, March 16, 2011

Continue reading "State Senator Katherine Clark Calls for Clearer Drunk Driving Laws in Massachusetts" »

An investigation is underway to determine if the cause of a head-on crash with a Framingham state trooper is due to a car race. Just after 1 a.m. on March 9th, State Trooper Edward Treseler was hit head-on by Alejandro Ramos, 27, of Framingham, who had crossed over the double yellow line on Route 30 in Framingham. Treseler was taken to Framingham Union Hospital and has been released. Ramos, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was taken by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital with severe head injuries. Driving next to Ramos’ vehicle, in the other traffic lane, was Falcaneri P. Fuentes, 31, and his passenger, Yenci Pineda, 19, also both from Framingham. Fuentes and Pineda were not injured. Police report that both vehicles were going twice the speed limit, at least 70 mph in a clearly marked 35 mph area. Neither driver has been charged yet but they will be summoned for recklessly operating a vehicle, speeding, violating a marked lane, and driving without a license.

According to State Police, Treseler was at least the 11th trooper involved in a serious accident in the past 15 months that has been attributed to civilian reckless driving, speeding, or impaired driving. This year alone, three troopers have been involved in serious car accidents. Rick Brown, President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, says that these crashes are due to fewer troopers on the road: “We’re down almost 500 troopers, so when drivers see us every 20 or 30 miles instead of every five or 10 miles, they tend to drive faster…We haven’t had a new class in almost five years…It’s a public safety issue, and it’s something that will also protect us more.’’ According to David Procopio, from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the last class of troopers graduated in 2006, at which point there were 2,600 troopers and now there are less than 2,100.

If you have been involved in a car accident and would like a free consultation, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced car accident lawyers.

Source:

Trooper OK after cruiser is hit head-on, Boston Globe, March 10, 2011

Continue reading "State Trooper Hit Head-On in Framingham" »

In Lynnfield, Massachusetts, a fender-bender turned into a fatal accident. After a taxi rear-ended a Chevrolet Cobalt, both of the drivers pulled over and exited their vehicles to inspect the damage. William Halpin III, 25, from Melrose, who was under the influence of drugs in a passing vehicle, hit both the taxi driver and the parked Cobalt. The taxi driver, from Lynn, died after he was taken to the hospital. Police arrested Halpin for vehicular homicide and for driving under the influence. The other injured victim was a six-year-old boy who was sitting in the Cobalt when it was struck by Halpin.

When pulled over on the side of the road, it is very important to assess the situation of passing vehicles. Although the driver in this case was under the influence, one must always look carefully for oncoming traffic. Remember to turn on your hazard lights and carry the necessary roadside accident supplies in your trunk, such as a reflective hazard indicator to put on the street and a reflective florescent vest.

In the event of a collision, Sheila Varnado, of the Driving School Association of the
Americas, suggests the following:

• Make sure that you are out of harm's way. Once you are outside of your vehicle, you are at risk of being hit by oncoming traffic.
• If you are disoriented or injured, stay in the car.
• First check yourself for injuries, then check others.
• Only provide medical assistance that you are capable of and trained in. Vernado says: "Anytime you're involved in a collision, only render aid within your ability."
• Call 911. You are required to call the police or highway patrol if anyone is injured. Dial 911, or program the highway-patrol number into your cell-phone.
• Write down the other driver’s name, address, date of birth, phone number, car make and model, and license plate number. Varnado says, "Get the full information of all drivers, passengers, and witnesses…This includes driver's license numbers, vehicle registration and proof of insurance with policy number."
• For legal and insurance purposes, take pictures using a cell-phone or disposable camera. That way, Varnado says, you can "see how the intersection looked, the weather conditions, icy roads, exactly how much damage was done to the cars, the position of the vehicles, where the vehicles ended up, and the severity of the collision for example."
• Inform your insurance company.

If you have been injured in an accident and would like a free consultation, feel free to contact one of our attorneys who have over 25 years of experience representing car accident victims.

Sources:

Car accident in Lynnfield, Mass. claims one life, NECN, March 5, 2011

What to do if you get into an accident, The Boston Globe

Continue reading "Rear-End Accident Turns Fatal in Lynnfield" »

A Massachusetts man suffered critical head and face trauma after chunks of ice fell off of a passing truck trailer on Route 31 in New Hampshire. Stanley Raczelowski, of Westford, Massachusetts, was driving northbound when the ice fell from a truck heading southbound near the town of Mason, New Hampshire. There are no witnesses of this single-car accident. Although it is possible that the driver was unaware of ice falling off of his or her vehicle, the driver, owner, or company of the truck, have not yet been found or identified.

Police reported that Raczelowski was first taken to Monadnock Regional Hospital and then transferred to a Worcester, Massachusetts, hospital for more treatment.

In New Hampshire, drivers who do not clear ice off of their vehicle can be charged with $250 to $500 and negligent driving. Known as “Jessica’s Law”, this legislation was passed after Jessica Smith was killed in 1999 in an accident in which the driver of a state truck lost control and crashed into her vehicle after he was struck by a 9-foot piece of ice that flew off of a passing trailer truck.

In Massachusetts, State Representative Cleon Turner is currently pushing for this same type of law. Turner argues “I’m…concerned about having legislation there or a statute there eventually that will give police the tools they need to stop a vehicle and say, ‘Look. You need to clean the snow off your vehicle because it’s dangerous.’” He said that the amount of the fine is negotiable but the concept that drivers should completely clear the snow off of their cars should be mandatory for the safety of other drivers.

If you have been involved in a car accident and would like a free consultation, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced lawyers.

Sources:

Flying ice causes Greenville accident, The Telegraph and NashuaTelegraph.com, March 4, 2011

Lawmaker proposes fine for not clearing snow off cars, 7-News whdh.com, February 4, 2011

Continue reading "Massachusetts Man Injured With Head and Face Trauma after Struck by Ice From Passing Truck" »

A two-car crash in Revere yesterday is under investigation. The driver of a Volkswagen was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital after he was hit by a drunk driver in a Lincoln. Both the driver and passenger of the Lincoln were reported to be drunk but only one of them was arrested as the other fled the scene. The extent of the injured man’s condition is unknown but the jaws of life were needed to extricate him from his vehicle.

Drinking and driving, as well as fleeing the scene of an accident, is illegal and can result in arrest, fines and/or imprisonment. Although it is sometimes impossible to prevent an accident from happening, especially when a drunk driver is involved, it is important to take caution and be a defensive driver. In order to protect yourself from drunk drivers on the road, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Always wear your seatbelt and make sure your passengers do the same.

• Be an alert driver and try to stay away from other drivers who appear to be intoxicated or distracted and/or are swerving.

• Stop driving if you are tired or weary. This not only causes you to be a potentially unsafe driver, but you also might not notice drunk drivers around you.

• Make sure your car’s safety features have recently been inspected and are fully functioning.

• Be aware of what time you are driving. In 2004, 39.6% of drunk driving accidents happened between 10pm and 2am, and 37.5% of drunk driving accidents happened on Friday or Saturday nights.

Our lawyers have over 25 years of experience representing car accident victims throughout Massachusetts. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question on a case or would like a free consultation.

Sources:

Drunk driving likely cause of 2-car crash in Revere, 7-News whdh.com, March 1, 2011

How to Protect Yourself from Drunk Drivers, DrunkDriving.com

Continue reading "Revere Accident Caused By Drunk Driver" »

Massachusetts State Police are investigating a fatal accident in which Karla Nieves-Vazquez, 23, and Jesus Nieves, 17, both of Springfield, were killed on Interstate-91. Police believe that neither Nieves-Vasquez or Nieves were wearing seatbelts. In this single-car crash, it is reported that Nieves-Vasquez lost control of her 2002 Dodge Stratus. The car turned over multiple times and then landed in the ditch of the median. The car’s other two occupants, Jesus A. Ferreira, 20, and Martin A. Nieves, 18, also of Springfield, were taken to Baystate Medical Center for medical attention.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seatbelts save over 13,000 lives per year. In 2006, over 60% of victims of fatal car crashes between the ages of 16-24 were not wearing seatbelts. These lives could have been saved if they were wearing seatbelts. The NHTSA provides the following life-saving reminders on the importance of seatbelt safety:

• Wearing your seatbelt is the best thing you can do to protect yourself in an accident
• Airbags are not designed to replace seatbelts
• Buckle-up correctly; the lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage, which can endure crash forces better than other parts of your body
• Make sure your seatbelt fits; you can obtain belt extenders or a new shoulder belt from your car dealer or manufacturer
• Age or condition is not an excuse; everyone should wear a seatbelt. There are effective ways for pregnant women, obese, and eldery, to safely buckle-up. Visit A Parent's Guide to Child Safety on
how to safely buckle-up your child.

Our experienced lawyers have over 25 years of knowledge representing car accident victims throughout Massachusetts. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question on a case or would like a free consultation.

Sources:

I-91 crash victims identified, WWLP-22News, February 25, 2011

The top 5 things you should know about buckling up, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "Victims of Fatal Crash Not Wearing Seatbelts" »

At 6:44 a.m. on Wednesday morning, a three-car accident on Route 128 resulted in the death of Wallace Arnott, a 56-year-old man from Haverhill. Dr. Joshua Namias, who was on his way to Salem Hospital for work, pulled over and provided assistance alongside an unidentified nurse, who had also pulled over to help. They were able to provide CPR for Arnott until paramedics arrived.

Arnott was first taken to Salem Hospital, and then transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was pronounced dead in the early afternoon. Arnott was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo, which is a small car. The other two vehicles involved were a 1996 Jeep Cherokee and a 2002 Chevrolet Venture minivan. Kenneth Weeden of Peabody, was the driver of the Jeep and was taken to Salem Hospital for serious injuries. The driver of the minivan, Rita Tavarez, was not injured. Although the crash is under investigation, state police have confirmed that the accident was a series of rear-end accidents.

State police, the Peabody Fire Department, and the Massachusetts Highway Division, all responded to the scene of the accident.

Reported shortly after this crash in the northbound lanes, an accident in the parallel southbound lanes occurred. There were no serious injuries reported in the second crash and both lanes were cleared by 10:30 a.m.

Our lawyers have over 25 years of experience representing clients throughout Massachusetts who have been involved in car accidents. Please feel free to contact us if you have a question in regards to a case and would like a free consultation.

Source:

Man killed, 1 injured in crash on Route 128 Gloucester Times, February 23, 2011

Continue reading "Fatal Three-Car Pile-Up in Peabody" »

QinetiQ North America, a research and development company based in Waltham, is developing a system that can sense a driver’s blood alcohol level and prevent the car from moving if the driver’s alcohol content is at or above the .08 legal limit. The system, the Driver Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety, will use sensors on the steering wheel and door locks to determine the driver’s blood alcohol level via skin contact.

David Strickland, the director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), said that the technology could prevent as many as 9,000 fatal alcohol-related crashes a year in the United States. In 2008 alone, 42% of Massachusetts driving fatalities were the result of drinking and driving. Alcohol-related accidents continue to plague the state.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently visited the Waltham facility for a public demonstration of the system, during which the system was tested and displayed. Strickland, who was also at the demonstration, said that although the device is in the early stages of development and that it will not be available for another few years, he emphasized that it will not be released until it is "seamless, unobtrusive and unfailingly accurate." LaHood said that the alcohol detection system is "another arrow in our automotive safety quiver," as it is envisioned to deter drinking and driving for the future.

Our experienced lawyers represent clients throughout Massachusetts who have been in alcohol-related accidents. If you have a question in regards to a case and would like a free consultation, please feel free to contact us.

Source:

In Future, Cars Might Decide If Driver Is Drunk,National Public Radio, The Associated Press, January 29, 2011

Continue reading "Alcohol Detection System Being Developed to Promote Safe Driving" »

Here in Massachusetts, the Distracted Driving Law took effect on September 30, 2010, which fines motorists $100 for using cell phones to call, text, or engage in internet searches while driving in an effort to reduce the risk of Massachusetts car accidents and fatalities caused by distracted driving. In a recent 90-day study of the law, police cited only 245 people for texting while driving, which for lawmakers is surprisingly low. This is likely due to the difficulty of enforcing the law and the fact that people can still appear to be an attentive driver while using a cell phone by hiding the phone.

Director of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Don Fisher, has created a driving simulation lab that tracks the driver's eye movements while texting. Fischer says, “The risk while you're texting is 23 times higher than while you're not texting…when you're texting you're spending especially long periods of time with your eyes away from the forward roadway – much longer than the two seconds that's barely safe.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports the facts on distracted driving:
•20% of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
•Using a hands-free or hand-held cell phone while driving delays a driver's reactions
as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.
•16% of all drivers under than 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes were
reported to have been distracted while driving.
•Distracted driving is reported to have claimed the lives of 5,474 people and injured
an additional 448,000 in the United States in 2009 alone.

Our experienced lawyers represent clients throughout Massachusetts who have suffered injuries or the death of a loved one because of such distracted driving accidents. If you have a question in regards to a case and would like a free consultation, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sources:

245 texting-while-driving tickets in Mass., UPI.com, January 6, 2011

Maine Summit Takes Aim at Texting While Driving, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, February 16, 2011

Statistics and Facts About Distracted Driving, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "90-Day Review of Massachusetts Distracted Driving Law " »

Claudette J. Kumor, 57, of Northborough was ejected from her car after being rear-ended on I-95 in Attleboro early on Saturday morning. Kumor lost control of her 2004 Ford Explorer when hit from behind by Samantha Lee Fletcher, 19, of Danvers, in the slow lane of traffic. The SUV is reported to have flipped over many times and Kumor was ejected from the vehicle. Authorities have confirmed that Kumor was not wearing a seatbelt and was confirmed dead when the emergency crew arrived. Her passenger, Carolyn P. Bibbo, 34, of Woonsocket, R.I., was trapped inside the wreckage and then taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I., for serious injuries. Fletcher was not injured in the accident.

The accident is under investigation and police are considering Fletcher’s speed as the cause of the accident. No charges have been made.

Our attorneys have been representing personal injury and accident victims for over 40 years. Feel free to contact us to speak to one of our experienced attorneys for a free consultation.

Sources:

Northborough woman killed in crash on I-95 in Attleborough this morning, The Boston Globe, February 12, 2011

Northborough woman killed in crash on I-95 in Attleboro, The Milford Daily News, February 12, 2011

Continue reading "Northborough Woman Dies in I-95 Accident" »

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the findings of a study requested by Congress on the unintended acceleration in Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood assured that “We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota’s electronics systems, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas.”

Under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the study was administered by NASA engineers, who, after ten months of exhaustive testing and research into the electronic operating systems of the car, came to the conclusion that sticky pedals and a design flaw of floor mats jamming pedals were the only verifiable causes of unintended acceleration. Since 2009, Toyota has recalled approximately eight-million vehicles to remedy these causes of unintended acceleration, in addition to paying $48.8 million in civil penalties.

Here in Massachusetts, owner of Expressway Toyota in Boston, Robert Boch said: “We are not the powerhouse that we were prior to the recalls...but this will certainly be a step in the right direction.’’ Within New England, there have been at least seven fatal car accidents resulting in ten deaths that have been attributed to Toyota drivers losing control of their vehicles because of unintended acceleration.

Sources:

US finds Toyota electronics weren’t to blame in crashes, The Boston Globe, February 9, 2011

U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Results From NHTSA-NASA Study of Unintended Acceleration in Toyota Vehicles, United States Department of Transportation, February 8, 2011

Acceleration questioned in fatal crashes, The Boston Globe.

Continue reading "U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Findings on Study of Toyota Unintended Acceleration" »

Early on Saturday morning, 19-year-old Christopher Ward of Woburn lost control of his car on I-93 in Somerville. He swerved off of the overpass and fell at least 30 feet onto Route 28 below. He later died at Massachusetts General Hospital.

State police reported that 31-year-old Lawrence Capriotti Jr. hit Ward’s car either when it first impacted the ground or directly after. He initially fled but then returned to the scene of the accident approximately an hour later. Although he does not face charges relating to Ward’s crash off of the overpass, police have charged him with leaving the scene of an accident, resulting in personal injury, and leaving the scene of an accident, resulting in property damage. The reason for Ward losing control of his car is unknown and the accident is still under investigation by state police.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 20 and account for more than one in three deaths in this age group.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident or have a question on a case, feel free to give us a call for a free consultation to speak to one of our experienced attorneys.

Sources:

Teen dies after overpass plummet, Boston Herald, February 6, 2011

A Comprehensive Approach to Teen Driver Safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, February 2011

Continue reading "Woburn Teen Dies After Crash in Somerville" »

Authorities are investigating a fatal accident on the Interstate-95 Whittier Bridge. Charles Moncousky, of North Hampton, NH, died on Monday when his car drove over the Northbound side of the bridge. His 2002 Toyota Camry fell over 90 feet into the Merrimack River. State police said that in the bridge's history, it is the first time that they can remember that a car has driven off. The bridge connects Massachusetts and New Hampshire for over 76,000 cars each day and is operated by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The car went off the bridge near the Newburyport side of the river, in a section of the bridge where concrete protective barriers line the side of the bridge. Police spokesman David Procopio reported that it was not raining or snowing on the bridge at the time of the accident. The wheel’s tread and skid marks were clearly seen where the car ran up and over the barriers that were heavily covered with ice and snow.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reminds winter drivers to “slow down…bridges and overpasses can freeze up sooner than roadways” and that the majority of winter deaths related to snow and ice occur in automobiles.

Source:

Probe continues into Fatal I-95 bridge accident, Eagle-Tribune, February 2, 2011

Continue reading "I-95 Bridge Accident in Newburyport" »

Massachusetts State Police report that a Holbrook man was drunk when he fled the scene of a car crash yesterday that seriously injured a Weymouth woman on the Southeast Expressway in Dorchester. The accident forced the closing of three lanes of southbound traffic for three hours with only the left travel lane open for motorists.

Alyssa Connolly, 25, a passenger in a Toyota Corolla, was thrown from the car that went off the highway and slammed into a snow bank before rolling over and coming to rest on its roof. Connolly was taken to Boston Medical Center--her condition remains unknown.

The driver, Patrick Fay, 24, was driving south when the accident occurred near exit 13 in Dorchester shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday. Trooper Sean Reardon apprehended Fay when he tried to run from the scene. Fay has been charged with drunk driving, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury, speeding and failure to stay within marked lanes.

In 2009, there were 347 motor vehicle-related fatalities in Massachusetts. Thirty-nine percent of these deaths involved the use of alcohol or other drugs. For more information on Massachusetts' laws on drunk driving visit: mass.gov

Source:
Holbrook man charged with drunk driving in crash, The Patriot Ledger, January 23, 2011

Medical receptionist Vanessa Viveiros of Lincoln was placed on 2 1/2 years of probation and made to participate in a first-offenders alcohol driver education program on Friday after being found guilty of driving to endanger and six counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon.

The Rhode Island woman admitted to driving drunk and road rage, causing a collision with a car with six occupants on Interstate 495 and nearly forcing a state trooper off the road.

According to her lawyer, John MacDonald, the incident began with a quarrel at a Providence nightclub that was sparked by the other driver which caused Viveiros to fly into an alcohol-induced rage and chase after the victim, repeatedly crashing into the rear of the victim's car as it drove down the highway.

"It's an unfortunate incident. She knows she made some poor choices that evening," MacDonald said.

State police say the crash occurred around 3 a.m. Trooper Michael Tryon had to take evasive action to avoid colliding with the vehicles as they spun out of control when he caught up to them on I-495.

Source:
Probation in road rage crash, The Sun Chronicle, January 15, 2011

New Hampshire State Police responded to an accident on I-93 Tuesday night involving five young Woburn residents in a rolled over Izuzu Trooper. Police suspect the car had hit a guard rail, causing it to rollover on the driver side. The driver, Kyle Ahearn, 19, and four passengers Joseph Briere, 19, Shshank Samual, 20, Ethan Ahern, 15, and Patrick Raistrick, 18, were rescued and treated by firefighters from Derry, NH.

All passengers except one, Joseph Briere, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. According to police, Briere was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital where he died later that night due to the injuries he sustained in the crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, SUVs had the highest passenger vehicle occupant fatality rate in rollovers of any vehicle type—5.96 per 100,000 registered vehicles. NHTSA publishes rollover safety ratings by make and model year, and tire ratings by brand. Those ratings can be found at http://www.safercar.gov.

Source:
Woburn teen killed in N.H. crash, Boston Herald, January 12, 2011

Auto Crashes, Insurance Information Institute, January 2011

State trooper, Steven Larocco, was struck in his vehicle yesterday morning while making a routine traffic stop on the Massachusetts Turnpike near Palmer, Massachusetts. The driver that hit Larocco, Robert Murangi, was cited by police as driving with an open container of alcohol.

Murangi rear-ended the police cruiser while it was parked between the median and left eastbound lane to investigate a stopped Jeep Liberty. Murangi's Dodge Avenger ran into the back of the cruiser and forced it into the Liberty. Larocco and the driver of the Liberty were sent to the hospital along with the two passengers in Murangi's Avenger. All were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Earlier this summer, Colonel Marian J. McGovern, head of the Massachusetts state police, announced a trooper safety study after a series of incidents that saw five troopers struck and injured by motor vehicles – one of them, Sgt. Douglas Weddleton, fatally – in a five-week period. McGovern herself was was rear-ended in October 2010 on Route 20 in Shrewsbury by what turned out to be a repeat drunk driver with four prior convictions.

Source: Trooper, 3 others injured in crash, Boston Globe, January 3, 2011; Colonel McGovern Announces Trooper Safety Study, Mass.gov, July 22, 2010

Continue reading "State trooper and 3 others injured during crash in Palmer" »

A major snowstorm pummeled the Dakotas and Minnesota on New Years Eve causing a massive car pileup on I-94, shutting down both lanes of traffic between Jamestown and Fargo, North Dakota.

Cass County Sheriff's Capt. Rick Majerus said nearly 100 vehicles were involved in the pileup near Fargo. Some travelers were stranded in their vehicles for several hours before rescuers could get to them. Further down I-94 in Minnesota, officials reported two fatal car crashes resulting from road conditions.

In Massachusetts, residents were faced with a similar dilemma as the first major blizzard of the season impacted holiday travel plans, shutting down airports and train service along the East coast and slowing transportation on the roads to a halt in some areas. Because of the heavy snowfall, many areas are still struggling to keep the roads clear of ice and snow forcing residents to chance driving in dangerous conditions as they go back to work on Monday.

Source: Blizzard causes 100-car pileup near Fargo, N.D., USA TODAY, December 31, 2010

Continue reading "Major blizzard causes 100-car pileup in Fargo, ND" »

A Massachusetts traffic accident occurring the day before Christmas claimed the life of a 85-year-old Adams resident. The incident marked Berkshire County’s third fatality resulting from a pedestrian-motor vehicle accident in two months. The victim was reportedly hit by a southbound vehicle while crossing Park Street. Police say he was not in a marked crosswalk.

Emergency responders took the injured pedestrian to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The 18-year-old woman who driving the car was not injured and has not been charged in connection with the fatal accident; however, the fatal auto accident is still being investigated.

According to federal data, somewhere in the country a pedestrian is injured in a traffic crash every seven minutes. Every 107 minutes, a pedestrian dies as the result of such crashes. The majority of these fatalities occur between 6 and 9pm and on weekends.

Source: Elderly man struck, killed, Berkshire Eagle, December 26, 2010

In harm's way: Many drivers ignore pedestrians in crosswalks, Patriot Ledger, June 22, 2010

Continue reading "Adams Resident Dies in Pedestrian-Motor Vehicle Accident" »

Earlier this month, Marion police responded to an emergency call about a car engulfed in flame near the Kittansett Golf Club. A 75-year-old man was trapped inside the vehicle and had died by the time emergency crews were able to remove him from the car. The body was taken by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.

According to the results of a preliminary investigation, the man was driving south of Point Road when he hit a fire hydrant, rocks, and trees. The car accident victim was semiretired and had been working part-time as a business professor at UMASS Dartmouth. The roof of his home had been destroyed by a chimney fire earlier this year.

It is not known if either of the fires were accidental or intentional, but here in Massachusetts, the penalty for attempting to burn a building or structure is ten years in prison. The fine for burning personal property over $25 or a vehicle is three years or $500. Authorities are still investigating the fatal car crash.

Source: Marion man dies in fiery crash, WickedLocal.com, December 23, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Police Investigating Fiery Car Crash That Killed a Marion Man" »

The Commonwealth deregulated the car insurance industry two years ago, and since then, five insurers have added an optional pet injury insurance option for pet-lovers who want to cover their animals. Like traditional car insurance policies which cover the medical costs of those injured in motor vehicle accidents, these pet policies cover $500-$1,000 for veterinary bills with no deductible.

Customers of the Quincy-based Arbella Mutual Insurance can pay $20 annually for the “Pet Lover’s Endorsement,” which covers up to $500 to treat injuries sustained by a dog or cat in a car crash. If Fluffy or Fido died as a result of an accident, burial or disposal costs might also be covered. So far, hundreds of policy-holders have added pet coverage.

In Boston, the Angell Animal Medical Center treats an average of two or three animals injured in accidents per month. According to a spokesman for MSPCA-Angell, typical injuries include whiplash, fractured bones, and injuries from the impact of airbags or windshields.

NOTE: Mentioning the names of insurance companies and policies should not construed as an endorsement. We encourage you to comparison shop on your own before signing up for an insurance policy.

Source: Auto insurers take on pets, Boston Herald, December 19, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Auto Insurers Now Offer Pet Coverage in Case of Accident" »

Earlier this week, the family of a Massachusetts man who died in a minivan accident spoke out against Ford Motor Co., saying the company didn’t publicize a vehicle recall widely enough. One week after Sean Bowman died, his family received a safety recall notice from Ford announcing that it was recalling over a half million older-model Windstars. The recall covered vans sold in 21 states where road salt can lead to rusted axles. Corroded metal could result in cracks and broken axles.

The Whitman man died after his vehicle’s rear axle cracked in half and the vehicle hit a building. According to Ford, there were seven accidents with three minor injuries as of September. The fatal accident occurred in October, and the auto company has declined to comment on this particular case.

However, Ford has recalled an additional 37,000 vans as of December 6. Cases like this require an experienced personal injury lawyer who can gather all the relevant evidence, consult with accident experts, and prepare the case for financial recovery.

Source: Mass. crash victim’s family blames Ford ‘stealth’ recall, Boston Herald, December 15, 2010

Continue reading "Whitmore Man Killed on the Road, Family Blames Ford" »

Early Saturday morning, a 16-year-old passenger died after his twin brother reportedly drove a 1999 Saturn into a utility pole. The pole snapped in half, trapping both boys inside the vehicle. A Brockton resident described hearing a loud noise when the Saturn hit the utility pole. She rushed outside to find a mangled car covered in shattered glass. The driver’s hand was caught between the door frame and the body of the car, and she talked to the car accident victims as they waited for emergency responders to arrive.

Firefighters spent half an hour cutting through the wreck before they were able to free the brothers from the vehicle. The injured driver was transported to Brockton Hospital and later transferred to Boston. He has been charged with several motor vehicle offenses, including using a motor vehicle without authorization, driving under the influence of alcohol, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and speeding. However, Brockton police captain said there could be additional charges filed following the investigation.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 20. Each year, thousands of teen drivers die of injuries sustained on the road, and male teen drivers are more than one and a half times more likely to be involved in a fatal auto accident.

Source: Brockton woman recounts efforts to help victims in fatal crash, EnterpriseNews.com, December 15, 2010

Continue reading "Brockton Car Crash Kills Local Teen" »

Following a Woburn car accident that injured a motorist and a state trooper, Massachusetts State Police have charged the 21-year-old motorist with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to slow down for workers or equipment in the road, failure to obey signs and signals, and failure to wear a seatbelt.

The driver allegedly drove his sedan into a road construction set-up on Monday evening on Route 93 outside of Woburn, hitting a state trooper on paid detail in a marked cruiser. Authorities say the driver disregarded warning signs and hit the rear of the cruiser, followed by the right guardrail.

Emergency medical crews took the trooper by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was treated for injuries and released overnight. The driver was treated for minor injuries at Lahey Clinic in Burlington.

Here in Massachusetts, drivers cited for Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle are subject to a $250 fine. The fine for failure to wear a seatbelt is $25 for drivers or any person over the age of sixteen, plus an additional $25 fine for each passenger between the ages of twelve and sixteen who fails to wear a seatbelt.

Source: Tewksbury man charged in Woburn crash, WickedLocal.com, December 14, 2010

Continue reading "Tewksbury Driver Charged After Injuring Trooper in Crash" »

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.

Continue reading "Several Weekend Accidents, Some Fatal, as Roads Get Slippery" »

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

Continue reading "Trooper Hit by a Car on Fall River Highway" »

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 "Collision on Massachusetts Avenue Bridge Kills One" »

Christina Anderson, a 79-year-old Beverly woman, was killed in a head-on collision yesterday. Cheryl Anderson-Young, a 58-year-old of Beverly, and Ibrahim Nabile, a 46-year-old of Malden, were seriously injured in the crash.

The accident occurred on Massachusetts Avenue Bridge in the Back Bay around 5:40 p.m. Anderson-Young, driving a 1997 Lexus travelling from Cambridge to Boston, crossed the line and crashed into Nabile’s 2008 Ford Crown Victoria taxi. Anderson was declared dead at the scene, while Anderson-Young was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Nabile was taken to Boston Medical Center. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Head-on collisions like this one frequently cause serious and fatal injuries. There are two ways that head-on collisions can happen. As was the case here, a driver can fail to stay in his/her own lane and go forward into oncoming traffic. A head-on collision can also happen in a wrong-way type of scenario where a driver ventures down a one way in the wrong direction, enters the highway on an off-ramp exit instead of the on-ramp, etc.

Usually when there is a lane departure head-on collision, the cause is swerving, driver distraction, inattention or fatigue, or passing other cars in an unsafe manner. Head-on collisions can result in catastrophic injuries including spinal and head injuries, serious fractures, internal injuries, and more. If you have been hurt in a head-on collision, our Massachusetts car accident lawyers can tell you whether you have a claim, investigate, and begin building your case for recovery.

Source: The Boston Globe, Beverly woman killed, 2 hurt in crash

Continue reading "Beverly Woman Killed and Two Seriously Injured in Mass. Ave. Bridge Head-On Collision" »

A car crashed into a Chicopee bedroom around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. William Flores and his girlfriend woke up to debris and the car inches away at the foot of the bed. Neither the residents nor their two dogs were injured, but firefighters are concerned about the stability of the home’s front wall.

According to police, the car driven by 66-year-old Patricia Naimey smashed into a street light, a stop sign, and a fire hydrant before hitting the house. They are investigating how she lost control.

This was the second time within a three-day period that a car hit a Chicopee building. On Sunday, 43-year-old Kimmy Dubuque was killed inside a Cumberland Farms when an SUV driven by 81-year-old Edwin Skowyra crashed through the front of the store. In addition to the shopper who was fatally injured, another customer, the clerk and the driver were injured. Police say that the car was travelling through the intersection at Front and Grove Streets and then went over a barrier and through the store. Police are looking into the possibility that a medical issue caused the driver to lose control.

Sources:

Cbs3springfield.com: Chicopee police release names in fatal crash; Continue to investigate cause

Cbs3springfield.com: Car smashes into Chicopee bedroom

Drivers can lose control of their cars for many reasons. Speed, inattention, and mechanical defects are among the common causes. The possibility of a medical issue in this second incident raises the issue of physical infirmities. These kinds of infirmities can be considered in determining the reasonableness of conduct. For example, if this driver suffered an unforeseeable heart attack that caused him to lose control of his SUV, he would not be responsible. If, on the other hand, he knew that was subject to some medical condition that would cause him to lose control of the vehicle but drove anyways, he could be liable in a negligence action.

Continue reading "Car Crashes into a Chicopee Building for the Second Time in Three Days " »

On Monday afternoon, a car rolled over on Route 24 in Avon, Massachusetts. Police said the 20-year-old driver refused medical treatment following the traffic accident. The Brockton man was reportedly driving a 2000 Ford Mustang. The car accident occurred at 1:52pm near the Route 27 exit, and police said the scene had been cleared by 2:30pm.

The cause of this Avon car crash remains under investigation.

Although there were no injuries in this instance, crashes involving cars, bikes, trucks, SUVs, or pedestrians can result serious and even deadly injuries. With insurance claims for personal injury, lost wages, and damage to your vehicle, these cases can pose a number of complicated legal challenges that require the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.

Source: Car rolls over on Route 24 in Avon, no injuries, The Enterprise, November 29, 2010

Continue reading "No Injuries Reported in Avon Car Rollover" »

A 14-year-old Andover girl was hit by a car on her way to the bus stop today, Andover police told the Boston Globe. The accident occurred near 200 Andover St. at 7:15 a.m. The girl was sent to Lawrence General Hospital, and her condition is not yet known.

The driver was a 17-year-old girl who has been charged with a school bus violation and impeded operation.

As this news illustrates, car accidents can happen at any given time. You can be on your way to school one minute and be suffering from a serious personal injury the next.

It also raises another common theme in Massachusetts car accidents: teen driver safety (or lack thereof). Teen drivers are uniquely prone to car accidents for many reasons. Inexperience, immaturity, and the sense of invincibility that commonly comes with youth can contribute to accidents involving teen drivers. Teens can also be more susceptible to peer pressure and image concerns and therefore speed, not wear seatbelts, text while driving, or even drink and drive. Because of these and other factors, teenaged drivers frequently find themselves involved in car accidents.

The fact that this teen driver was charged with a school bus violation and impeded operation could indicate that she was negligent or reckless. In Massachusetts, the violation of a statute or ordinance is evidence of negligence where there is a causal connection between the violation and the harm and that kind of harm is the kind that the statute was meant to prevent. Even though this driver is a minor, driving is an adult activity and she will be held to the same standard of care as an adult.

Source: The Boston Globe, Teen struck by vehicle in Andover

Continue reading "Andover Teen Hit by Car on Way to School Bus" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is determining whether to open a full-blown investigation into possible Honda Accord hybrid acceleration problems. An unidentified woman filed a complaint with the federal agency asking it to investigate after she was injured and her passenger died in a crash in her 2005 Accord Hybrid. She said that her car crashed into oncoming traffic after losing break power and accelerating on its own. Many documents on the NHTSA website indicate that several have been injured in similar accidents in these cars, according to the Boston Herald.

Similarly, Toyota has received thousands of unintended acceleration complaints in recent years. More specifically, since 1999, 2,262 incidents involving sudden and unintended acceleration of Toyota cars have been recorded. Last year alone, Toyota had to recall about 10 million vehicles, and after the recalls, Toyota faced hundreds of law suits. The unintended acceleration problem came under even more public scrutiny when an off -duty California police officer was recently killed in one of these crashes.

If the NHSTA decides to open the Honda investigation, the results should be interesting. In August, the agency released its preliminary findings about possible Toyota defects, and driver error (hitting the gas instead of the break) was determined to be the main cause of the failed breaks and unintended acceleration. So, time will tell whether these Hondas are defective in design or manufacture or whether drivers are misapplying the pedals.

Source: The Boston Herald, NHTSA reviews claim of Honda acceleration

Continue reading "NHTSA Deciding Whether to Investigate Honda Unintended Acceleration " »

A 70-year-old Pittsfield man who was involved in a motor vehicle accident last month has died at Albany Medical Center, apparently from serious injuries he sustained in the October 19 accident.

Pittsfield police say they are continuing to investigate the fatal accident, which involved a 49-year-old woman who was cited for failing to stop for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk. They are asking anyone who witnessed the pedestrian accident to call (413) 448-9700.

Authorities are reviewing the circumstances around the crash to determine if the driver will be held criminally responsible. Cases where a driver may be found criminal responsible include when the driver is found to have been driving too fast, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or driving recklessly with willful and wanton disregard for the probability that the driving may cause an accident. Driver negligence is considered less severe than reckless driving.

Source: Pittsfield Fatal Accident Police continue investigation, The Berkshire Eagle, November 19, 2010

Continue reading "Police Investigating Fatal Pittsfield Car Accident" »

According to NECN and other news sources, a single-vehicle accident early Sunday morning killed two 21-year-old men and seriously injured another. The driver reportedly lost control over his 2005 Nissan Maxima and was killed when it rolled over, also killing one passenger.

Another passenger was thrown from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries. The Natick man was taken by ambulance to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. Massachusetts State Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the rollover accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that rollover accidents are among the most serious types of accidents. About 3% of all passenger car and light trucks and vans accidents involve a rollover; however, about one-third of all traffic fatalities involve rollovers. SUVs have the highest rollover fatality rate (59%), while passenger cars have the lowest (23%).

Sources:
Two men die in early morning accident on Mass Pike, NECN, November 14, 2010
Single-car crash kills 2 on Mass. Pike, MyFoxBusiness.com, November 14, 2010
Report from NHTSA

Continue reading "Grafton Car Crash Kills Two Massachusetts Men" »

David Weaving, a 48-year-old Connecticut man who struck and killed a 14-year-old bicyclist, is suing the child’s parents for letting the child ride without a helmet. It is a countersuit to a filing by the family alleging negligence. Both Weaving and the family are seeking more than $15,000 in damages.

Weaving is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for manslaughter.

According to prosecutors, the fatal crash occurred when Weaving passed a car at more than 80 mph in a 45 mph zone. Weaving asserts that he was driving at the speed limit. Weaving was previously convicted of drunk driving four times before the crash.

Source: The Boston Herald, Driver in fatal crash sues victim’s parents over boy’s lack of helmet

Continue reading "Driver in Fatal Connecticut Car Accident Sues Victim's Parents " »

Icy road conditions may have played a role in several Massachusetts car accidents that occurred over the weekend. Police offers were injured in two of those crashes.

At about 6am Monday morning, Falmouth police officer Richard Everton sustained non-life threatening injuries when his cruiser spun out of control and flipped over. Everton was responding to a crash on Route 28.

According to a state police spokesman, a trooper sustained minor injuries in separate car crash in Millbury. Because icy roads create dangerous driving conditions, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Registry of Motor Vehicles recommends driving at reduced speeds and never locking your brakes when there’s ice. Also make sure that your fuel tank is at least half fuel to reduce the likelihood of it freezing.

Source: Several crashes reported on icy Mass. highways, Boston Globe, November 8, 2010

Continue reading "Authorities Blame Ice for Several Massachusetts Highways Accidents" »

A two-vehicle accident on Route 495 in Raynham killed a Brockton man earlier Monday morning. The 57-year-old man reportedly lost control of his 2002 Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle and hit the guardrail. A preliminary investigation also revealed that he swerved into the path of a 1999 Freightliner tractor trailer unit. The impact caused the SUV to roll over onto its roof, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The 56-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer did not sustain injuries in the crash. The roadway was wet with rain at the time of the fatal accident, but it’s unclear whether those conditions were a factor. Troop H of the Massachusetts State Police is investigating the cause and circumstances surrounding the crash.

Here in Massachusetts, drivers involved in a crash where the damage is at least $1,000 or where at least one person is injured are required to file a motor vehicle crash operator report within five days, even if a police officer was on the scene. The report includes information on weather conditions, injuries, vehicles involved, and other aspects of the crash.

Source: UPDATE: State Police investigate fatal crash in Raynham, WickedLocal.com, November 8, 2010

Continue reading "Fatal Car Rollover Crash in Raynham Under Investigation" »

A 57-year-old man from Brockton was killed this morning when his 2002 Nissan Pathfinder hit a guardrail and rolled over on I-495 in Raynham. A tractor- trailer unit driven by 46-year-old Kevin Anthony of Woburn hit the SUV when it rolled into a traffic lane.

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, but it happened when the roads were wet.

Even though some car crashes result only in damage to property, many like this one cause death or serious injury like spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, broken bones, severed limbs, and burns. Car accidents can happen at any time, blindsiding people on a routine Monday-morning commute. At Altman & Altman LLP, we have successfully handled thousands of personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from car crashes.

Continue reading "Brockton Man Killed in SUV Rollover" »

A car accident killed a Massachusetts man last Tuesday evening around 10pm. According to police, the 62-year-old Taunton resident was driving a 2004 Honda CRV on Route 495 when he lost control of the vehicle and veered into the media strip. The Honda reportedly rolled over, ejecting the driver, who was later taken by ambulance to Attleboro’s Sturdy Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the rollover accident.

Following the fatal car crash, the left lane of Route 495 was closed for about two hours. Police say there were no other vehicles involved in the accident, but it’s unclear what caused it. The accident reconstruction team is working to uncover a cause. Alcohol and speed are often factors in motor vehicle accidents, so they will be probing the scene of the accident to see if those may be causes.

Here in Massachusetts, the minimum fine for speeding is $50. If the driver exceeds the speed limit by more than 10 mph, they may be subject to a fine of an additional $10 per mph over the speed limit.

Source: Taunton man killed in rollover crash in Mansfield, Taunton Gazette, November 3, 2010

Continue reading "Single Vehicle Crash in Mansfield Kills Taunton Man" »

According to a recent article in USA Today, an American traveler dies in a car crash on foreign roads every 36 hours on average. The publication analyzed State Department data from January 1, 2003 and June 2010. Nationality aside, someone is injured or killed every six seconds on the roads of the world, according to global safety initiative Make Roads Safe.

The World Health Organization warns that the number of people internationally who die each year in traffic accidents will rise from 1.3 million to 2.4 million by 2030 unless actions are taken to make roads safer.

That’s why the General Assembly of the United Nations has proclaimed 2011-2020 as the Decade of Actions for Road Safety. A global plan to reduce the number of car crashes internationally is anticipated to be unveiled next May. The doctor who’s in charge of developing the plan says will focus on boosting safety in low- and middle-income countries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans who are injured overseas seek medical attention immediately and contact the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate if needed.

Source: U.S. traveler dies on foreign road every 36 hours on average, USA Today, October 22, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyers Discuss International Safety Stats" »

One person was injured on Thursday when a driver went down the wrong side of Commonwealth Avenue near Fenway and sideswiped between 5 and 10 cars, according to the Boston Globe. Citizens detained the driver until police arrived. A spokesperson for the Boston Police Department said that she was not sure if the driver was arrested. The accident is still being investigated.

Car crashes can involve very serious injuries, and the resulting medical costs can considerably exceed Personal Injury Protection insurance and the coverage that your own medical insurance provides.

Persons injured in crashes could be entitled to compensation from any and all negligent parties. To determine who the negligent parties may be, the best approach is to investigate the scene, retain car accident and medical experts, and examine all of the evidence. Therefore, it is important to call a personal injury attorney right away.

Continue reading "Driver Sideswipes Cars on Commonwealth Ave.; 1 Injured" »

Two months ago, 17-year-old Adam London died in a single-vehicle car accident just a few blocks from his home in Newton, Massachusetts. The teen driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and was not wearing his seat belt when he crashed into a tree.

In response to the tragic car crash, London’s family has created “Adam’s Promise,” a campaign aimed at raising awareness about safer driving habits. They're also traveling around to schools, spreading awareness about the importance of safe driving. Hundreds of students and adults have signed the pledge, honoring London’s memory and vowing not to engage in risky behaviors on the road. Those interested in signing the pledge can do so at www.apromisetoadam.org.

In Massachusetts, several dozen teen drivers die in traffic accidents each year. Nationwide, junior operators account for 13% of motor vehicle crash deaths and 10% of the population. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that the economic cost of police-reported crashes for drivers ages 15-20 was $40.8 billion in 2002.

Source: Family of Newton teen killed in car crash to share his story in Brookline, Wicked Local Newton, October 27, 2010

Continue reading "Family of Newton Teen Who Died in a Car Crash Creates Adam’s Promise" »

On Friday evening, an alleged drunk driving car crash sent three people to the hospital, including the driver. The 24-year-old man from Nahant was listed in good condition at Massachusetts General Hospital but, according to police, he faces charges of drunk driving and driving to endanger. He will be summoned to court for those charges and also the charge of driving with a suspended license.

Several people called police about the traffic accident, which occurred around 11:55pm on Friday evening and involved a Mazda3. In addition to injuring the driver and his two passengers, the accident also damaged a utility pole. All of those injured in the accident were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Here in Massachusetts, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of five months in jail for a third conviction of operating under the influence and one year for a fourth offense. It is unclear if the driver in this case had prior OUI convictions or if his driver’s license had been suspended for some other reason.

Source: Man faces charges in Peabody crash, Salem News, October 18, 2010

Continue reading "Peabody Car Accident Injures Three, Driver Charged" »

Last Wednesday morning, a Massachusetts car crash claimed the life of a 61-year-old woman from Peabody. The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which ended up in a river near Route 107 in Revere after a wheel feel off the car.

Two passerby were able to help a female passenger to safety, but the driver went down with the car after being unable to get out in time. In the background of the 911 emergency call, one could hear screaming for the driver to roll down her window.

The car was pulled from the water a few hours later, and investigators are searching for an explanation of what happened with the car’s wheel that caused the fatal accident.

Here in Massachusetts, the Good Samaritan law protects non-medical providers who make good faith efforts to help others in distress provided there is no willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence. A different set of standards govern physicians, nurses, and other medical professionsals.

Source: Woman dies after car crashes into water in Revere, Mass., NECN.com, October 13, 2010

Continue reading "Revere Car Accident Kills Peabody Woman" »

On Monday, a Wellesley car crash on Route 128 claims the lives of a husband and wife from Arlington. The 80-year-old husband was reportedly driving a 1997 Dodge van when it veered off the road and hit the guardrail. He was taken to the hospital via helicopter and died of injuries sustained in the car accident the following day. His wife, who was sitting in the passenger side of the van, was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The motor vehicle accident occurred around 3:30pm and is still being investigated by State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.

Because this is a single vehicle accident and the driver passed away, auto insurance companies won’t be adjusting anyone’s premiums as a result. However, here in Massachusetts, insurance companies generally presume more than in 50% fault in cases such as when there’s a collision with a parked vehicle, a rear end collision, an out of lane collision, or when the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction.

Source: Arlington Couple Killed in Route 128 Crash, Wellesley Patch, October 12, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Car Accident Kills Arlington Couple, No Other Injuries" »

On Wednesday morning, a Hyde Park man was involved in a car accident that took his life. The 32-year-old man was driving a 1993 Infiniti sedan when the vehicle reportedly crashed into a concrete barrier, flipping over and landing on its roof between two toll booths on Interstate 95.

State police freed the accident victim from his vehicle by cutting his seat belt. Authorities believe speed was a factor, but as of late Wednesday evening, they were still investigating the car crash.

Auto insurance companies typically handle single-vehicle accidents differently from accidents involving several vehicles. In this case, the driver unfortunately did not survive the accident, but in cases where the driver does survive, they are typically assumed to be at fault because no other vehicles were involved. However, in some cases, an investigation and witnesses might prove that the driver swerved to avoid another vehicle or a pedestrian.

Source: Driver killed in crash at Hampton tolls identified, Boston Herald, October 7, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Crash" »

The driver involved in a Massachusetts car accident on Route 8 that killed a 29-year-old Tolland woman has been sentenced. The crash occurred in March 2009 when the driver, a 48-year-old Connecticut woman who was found to be operating under the influence of alcohol, collided head-on with the victim’s vehicle.

After pleading guilty to charges including motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol, she was sentenced to six to ten years in prison for drunk driving. Because she apologized to the family of the victim and has no prior record, her lawyer requested a lighter sentence.

Here in Massachusetts, defendants found guilty of vehicular homicide while operating under the influence are subject to mandatory jail time. The passage of Melanie’s Law means stricter penalties on drunk driving, including a mandatory minimum of two and a half years in state prison and a maximum of up to 15 years. Drivers may also have their license revoked and get substantial fines. Manslaughter by motor vehicle carries a minimum mandatory jail sentence of five years.

Source: Conn. woman gets prison time for fatal Mass. crash, Boston Herald, October 5, 2010

Continue reading "Tolland Woman Killed in Massachusetts Crash, Driver Sentenced" »

Massachusetts’ text messaging ban went into effect last week. The goal of the ban is to reduce the number of auto accidents caused by distracted drivers.

However, according to research released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, texting bans don’t actually reduce the number of roadway accidents. In fact, in the four states studied by the HLDI, three out of four states experienced an increase in car accidents after enacting a text messaging ban. HLDI researchers hypothesize that this increase may be due to drivers who continue texting but keep their cell phones low and out of sight, taking their eyes even further from the road. Some also say that texting bans take the focus away from other important safety measures.

However, some safety officials say the ban can be effective when paired with strict enforcement. Here in Massachusetts, drivers caught texting while driving are subject to a $100 fine for the first offense and $250 (plus a 180-day suspension) for the second offense. While it’s too soon to tell if Massachusetts’ text messaging ban will prove effective, we’ll be interested in seeing how the issue unfolds.

Source: Text Messaging While Driving Laws: Do They Decrease Safety?, IEEEE Spectrum, September 30, 2010

The Massachusetts car crash attorneys at Altman & Altman can answer your legal questions if you have been injured in a bus, car, or truck accident.

Just before midnight on Sunday evening, Ayer police received word of a single vehicle auto accident on Washington Street near the former Ayer fire headquarters. The car crash involved a 25-year-old man from Groton.

The driver, who was not wearing his seat belt, reportedly hit a telephone pole. He was found unconscious in his blue 2008 Mustang with what an Ayer police lieutenant described as “obvious head injury.” The Ayer Fire Department took him to Nashoba Valley Medical Center. He was later transported to Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston and was listed in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

Authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the motor vehicle accident.

Source: Groton man critical after Ayer crash, Nashoba Publishing, September 27, 2010

Continue reading "Ayer Car Crash Seriously Injures Groton Man " »

The intersection of Plymouth Avenue and Rodman Street in Fall River is number one on a new list of dangerous intersections in southeastern Massachusetts. According to the report, the intersection averages a crash every nine days.

The study was conducted by the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District. The data which was used was gathered from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The report found that one of the more serious problems plaguing the area is red-light runners. The number of crashes caused by drivers running red lights more than doubled between 2006 and 2008.

Continue reading "Fall River Intersection Tops List of Most Dangerous Intersections in Southeastern Massachusetts " »

This past Thursday afternoon, a motorcyclist sustained serious injuries when he was struck by a 2005 Nissan. The crash occurred at 1 p.m. at the intersection of Main Street and Forest Avenue in Brockton.

The motorcyclist sustained serious injuries to his left leg, which was pinned underneath the Nissan after the collision. The injured 23-year-old man was taken by ambulance to Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital and was then transferred to New England Medical Center in Boston.

A preliminary investigation has revealed that the driver of the Nissan was traveling on Forest Avenue when he stopped at a stop sign and took a left, colliding with the motorcyclist. According to the local authorities, the Nissan driver, a 23-year-old Taunton resident, will be cited for failure to yield and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.

Continue reading "Plymouth Man Seriously Injured in Brockton Motorcycle Accident" »

Two individuals were rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital following a car accident in Arlington. The accident occurred on Milford Road near Mystic Valley Parkway at approximately 7 a.m. Monday morning. Arlington firefighters arrived at the scene to find a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria taxi cab in a wooded area off of the road. The taxi cab was on fire and the flames were beginning to spread to the surrounding trees and bushes.

According to the Massachusetts State Police, the cab driver was traveling at a high rate of speed when his vehicle went off the road. The cab driver then struck another vehicle, a Toyota Camry, in the rear before completely losing control of the cab.

There was a passenger inside of the cab at the time of the accident. The passenger was thrown forward into the front seat of the cab and was inside of the vehicle when it caught fire. Luckily, an MBTA Green Line instructor saw the vehicle and pulled the passenger from the flame engulfed taxi cab. The cab driver was found lying by the side of Mystic River and was suffering from serious injuries.

Continue reading "Two Injured in Arlington Car Accident Involving a Taxi Cab" »

On Monday morning, an Arlington car accident sent two people to Massachusetts General Hospital. According to a report from the Arlington Fire Department and State Police, the two-vehicle accident occurred on Medford Street around 7:03am.

When firefighters arrived at the scene of the car crash, they found a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria tax cab engulfed in flames in a wooded area near Mystic Valley Parkway. A police spokesman said the taxi’s driver had driven off the road, then re-entered traffic, rear-ending a 2003 Toyota Camry. The taxi driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which crossed the roadway, crashed into a tree, and caught on fire.

Upon impact, the taxi’s passenger was thrown into the front seat. An MBTA Green Line inspector reportedly pulled him from the vehicle while it was on fire. The taxi’s driver suffered injuries to his head, legs, and other extremities. He was cited with operating a vehicle on a suspended license, crossing marked lines, and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

The driver and passenger were both taken to the Massachusetts General Hosital by Advanced Life Support.

Source: UPDATED: Two injured in Medford Street crash Monday morning, WickedLocal.com, September 20, 2010

Continue reading "Two-Vehicle Accident in Arlington Injures Two" »

Yesterday morning, a Massachusetts state trooper was injured while working a construction detail in Mattapoisett. The auto accident occurred around 8:35am when a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am slammed into the back of the trooper’s cruiser, resulting in significant damage to both vehicles.

The names of the driver and the trooper have not been released to the public; however a State Police spokesman said both were take to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for non-life-threatening injuries.

The cause of the traffic accident remains under investigation.

Source: Trooper injured at highway construction detail, Boston Globe, September 15, 2010

Continue reading "Mattapoisett Car Crash Injures State Trooper" »

This past week, a Jeep rolled over on Sandy Neck Beach in West Barnstable, landing in the ocean. There were three individuals traveling in the Jeep at the time of the accident. One of the passengers, a 39-year-old resident of Forestdale, was pronounced dead at the scene.

One of the other passengers, who is also a resident of Forestdale, was taken to Cape Cod Hospital where he received treatment for a broken leg.

The third passenger in the Jeep was not injured. This man, a 28-year-old from Sandwich, was the only one of the three in the Jeep who was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Continue reading "Jeep Rollover on Sandy Neck Beach Leaves 1 Dead" »

Last month, a Saturday morning two-car crash in Revere killed both drivers. Police say one of the drivers involved in the traffic accident was fleeing police when he crashed his car into another vehicle.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said the pursuit came after an incident between two drivers was reported to police. Chelsea police chased one of the drivers into Revere; however, they stopped pursuing him due to the high risk involved. When police turned around, they saw that they driver had been throw from his vehicle after hitting another car. The other driver was thrown from his car as well. Both were pronounced dead soon afterwards.

The accident occurred on Saturday, August 28 around 1:30am and shut down Route 16 eastbound for several hours.

Source: Suspect Crashes Into Car In Revere, 2 Killed, WBZTV.com, August 28, 2010

If you or a loved one has been involved in a traffic accident, contact our Massachusetts auto accident attorneys to discuss your legal options.

Statistics released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration show that deaths from roadway accidents are on the decline. Here in Massachusetts, the number of deaths on all roads declined from 476 in 2004 to 363 in 2008, the most recent year for which statistics are available. In Norfolk County, motor vehicle deaths dropped from 46 to 27 during that same period.

Traffic experts attribute this trend to the use air bags and other automotive technology, as well as greater enforcement of traffic laws.

However, the number of Massachusetts fatalities on major arterial roads and interstate highways actually increased from 2003 to 2008. Experts say these major roads pose additional hazards because of faster speeds and the fact that many motorists routinely drive 10 mph or more over the speed limit but can’t react fast enough to avert an accident.

Source: Safer by the mile?, The Sun Chronicle, September 5, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Traffic Fatality Attorneys Discuss Roadway Statistics" »

Three teenagers sustained injuries when the SUV they were traveling in collided with a tractor-trailer. The accident occurred on Boston Road in Sutton at approximately 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The Dodge SUV, which was being operated by an 18-year-old Sutton resident, crossed the center line on Boston Road and crashed into a Coca-Cola truck.

Rescue crews extracted the driver of the SUV with the Jaws of Life. The driver was then airlifted by Boston Medflight to UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus in Worchester. The young man’s condition was has not yet been made available.

Continue reading "Three Teenagers injured When SUV Collides with Tractor-Trailer" »

Two motorists were killed this past Tuesday afternoon in Westport. The fatal car accident, which occurred on Route 195, involved two-vehicles.

One of the drivers, a 75-year-old resident of Fall River, suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The other motorist, a 61-year-old woman from Somerset, was airlifted to Rhode Island hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, the woman succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital later that evening.

The accident occurred at approximately 4:25 p.m. According to the preliminary investigation, the individual from Fall River was traveling in the eastbound lane of Route 195 in a Nissan Quest when the vehicle crossed the grass median onto the westbound lanes. The Nissan then struck the 2007 Chevrolet Equinox being operated by the Somerset women.

The accident caused that section of the highway to be shut down for approximately two hours. The Massachusetts State Police are currently investigating the automobile accident.

Continue reading "Two Killed in Fatal Car Accident in Westport" »

The Massachusetts State Police are currently on the lookout for a hit-and-run driver that struck a police cruiser and injured a civilian. The accident occurred on I-395 in Chicopee early Saturday morning.

A state police trooper was stooped on the side of the Chicopee stretch of the highway near exit 4 assisting a motorist with a flat tire. A few moments later, as the motorist stood by the driver’s side window of the state police cruiser speaking with the trooper, an SUV swerved into the breakdown lane on I-395, colliding with not only the state police cruiser, but also the pedestrian standing at the window.

Following the accident, the SUV fled the scene of the crash. Police have described the SUV as being light in color and it will likely have heavy front-end damage as the result of the accident.

Continue reading "Hit-and-run Driver Collides with a Police Cruiser, Injuring a Civilian" »

On Monday, a traffic accident in Lowell, Massachusetts sent a 12-year-old boy with the hospital with serious head injuries. The boy was riding his bike when Williard Street around 2pm when he was reportedly hit by a red Sedan. Witnesses said the boy went flying and the car crash sounded like two vehicles colliding.

Police said the bike accident victim was airlifted from the scene of the bike accident to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The victim was not wearing a bike helmet and sustained serious head and neck injuries.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the Lowell bike accident.

Source: Boy struck by car while riding his bike in Lowell, WHDH.com, August 30, 2010

Continue reading "Sedan Injures Boy on Bike in Lowell Traffic Accident" »

A Lynn man was seriously injured when the moped which he was operating was struck by an allegedly drunk driver. The collision took place at the intersection of North Street and Liberty Hill Avenue in Salem at approximately 1:30 a.m. this past Saturday morning.

Following the accident, the driver of the moped was transported to North Shore Medical Center before being transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The operator of the moped was struck by an allegedly drunk Peabody woman driving a Volkswagen Passat. Police reported that they smelled an odor of alcohol on the 25-year-old driver’s breath and that her speech was slurred and her eyes were both bloodshot and glassy.

Continue reading "Moped Rider Seriously Injured Following Collision with an Alleged Drunk Driver" »

Saturday morning, a police chase that began in Chelsea resulted in the deaths of two individuals in Revere. The preliminary investigation states that the suspect was being pursued by the Chelsea Police Department prior to the collision.

The two vehicles collided when the driver, who was fleeing from the police moments before, ran a red light and struck a vehicle driven by a 65-year-old Revere man.

Following the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Revere Parkway and Route 145, both drivers were ejected from their cars. One of the men was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was pronounced dead at Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett.

Continue reading "Two Killed in high-speed collision in Revere " »

Earlier this month, the mayor of Quincy, Massachusetts signed an ordinance to bill insurance companies if you’re at fault in an motor vehicle accident and the fire fighters respond. The insurance company would be billed for the cost of the fire department’s response.

Mayor Thomas Koch says the city needs to find cost-effective ways to provide the services that people expect. He adds that if your vehicle hits a light pole insurance companies already gets billed for the cost of replacing the light pole, so this measure is an extension of that.

Not surprisingly, this decision is unpopular among car insurance companies, who say it adds an unnecessary fee which could get passed onto Massachusetts motorists in the form of higher premiums. Huntington Beach, California has adopted a similar law.

Sources: Quincy will bill for car crashes, NECN.com, August 20, 2010

First California, Now Massachusetts, Accident Taxes Appear Nationwide, Out of the Storm News, August 23, 2010

Injured on the road? Our Massachusetts auto accident lawyers can help guide you the through the accident claims process and explain your legal options.

An 81-year-old Beverly Farms woman operating a Honda Civic collided with a 14-wheel trash truck around noon yesterday afternoon. The operator of the Honda crossed the center line on Hart Street in Beverly and was struck by the truck as a result.

The local authorities have stated the victim of the crash lost consciousness following the accident and was taken by ambulance to Beverly hospital following the administration of CPR by firefighters at the scene of the crash.

According to the Beverly Police Department, the operator of the Honda was conscious and talking to rescue workers immediately after the crash, but lost consciousness moments after the firefighters arrived. The rescue workers utilized a portable defibrillator to try and revive the woman. Beverly Hospital reported that the 81-year-old woman passed away yesterday afternoon as a result of the injuries which she sustained in the crash.

The trash truck was being operated by a 47-year-old Rockport man when the accident occurred. The driver of the trash truck sustained a minor wrist injury in the collision. The truck belongs to a Peabody hauling and recycling company.

Continue reading "14 -wheel Trash Truck Collides with Honda Civic in Beverly, Killing the Driver" »

According to authorities, a rising senior and lacrosse player at Newton North High School died in a one-car crash on Monday evening. The 17-year-old male could not be revived by emergency response teams after his car hit a tree. The motor vehicle accident reportedly occurred at 9:46pm on Bellevue Street in Newton.

He was remembered as a talented athlete who made the varsity lacrosse team his sophomore year. He had also worked as a camp counselor at the Garden City lacrosse camp.

The cause of the fatal car crash is still being investigated.

Source: Newton North High School student dies in crash, Boston.com, August 24, 2010

Continue reading "Single Vehicle Crash Kills Newton Teen" »

This past week, a four vehicle car accident occurred on Route 2 in Lexington. The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m., when a vehicle headed eastbound crossed over the median into oncoming westbound traffic.

The vehicle then collided head –on with three automobiles driving in the westbound lanes on Route 2. The accident occurred at a high rate of speed. The driver of the vehicle which crossed the median and struck the other cars was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to state police, another individual involved in the accident was in “very bad shape” and was transported to the hospital for treatment of the injuries sustained in the collision. Reportedly, all but one of the people involved in the four-car accident were transported to the hospital. The one individual that was not taken to the hospital was able to walk and was treated at the scene.

Continue reading "Several Injured and One Killed Following a Four Vehicle Car Crash in Lexington " »

Our Boston car crash lawyers have learned that on Friday afternoon, two women were killed in separate accidents. In Westford, Massachusetts, a 23-year-old pedestrian from Franklin was hit in the high-speed lane of Route 485. The pedestrian accident occurred at 3:48am, shutting down all three lanes of traffic for more than three hours.

According to investigators, the woman was struck by at least one vehicle near Exist 32. They are unclear on why she was walking in the traffic lane. Her identity was not released to the media pending notification of the victim’s family.

In the second accident, a 1995 Toyota T100 pickup truck rolled over on Route 24 North in Stoughton, killing a Fall River woman and seriously injuring her passenger. A statement released by police said that the driver may have fallen asleep behind the wheel. The accident occurred at 2:13am. Emergency response and crash reconstruction teams shut down all southbound lanes and two northbound lanes until 4:40am.

Source: Two killed in separate highway accidents, Boston Herald, August 13, 2010

Contact the Boston personal injury law firm of Altman & Altman if you have lost a loved one to a motor vehicle accident.

Last Friday afternoon, a man driving a blue Buick sedan rear-ended a couple driving in a Toyota as they were making a left turn onto Tisdale Street in Leominster. Two of the individuals were rushed to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester with life threatening injuries. The third individual involved in the accident was taken to HealthAliiance Hospital in Leominster for treatment.

The local fire department used the Jaws of Life to rescue the couple trapped inside of the Toyota. Unfortunately, the couple was unable to be airlifted from the scene since all of the helicopters operating out of surrounding Worcester and Boston were tied up. As a result, the injured couple was transported to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester by ambulance.

Police stated that the driver of the blue Buick sedan will be charged with operating under the influence of liquor, operating a motor vehicle negligently, a marked lanes violation and speeding.

Continue reading "Three Injured in Leominster Car Accident " »

An 80-year-old driver was injured yesterday when his car struck a utility pole before coming to rest on the lawn of a Quincy home. The car accident occurred around 11 a.m. on Beal Street. The driver had to be removed from his Buick LeSabre by rescue workers utilizing the Jaws of Life.

The operator of the vehicle, a resident of nearby Milton, is currently in fair condition at Boston Medical Center. The man reportedly suffered head trauma in the collision. The Quincy Police stated that the lack of skid marks at the scene indicate that there was no attempt made by the driver to stop the vehicle. The authorities further stated that the 80-year-old driver likely suffers from a medical condition which caused him to veer off the road.

Witnesses reported that the LeSabre jumped a curb, hit a utility pole and then struck the hedges on the front lawn of a Beal Street home. Fortunately, the vehicle did not collide with any of the pedestrians that were walking along the street at the time of the accident.

Continue reading "80-Year-Old Driver Injured Following Quincy Car Crash onto Front Lawn of Home" »

The MA personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman have been made aware of a fatal accident this morning on route 495 in Westford. An unidentified woman was walking along the highway when she was struck and killed by a 2009 Toyota RAV SUV. The vehicle was operated by a Lowell resident whose name has not been released by the local authorities.

The pedestrian accident caused all three northbound lanes of Route 495 to be shut down for over two hours. A preliminary investigation has shown that the pedestrian was possibly struck by multiple vehicles, including the Toyota SUV.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an automobile accident, please contact the attorneys at the law firm of Altman & Altman for an initial consultation free of charge. Our firm has successfully handled thousands of car accident cases and our lawyers are available to answer all of your questions and help to put your mind to rest.

Continue reading "Franklin Pedestrian Killed by SUV on 495 in Westford" »

Earlier today, a motor vehicle accident in Somerville sent both drivers involved to the hospital. According to police, a box truck and an SUV collided near the intersection of Mystic Avenue and McGrath Highway around 8:22am.

Somerville Police and Fire departments responded to the accident. The driver of the Toyota Highlander reportedly suffered serious injuries. Both injured motorists were transported to Massachusetts General Hospital.

The road has since reopened to traffic, but the cause of the auto accident remains under investigation by members of the accident reconstruction team.

Source: Crash injures two in Somerville, Boston Herald, August 12, 2010

Continue reading "Two-Vehicle Crash in Somerville Injures Drivers" »

Our Boston car accident lawyers have learned that a Lynn man is charged with leaving the scene of personal injury, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle lights violation, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, failure to stop and or yield, crosswalk violation, number plate violation and failure to appear upon recognizance. He allegedly hit another vehicle and injured a pedestrian on Monday evening as officers pursued him.

The motorist reportedly jumped out of the 1995 Honda Civic he was driving and attempted to flee the scene before being caught by several officers. Police also tended to the 22-year-old pedestrian accident victim, who sustained serious injuries and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

The driver was arraigned at Lynn District Court and ordered held in lieu of $20,000 cash bail. His pre-trail hearing is scheduled for early September.

Source: Driver arraigned after accident injures pedestrian, The Daily Item of Lynn, August 11. 2010

Continue reading "Lynn Driver Accused of Injuring Pedestrian" »

Two sisters from Revere were rescued from their 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass after their vehicle rolled over the Fox Hill Bridge on Route 107 in Lynn. The vehicle is thought to have struck an angled concrete barrier at the end of the bridge which caused the Oldsmobile to flip.

Three Lynn men are being credited for rescuing the women from the car, which slid down the road on its roof until coming to a stop. The men witnessed the accident as they were fishing nearby.

One of the witnesses rushed to the car, kicked in the passenger side window, and pulled one of the sisters from the wreck. The men then attempted to remove the second victim, but had a difficult time.

Following the arrival of rescue workers, one of the sisters was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment of her head injuries which she sustained in the crash. The woman is currently listed in stable condition. The other passenger in the vehicle was taken to Salem Hospital where she was treated and released for her injuries.

Continue reading "Revere Sisters Pulled From Rollover Accident in Lynn" »

Our Boston car accident lawyers have learned that on Saturday, an 86-year-old woman drove off the road in a marina and into the water. Witnesses immediately dove into the water and rescued the woman from her submerged car. According to the woman’s daughter, she will be fine.

The New Bedford auto accident is still being investigated.

Source: 86-yr-old woman rescued from submerged car, ABCLocal.Go.com, August 8, 2010

The Massachusetts motor vehicle accident firm of Altman & Altman, LLP have over fifty years of experience in handling accident claims. We have successfully litigated and negotiated millions of dollars in insurance claims and jury awards. Contact us to discuss your case.

This morning at 9:21 a.m., a pickup truck slammed into a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the breakdown lane on the eastbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Grafton, causing a six-mile backup.

The operator of the Toyota Tundra Pickup truck was airlifted from the accident to a nearby hospital. State Police are reporting that the driver has suffered serious injuries. Following the collision, State Police crime scene and accident reconstruction experts investigated the scene.

Earlier today, the same stretch of the Mass Pike was closed due to a tractor trailer fire. The tractor trailer, which was hauling corn, erupted into flames a mile away from where the later collision occurred. Police are currently investigating both accidents.

Continue reading "Driver Airlifted to Hospital Following a Mass Pike Accident in Grafton" »

On Sunday afternoon, a traffic accident in Newburyport, Massachusetts injured three people. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. Authorities are investigating the minivan accident to find out why the 91-year-old driver lost control of the vehicle just after the Yankee Homecoming Parade.

A husband and wife were hit as they crossed High Street. They were in a cross walk. The wife was listed in serious but stable condition at a local hospital, and the husband was treated and released from the hospital. A third person was hit by the minivan but refused medical attention.

It’s unclear whether the car crash was caused by driver error or a mechanical issue, so investigator inspected the vehicle earlier this week for possible accelerator problems.

Source: Police continue to investigate Sunday's minivan accident, WickedLocal.com, August 2

Continue reading "Newburyport Minivan Accident Under Investigation" »

A 23-year old passenger was killed in Lynn when a flat bed tow truck struck the Honda Civic he was riding in from behind. The two remaining occupants of the Honda Civic who were riding in the front seat were taken to Salem Hospital for treatment of their injuries.

The accident occurred at 4:32 pm on the southbound side of the Lynnway at the Harding Street red-light. The occupants of the Civic were stopped at a red-light when the impact occurred.

Following the collision, both the tow truck, which was owned and operated by a Revere towing company, and the Honda Civic caught fire. The operator of the flat bed tow truck was not injured and has not been charged by the local police. Authorities are currently investigating the incident.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the experienced attorneys at the law firm of Altman & Altman for an initial consultation free of charge.

Source: Tow truck rear-ends car, killing passenger, The Boston Globe, July 31, 2010

Our Massachusetts traffic accident attorneys have learned that a report released by the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District examines 23 of the region’s most car accident-prone intersections. Eight of those are in Fall River.

The report was released last week, and it shows that 28% of traffic accidents at the intersection of Davol Street and President Avenue are the result of drivers running red lights.

Although the city does not have plans to add red light cameras at the eight intersections named in the report, the town’s Director of Community Maintenance said that may be the answer to preventing car crashes.

Source: Report: Eight city intersections run a higher risk for accidents, The Herald News, July 29, 2010

Continue reading "Study Finds Fall River Has Eight Intersections With Higher Car Accident Risk" »

Last week, Massachusetts police announced plans to crack down on impaired drivers in an effort to reduce the number of car accidents involving state troopers. So far this year, 87 officers have been killed in the line across the country. More than half of those were in Massachusetts. Four recent traffic accidents have involved troopers who were making a traffic stop or working a construction detail. Ten police cruisers have been hit by drunk drivers this year.

In response to the recent rise in roadway accidents involving troopers, the department will be examining procedures and comparing those to departments in other states. There is no national standard for police lights and markers, but there have been studies to measure the effectiveness of different lighting systems.

The state is also launching a driving safety awareness campaign and stepping up efforts against drunk driving. Four extra patrols have been added on Fridays and Saturdays in each of Massachusetts’ five geographical areas. The effort, called Operation Lighting, has led to the arrest of two dozen alleged drunk drivers and will continue through the summer.

Source: Impaired drivers are put on notice, Boston Globe, July 23, 2010

Continue reading "Following Car Crashes, Massachusetts Troopers Step Up Enforcement" »

On Sunday morning, a hit-and-run accident injured a 32-year-old Massachusetts state trooper while he was protecting a fellow officer no Route 128 south. The car accident occurred in Peabody around 2am. The trooper was taken to Union Hospita in Lyn, where he was treated for a leg injury.

The driver fled the scene of the motor vehicle accident and faces charges including leaving the scene of an accident causing bodily injury, negligent driving, and failing to obey the move-over law.

A separate incident killed a 52-year-old sergeant on a construction detail on Interstate 95 in Attleboro. Since troopers are frequently killed or injured on Massachusetts roads and highways, authorities urge drivers to follow the move-over law and to report any damaged gray or silver sedans that may have been involved with Sunday’s hit-and-run.

Source: Trooper struck on highway, Boston Herald, July 5, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Lawyers Discuss Accident Involving Trooper " »

In Northampton, several recent car accidents have involved bears crossing the street. On April 30, a bear cub was badly injured by a vehicle on Florence Road, and environmental police had to put the cub down.

Two other auto accidents occurred this week. One accident occurred on Monday afternoon, when a green mini-van hit a small bear. The second motor vehicle accident occurred Tuesday evening when a cub crossed the path of a vehicle traveling west. In both cases, the drivers were not injured, though the second driver’s vehicle suffered over $1,000 in front-end damage.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research unit at the University of Massachusetts said there are roughly 3,000 bears statewide, and cubs are especially at risk for injury because of their inexperience. He adds that the best way to avoid a car crash involving a bear is to drive more slowly, especially on winding road.

Source: Collisions grow as bears adapt, MassLive.com, July 1, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Bear Population Poses Hazard to Drivers" »

On Wednesday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted almost unanimously to approve a transportation bill that would ban texting while driving for all Bay State drivers and impose stricter licensing requirements on older drivers. If the bill passes, the state would join 28 others and the District of Columbia that have already banned texting while driving.

This legislation comes on the heels of several Massachusetts motor vehicle accidents involving older drivers. The proposed bill would mandate that drivers 75 and older apply in person at the Registry of Motor Vehicles and pass a vision test every five years. It would also prohibit motorists under 18 from using cell phones in any short or form while driving.

Next stop for this traffic bill is the Senate.

Source: Massachusetts House passes bill to ban all drivers from texting while driving, MassLive.com, June 23, 2010

Continue reading "Texting Bill Moves to Massachusetts Senate" »

Earlier this week, a Massachusetts man called state police a few hours after being involved in a serious car accident, saying he thought he was somewhere in Massachusetts. Police tracked his call to Manchester, New Hampshire and discovered his car 70 feet from the road.

When emergency response crews arrived at the scene of the auto accident, they found the car accident victim alert, but they air-lifted him to Boston Medical Center so he could be checked for internal injuries.

They have not determined the cause of the motor vehicle accident, but they are still investigating. Speed and alcohol may have been contributing factors.

Source: Massachusetts Man Crashes In Woods In Manchester, WMUR.com, June 21, 2010

Continue reading "Tewksbury Man Injured in Serious Car Crash" »

Last week, a head-on collision on Route 23 between a Toyota and a tractor-trailer sent a Lenox, Massachusetts women to the hospital. Police said the 2008 Toyota was traveling east on Route 23 when the vehicle crossed the median and hit a westbound tractor-trailer.

Both vehicles were totaled, but the tractor-trailer driver was not injured. He was cited for falsifying his driving log. The injured Toyota driver was taken to Berkshire Medical Center.

The motor vehicle accident caused authorities to close part of Route 23 for nine hours. Police are still investigating the accident. As of last week, they had not interviewed the Toyota driver due to her hospitalization.

Source: Woman stable after accident, Berkshire Eagle, June 11, 2010

Continue reading "Lenox Woman Injured in Head-on Collision" »

On Tuesday morning, a two-vehicle accident on Route 140 killed one person and injured two others. Police have not released the name of the deceased person pending notification of the car accident victim’s family. He or she was riding in a 1995 Ford Escort driven by a Shrewsbury, Massachusetts woman. The passenger was pronounced dead after being transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

The Escort’s driver and the driver of a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer both sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the collision. According to a police press release, they were also transported by ambulance to UMass Memorial.

Traffic at the intersection was temporarily rerouted following the motor vehicle accident.

Source: 1 killed, 2 injured in Route 140 accident, Telegram.com, June 9, 2010

Continue reading "One Fatality, Two Injuries in Shrewsbury Car Accident" »

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Bay State ranks 47th in the country for seat belt use. Currently, Massachusetts motorists and passengers are supposed to wear seat belts, but failure to do so is considered a secondary offense. In other words, police officers cannot pull over a driver for failure to wear a seat belt. They must pull over motorists for primary offenses like speeding or running a red light.

Some argue that changing the seat belt laws in Massachusetts could lead to racial profiling by police officers, but others say it’s a necessary safety measure. According to one Falmouth, requiring Massachusetts drivers and passengers to buckle their seat belts could save eighteen lives and prevent 600 serious injuries per year.

According to recent statistics, those are who are involved in a car accident and are not wearing a seat belt have an 83% percent chance of death. That number drops to just 34% when the person is wearing a seat belt. The Commonwealth is also entitled to an additional $13.6 million in federal funding if it tightens its seat belt law.

Source: Seat belt law change could be difference between life and death, MetroWest Daily News, May 30, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Lawmakers Consider New Seat Belt Law" »

On Friday afternoon, an 87-year-old man from Brockon, Massachusetts died in a single vehicle crash on Route 95. It is believed that the driver had some sort of medical emergency while behind the wheel, but the state medical examiner’s office has yet to determine the cause of death.

Witnesses say the man was driving north in a 2000 Toyota Avalon when he drifted from lane to lane. He then veered off the road and onto the grass median, turning over times before landing in the Route 95 high-speed lane and ejecting the man. The car crash occurred around 6pm on Friday. Emergency rescue personnel from the Hope Valley Fire Department declared the man dead at the scene at 6:10pm.

According to police, a 1999 BMW managed to stop before hitting the overturned vehicle. One passenger in the car, a 77-year-old from Brockton, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital.

Source: Massachusetts man, 87, dies in crash on Route 95 in Exeter, Providence Journal, June 6, 2010

Continue reading "Car Crash Kills Massachusetts Man " »

Police in Lynn have charged a 19-year-old with violating the “social host law,” which prohibits the sale, delivery, or furnishing of alcoholic beverages to minors. According to the law, “furnishing” can include allowing those under 21 to possess alcoholic beverages on premises or property owned or controlled by the defendant. Violations are punishable with up to a $2,000 fine and/or imprisonment for up to one year.

The fatal auto accident occurred in March, when several teens drank alcohol at a party thrown by the 19-year-old Lynn man and were later involved in a motor vehicle accident.

A 19-year-old woman was ejected through the sunroof and died after her boyfriend crashed his Toyota 4Runner. Two passengers also suffered minor injuries in the car crash. The driver involved in the motor vehicle accident has been charged with motor vehicle homicide, failure to stop at a stop sign, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Source: Lynn teen charged in fatal accident, The Daily Item, June 2, 2010

Continue reading "Fatal Car Accident in Lynn Leads to Social Host Charges" »

On Sunday, a motor vehicle accident on Route 18 in New Bedford involving three vehicles sent several people to Boston and Providence hospitals with serious injuries. Four of the auto accident victims, including two 2-year-old boys, were taken to hospitals by medical helicopter.

Police reports indicate that the car crash occurred near the Purchase Street ramp. A 1993 Honda Civic and a 1994 Honda Accord were reportedly racing on Route 18 when the Civic hit a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. The Civic’s driver lost control of the vehicle, hitting the Accord. One of the Civic’s passengers was ejected from the car. She was not wearing a seat belt.

The Civic’s driver was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital. State police would only identify the victim as a 17-year-old woman. The Accord’s driver was also taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital. He was identified as an 18-year-old New Bedford man. State police said two of the Accord’s passengers were flown to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries. A total of seven injuries were reported.

Those operating the Accord and the Civic have been cited for speeding, marked lanes violations, and racing. The multiple vehicle collision remains under investigation.

Source: Route 18 racing crash injures 7, including 2 children, South Coast Today, May 31, 2010

Continue reading "New Bedford Car Crash Injures Seven People" »

Earlier today, several motor vehicle accidents on Interstate 93 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire caused delays for many drivers. The first accident involved a motorcycle and was called in around 4:30am after the cyclist struck a deer.

Another motorcycle accident occurred an hour later when a New Hampshire man crashed his 2000 Harley Davidson. The cyclist was alert but complained of neck and back pain. Andover rescue reportedly took the man to Lawrence General Hospital.

Three more auto accidents occurred between 6:50am and 7:35am, but police were not able to give further details on those incidents. The most recent car accident caused in a car fire that backed up traffic along 93 South. Firefighters were able to control the flames by about 9:30am this morning.

Source: Rash of accidents on I-93 leave at least 2 injured in Mass. and N.H., Eagle-Tribune, May 25, 2010

Continue reading "Multiple Accidents on I-93 Cause Driving Delays" »

Last week, a motor vehicle collision on a Massachusetts military reservation injured two drivers. According to state police, their vehicles collided at the intersection of Generals Boulevard and Richardson Road around 6:30am.

The auto accident involved a Nissan Pathfinder driven by a 25-year-old Braintree man and a Honda Civic driven by a 32-year-old Attleboro woman.

Members of the Massachusetts Military Reservation Fire Department extricated both of the injured motorists from their vehicles. The Honda driver was taken to Falmouth Hospital and later transferred to Brigham & Women’s Hospital. The other motorist was treated and released at Falmouth Hospital, according to a Cape Cod Healthcare spokeswoman.

Source: Drivers injured in collision on military base, Cape Cod Times, May 14, 2010

Continue reading "Car Crash on Massachusetts Military Base Injures Two " »

Several Massachusetts car insurance companies have been accused of failing to correct at-fault car accident findings reported to private data collection companies after the board overturned those at-fault findings. Four more auto insurers have settled with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley to the tune of more than $100,000.

The settlement requires these four companies to correct their at-fault accident findings reported to private data collectors. They must also report these corrections to insurers who actively use this information to calculate premiums for Massachusetts drivers. In addition, the companies will be required to pay any driver surcharged as a result of an at-fault report that should have been corrected.

According to Coakley’s office, the settlement could impact the driving records of 10,000 Massachusetts motorists.

Source: Mass. AG settles with four more insurers over at-fault accident reports, IFAWebNews.com, May 11, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Attorney General Reaches Deal with Auto Insurers Over Accident Reports" »

The Middlesex District Attorney's Office is investigating a Waltham pizza delivery driver who was reportedly involved in a motor vehicle accident that claimed the life of a 9-year-old boy. The 19-year-old Waltham man has not yet been charged in connection with the fatal crash, but his license was automatically revoked after the incident and records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles show that the driver was found more than 50 percent at fault for his involvement in another Waltham accident on March 27.

The fatal car accident occurred last Wednesday when a Mazda Protégé collided at an intersection with a Jeep Cherokee. Police believe that the Mazda driver may have run a stop sign after making a pizza delivery.

According to registry records, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee was driving without a Massachusetts driver's license. Her 9-year-old son was killed, but her 1-year-old daughter survived the accident without injury.

Source: Teen investigated in fatal Waltham crash, Boston Herald, May 8, 2010

Continue reading "Waltham Car Crash Kills Passenger" »

Last month, a 15-year-old Massachusetts boy was driving a sport utility vehicle when the vehicle crashed into a tree in Newton. All four of the SUV's occupants were age 15 and were taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for injuries.

Police have announced that the boy will face charges of driving to endanger, operating without a license, and using a motor vehicle without authority. In addition to these charges, the teen was cited for speeding.

Three of the teens injured in the SUV crash have been released from the hospital. As of a few weeks ago, the other teen was in critical but stable condition, according to the Boston Globe.

Source: Driver, 15, to face charges in Newton crash, Boston Globe, April 26, 2010

Continue reading "Teen Faces Charges in Newton SUV Accident" »

On Saturday afternoon, two men died in separate Massachusetts highway crashes. Both traffic accidents occurred between 3 and 4pm.

In the first crash, a car headed east on Interstate 195 hit a guard rail and flipped over. EMTs pronounced the driver dead at the scene of the car crash. He was the only person in the vehicle.

A second highway accident involved a man on a motorcycle, who was traveling south on Route 146. He was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting the median. The motorcycle accident victim was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Both fatal accidents are being investigated. Authorities have not released the victims' names pending notification of relatives.

Source: Two killed in highway accidents, Boston Globe, April 24, 2010

Continue reading "Police Report Two Fatal Highway Crashes in Massachusetts" »

On Sunday evening around 9pm, a 24-year-old Springfield man crashed his vehicle into a home in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. The impact of his Acura hitting the house caused an estimated $25,000 in damage, but fortunately none of the home's occupants were injured.

The driver admitted to text-messaging at the time of the car accident. He was released from the hospital later that night.

Lawmakers say this car crash underscores the hazards of texting behind the wheel and the need for legislation to ban the practice. Regardless of whether texting is legal or illegal, police say they hope that other Massachusetts drivers will take heed.

Source: 24-year-old Springfield man tells Wilbraham police he had been texting when he lost control of his Acura and crashed into a home at 11 Pleasant View Road, MassLive.com, April 26, 2010

Texting Driver Crashes into House, CBS3Springfield.com, April 26, 2010

Continue reading "Texting Motorist Crashes Into Massachusetts Home" »

According to Massachusetts transit police, a Green Line trolley collided with a black Jeep Cherokee around midnight on Sunday. The Jeep Cherokee reportedly carried eight Boston College students, including four college athletes, all under the legal drinking age. Several of the students were injured and treated at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, but neither the driver of the trolley nor any of its passengers were hurt.

Police apparently searched the vehicle after the MBTA crash and found several open and unopened beer cans, as well as an unopened 1.75 liter bottle of vodka. They also found "flood smeared beer cans" at the site of the trolley accident.

The MBTA has announced that it will hold the students responsible for the SUV accident and wants them to pay repair costs. The eight students will also face citations for being minors in possession of alcohol.

Source: Four BC athletes to face alcohol charges after Green Line collision, The Boston Globe, April 26, 2010

Continue reading "Boston College Athletes Involved with Green Line Crash" »

In the three years since Massachusetts instituted tougher penalties on teen drivers who speed or commit other traffic violations, the number of fatal car accidents involving junior operators has decreased by 75%. According to statistics from the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the number of speeding tickets and citations for seat-belt violations issued to these young drivers has also dropped.

New laws took effect on March 31, 2007 after a serious of deadly car crashes involving teen drivers. These laws increased driver's ed requirements and the penalties for teen driving violations. The RMV says these new penalties have been highly effective at discouraging unsafe driving practices among teens.

In fact, last year Massachusetts had only six fatal auto accidents involving teen drivers, compared to 20 a few years ago. Overall, there were 13,214 accidents reported among teen motorists compared to 21,310 in 2006 before the new laws went into effect.

Source: Steep drop in teen driver fatalities, Boston Globe, April 18, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Experiencing Fewer Teen Driving Fatalities" »

On Sunday morning, a single-car accident on Route 1 in Peabody killed an Amesbury man. The 21-year-old passenger was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from a 2005 Saturn Ion when the driver, a 22-year-old from Sanford, Maine, lost control of the vehicle. The Saturn rolled over several times before ending up in the median.

The driver was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries, but his passenger was declared dead at the scene of the accident. According to police, the ramp from Route 1 north was closed for about two and a half hours while authorities investigated the car accident.

Troop A of the Massachusetts State Police , the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and the Medical Examiners Office continue to investigate the fatal auto accident.

Source: Amesbury man dead in Route1 ramp crash, ItemLive.com, April 19, 2010

Continue reading "Peabody Car Crash Kills Massachusetts Man " »

According to statistics from the first quarter of this year, car accidents in Walpole, Massachusetts have decreased by 20 percent compared to first quarter last year. Last year, officers responded to 127 motor vehicle accidents in the first quarter compared to 101 accidents this year.

In fact, police have noted a three-year downward trend with 393 recorded auto accidents in 2008 and 11 fewer in 2009. This comes despite a decrease in manpower in the city's police department over the last few years. In 2004, the department had 41 officers compared to its current 33 sworn officers.

Walpole's police chief attributed this trend to efficient policing, improved sight visibility at dangerous spots, and road improvements at several intersections. He said they are planning to hire two experienced officers soon and the town working to straighten out turns on two streets.

Source: Car accidents in Walpole down 20 percent, WickedLocal.com, April 15, 2010

Continue reading "Stats Show 20% Fewer Car Crashes in Walpole" »

Earlier this week, a Dracut, Massachusetts driver was pulled over for text messaging while in plain sight of a police officer. When officers discovered that the man was also driving with a suspended license, they arrested the 20-year-old motorist.

Text messaging while driving become illegal in New Hampshire on January 1. While a violation would generally lead to a reckless operation charge and a $100 fine rather than an arrest, police arrested the man because they say he blatantly broke the law by driving without a valid license and texting with the cell phone at steering wheel level.

The state does not track the number of people caught texting on the road, so it's possible that this driver was the first to get caught. However, police say that while text messaging poses a serious danger to drivers, it can be challenging to enforce the new law.

Source: A first? Texting while driving leads to arrest, UnionLeader.com, April 6, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Man Arrested for Texting Behind the Wheel" »

A 25-year-old Lynn motorist who was charged in connection with a fatal car accident has pleaded not guilty to leaving the scene of an accident causing death. He was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail and prohibited from driving.

The auto accident occurred in Revere on Thursday morning when a 59-year-old was reportedly crossing a road near her home. She was apparently hit by a car and her body was thrown into the opposite lane. Emergency responders declared the women dead at the scene.

According to prosecutors, the driver was traveling above the 40 mph speed limit when his vehicle hit the woman and he kept on driving after the accident. However, he turned himself in to police an hour later.

The motorist has prior driving-related offences on his record and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He will return to court later this month.

Source: Man charged in hit-run accident that killed Revere woman, Boston Globe, April 2, 2010

Continue reading "Lynn Man Pleads Not Guilty to Hit-And-Run in Deadly Crash" »

A deadly car accident in Westport, Massachusetts last week proved the seriousness of text messaging while driving. The sole car crash victim was a 21-year-old male who lost control of his Buick Regal and perished less than a mile from his home after driving into a tree.

Police said the damage to the vehicle was catastrophic and that it's unlikely that anyone could have survived the impact. Skid marks at the scene of the traffic accident show that the Buick was moving at speeds of at least 80 mph in a 30 mph zone. While speed was certainly a factor in the severity of the incident, investigators discovered that the driver had sent a text message just one minute before the auto crash was reported, so they suspect that driver distraction may have played an even bigger role.

No one else was in the car at the time of the accident.

Source: OUR VIEW: Tragedy shows that text messages can wait, Taunton Daily Gazette, March 29, 2010

Continue reading "Westport Driver Dies in Car Crash, Texting a Suspected Factor" »

Earlier this month, the owner of a 2010 Toyota Rav-4 crashed the car into a plastic surgery clinic in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The 70-year-old driver said the vehicle accelerated on its own, and now, in light of the recent Toyota recall, federal investigators are looking into the car crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to spend two days examining the vehicle to see if her story holds weight. Police said they were using sophisticated computers to inspect the car, but they requested an independent investigation to see what might have gone wrong.

Investigators say that eyewitnesses confirm the driver's story. She was treated for minor injuries. No other injuries were reported in connection with the auto accident.

Source: Feds investigate Mass. woman's claim that Toyota wouldn't stop, NECN.com, March 23, 2010

Continue reading "Federal Authorities Investigating Yarmouth Car Crash " »

Last week, a car accident in Stratham, Massachusetts seriously injured a 12-year-old middle school student, leaving her in critical condition. According to East Kingston Police, the incident occurred outside the teen's home around 3:55pm. The girl was riding out of her driveway on a RipStick, a modified skateboard, when she was struck by a Toyota Camry, suffering serious head injuries.

The injured teen was transported to Exeter Hospital, then flown by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. As of this morning, a hospital spokesperson said the girl was still in critical condition.

No charges have been filed in connection with this traffic accident, and police say they are still investigating.

Source: Skateboarder in critical condition after being struck by car, SeaCoastOnline.com, March 24, 2010

Continue reading "Stratham Car Crash Leaves Skateboarding Teen in Critical Condition" »

Here in Massachusetts, severe weather conditions over the last several days have made driving unusually treacherous, creating at least one car accident in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire. The storm also delayed flights out of airports in New York and Boston and knocked out roads in several parts of the state. The MBTA reports that parts of the D line were taken out of service yesterday due to flooding.

However, WCSH6.com reports that Southern Maine has been hit hardest of all. Roughly 50 roads in York country were closed. Route 202 in Lebanon was covered in water, and Route 1 in York was closed to a single lane yesterday. Hundreds of residents also lost power.

Authorities urged drivers in Massachusetts and throughout New England to use caution on wet, slippery roads.

Source: Storm causing travel problems, WCSH6.com, March 15, 2010

Continue reading "New England Storms Create Dangerous Driving Conditions" »

On Saturday, a two-vehicle rollover on Route 25 injured seven people, including five children. Massachusetts police say two of the children were seriously injured. The traffic accident occurred around 11:15 on Saturday morning when a 1999 Toyota Avalon reportedly made contact with a 1999 GMC Suburban, causing both vehicles to roll over.

According to reports, the GMC ended up in the median on the driver's side, and the Toyota landed on its roof in the breakdown lane. All seven people were initially taken to Tobey Hospital, say police. Two of the children, age 9 and 11, were seriously injured and were later taken to Children's Hospital in Boston.

Massachusetts troopers are still investigating the cause of this car crash.

Source: Double rollover on Route 25 sends seven to hospital, GateHouse News Service, March 14, 2010

Continue reading "Two-Car Crash in Wareham Injures Seven" »

The driver of a Toyota Rav-4 who crashed her vehicle into a Yarmouth, Massachusetts doctor's office on Tuesday says the accident was not her fault. Her vehicle had supposedly been repaired as part of the Toyota recall, but several drivers have reportedly accelerator problems even after their vehicles were fixed.

The 70-year-old driver, who apparently has a flawless driving record, told her son she put her foot on the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated into the building. Then she reportedly looked down after the car accident and her foot was still on the brake. She suffered minor injuries and back pain, but no one inside the doctor's office was injured.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the motor vehicle accident.

Source: Blaming Toyota for doctor's office crash, NECN.com, March 10, 2010

Continue reading "Yarmouth Car Crash Blamed on Toyota Problems" »

Earlier this week, a 92-year-old woman from Milford, Massachusetts was injured in a car accident and later succumbed to those injuries. After being flown by medical helicopter to the hospital, she died late Monday at UMass Memorial Medical Center.

The woman's 82-year-old sister was found to be at fault for the four-car accident, and police say they are considering holding her criminally responsible for the death. Ultimately, that determination will be made by the district attorney, they say.

The younger sister was driving a 1998 Dodge Stratus that set off the chain-reaction crash. She was not seriously injured and has already been cited for following too closely.

Source: 92-year-old passenger in Milford crash dies from injuries, Milford Daily News, March 10, 2010

Continue reading "Milford Woman Dies in Car Crash, District Attorney Considers Filing Charges" »

In Swansea, Massachusetts on Tuesday, a 15-year-old high school student was seriously injured after colliding with a car and being hit by a bus.

Police say the teen bicyclist was wearing headphones and carrying an iPod as he traveled east on Hinsdale Avenue. He then biked into the intersection and a collided with a car, hitting the windshield and falling onto the street, where he was hit by a school bus. The school bus was bringing children home after school and reportedly ran over one of the bicyclist's legs.

He was listed in serious condition earlier today. The Massachusetts State Police and Swansea police are still investigating the bike accident.

Source: Teen bicyclist in serious condition after Swansea accident, Providence Journal, March 10, 2010

Continue reading "Somerset Teen Seriously Injured in Traffic Accident" »

Early Tuesday morning, a Massachusetts woman died in a two-vehicle crash on Route 93 in Wilmington. When troopers responded to the call at 1:17am, they discovered a 2006 Nissan Altima that had been traveling north on Route 93 when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and hit the left guardrail. The Nissan ended up in the left travel lane, where it was hit by a 2006 Honda Accord.

The 22-year-old driver of the Nissan was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Burlington, where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the Honda, a 35-year-old North Andover man was taken to the same hospital and treated for injuries. Following the car crash, the two left travel lanes were closed for roughly two hours during the crash investigation and vehicle removal.

The fatal car accident is still being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.

Source: Tewksbury woman dies in two-car crash in Wilmington, GateHouse News Service, February 23, 2010

Continue reading "Wilmington Car Crash Kills Tewksbury Woman" »

Our Boston personal injury lawyers recently read about two unrelated car crashes that occurred on Friday and Saturday of last week. On Friday evening, a rollover accident on Interstate 84 in Sturbridge killed a Worcester woman. The 25-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident after an SUV hit the truck she was riding in.

Two other people were ejected from the truck and seriously injured, but the driver of the truck was not injured. The SUV driver and his passengers suffered minor injuries. Police say the SUV driver was charged with speeding and may face more severe charges once the accident investigation is completed.

Early Saturday morning, another car accident occurred in Boylston, Massachusetts when a 21-year-old woman's vehicle crossed the center lane and crashed into a utility pole on Route 70. The car burst into flame and the driver died. Police are still investigating.

Source: Two killed in central Mass. crashes, Boston Globe, February 20, 2010

Continue reading "Two Women Die in Central Massachusetts Auto Accidents" »

Earlier this week, a Massachusetts bicycle rider suffered serious injuries after being hit by a car in Stoughton Center. As of Tuesday, police were still attempting to confirm the identity of the injured bicyclist, but they did say he is believed to be a Stoughton man in his late thirties.

The accident occurred at 9:35pm Monday evening near Washington Street and Railroad Avenue. According to police, the man was transported to Good Samaritan in Brockton. He was later flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The bike accident is still under investigation.

Source: Bike rider struck by car, seriously hurt, The Patriot Ledger, February 16, 2010

Continue reading "Car Accident in Stoughton Seriously Injures Bicyclist" »

Last Wednesday evening, a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 93 hospitalized a Londonderry man. The driver was found unconscious after his vehicle veered off the highway and into a grouping of trees. Police say the accident occurred around 8:15pm between Exit 1 and the Massachusetts border. Emergency response crews removed the driver through the passenger's side door.

There were no passengers in the car and apparently no one else was injured. The car crash victim was transported by ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital, then flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in Boston.

The auto accident is still being investigated and the man's age is not known.

Source: Salem crash leaves man unconscious, Eagle Tribune, February 4, 2010

Continue reading "Car Accident In Salem Seriously Injures Man" »

On Sunday afternoon, a multiple motor vehicle accident on Route 341 injured a Massachusetts woman who had stopped to help another driver. Police say a gray Subaru wagon rolled in the area of Kent Hollow Road around 3:15pm and the woman was reportedly attempting to rescue the driver from the Subaru. Meanwhile, a Marbledale School van slid off the road when it tried to stop and aid in the rescue effort, hitting the Subaru and pushing it on top of the woman.

Fortunately, other drivers on the scene of the car accident were able to lift the van off the woman before emergency responders arrived. Once crews arrived, the woman was transported to New Milford Hospital and then transferred to Danbury Hospital. She reportedly sustained serious injuries, including several broken bones, that were not believed to be life-threatening.

Two passengers in the school van were treated for non-life threatening injuries at Sharon Hospital. The Subaru’s driver was taken to New Milford Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Source: Good Samaritan seriously injured in multi-car accident, Register Citizen, January 25, 2010

Continue reading "Multi-Car Crash in Kent Injures Woman" »

On Sunday evening, a Somerset woman died in an auto accident on Route 195 West. According to Massachusetts state police, the 65-year-old woman was driving a Ford Taurus near Exit 8A in Fall River when the vehicle crashed, killing the driver. The accident occurred around 8:30pm. She was transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

During the two hours following the car accident, police closed the high speed lane of Route 195 for an investigation. The motor vehicle crash is still being investigated by police.

Sources: One woman dies in I-95 crash, Turnto10.com, January 24, 2010
Woman killed in I-195 crash, WPRI.com, January 25, 2010

Continue reading "Massachusetts Car Crash on I-195 Kills Driver" »

Massachusetts State Police say a car crash on Route 195 West in Westport killed a driver early on Saturday morning when a 1996 Toyota Camry veered off the road and hit a barrier in the breakdown lane. The vehicle rolled over and came to rest in the middle of the highway.

The Camry's driver, a 26-year-old from West Warwick, Rhode Island, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, according to police. A passenger was ejected from the car and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where the 23-year-old woman was treated for serious injuries.

The motor vehicle accident is still being investigated.

Sources: Woman hurt in crash, The Sun Chronicle, January 24, 2010
Rollover Crash Kills One, The Boston Channel, January 23, 2010

Continue reading "Westport Car Accident Kills One, Injures Another" »

Police closed Amherst Street on Sunday morning after a motor vehicle crash involving an ambulance and a car. The ambulance reportedly hit a Nissan Maxima as the car was exiting the highway at Exit 7. The driver was treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries, and the ambulance attendants suffered minor injuries.

The patient inside the ambulance was apparently not injured in the car crash and was taken to Massachusetts' Lahey Clinic for ailments not related to the accident. Police said they were called to the scene of the accident at 11:30am. When they arrived, the ambulance had its emergency lights and sirens on.

The auto accident is being investigated by the Police Department's Accident Reconstruction Unit.

Source: Ambulance-car crash ties traffic, Nasha Telegram, January 18, 2010

Continue reading "Milford Ambulance Hits Car, Delays Traffic" »

On Sunday morning, a Green Line trolley and a car collided, shutting down MBTA service on the B line for about an hour. No one on the trolley was injured, but the driver was treated for a cut on his head at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Brighton.

The car accident occurred around 8:30am at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Lake Street. MBTA officials claim the driver ran a red light and crashed into the train. Trolley service was restored an hour later, and an MBTA bus was called to transport riders in the interim.

Authorities are still investigating the MBTA crash.

Source: Green Line Trolley, Car Collide In Brighton, WBZTV.com, January 10, 2010

Continue reading "Brighton Trolley Crash Interrupts T Service " »

Early Sunday morning, a car crash in Boston killed a passenger and injured a 49-year-old Worcester man, who remains in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital. The car accident victim was driving a 1978 MG Midget when his vehicle was hit head-on by an allegedly drunk driver in a black 1995 Jeep Brand Cherokee.

The auto accident occurred around 1:45am on the turnpike near the Prudential center tunnel in Boston.

The alleged wrong-way drunk driver was held in $100,000 cash bail. The driver allegedly tried to flee the scene of the motor vehicle accident by running down I-90. He was not injured in the crash and pleaded not guilty to charges of motor vehicle homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent driving, driving under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily harm, and driving a motor vehicle the wrong way.

Source: Surviving victim of wrong-way crash still critical, Telegram & Gazette, December 29, 2009

Continue reading "Boston Car Crash Victim in Critical Condition " »

In Middleboro, Massachusetts last week, a motor vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer and two cars seriously injured a 41-year-old Falmouth man. State police say the accident occurred on Route 495 near Exit 6 around 8:11am when a 2002 Volkswagon hit a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the breakdown lane. That crash sent a 2007 Toyota Corola off the road and into a wooded area, seriously injuring the driver of the Toyota and the Volkswagon.

One of the auto accident victims was taken to Boston Medical Center and the other to Morton Hospital in Taunton. The tractor-trailer operator was not injured.

Following the motor vehicle collision, Route 495 South was closed for approximately two hours. Traffic was diverted onto Route 24 North during the initial investigation. Massachusetts State Police, along with several other agencies, are still investigating the car crash.

Source: Falmouth man injured in Route 495 crash, CapeCodOnline, December 17, 2009

Continue reading "Crash on Route 485 Injures Two Massachusetts Drivers " »

Massachusetts State Police report that last Friday a wrong-way car accident in Methuen seriously injured three people. The car collision occurred around 3pm on Route 213 when a 2006 Pontiac G6 crossed over the median and hit a 2000 Ford Explorer head-on.

The driver of the Pontiac, a 19-year-old Methuen man, was injured in the auto accident and was taken to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. The 63-year-old driver of the SUV and his 50-year-old passenger were also injured and taken to Lawrence General Hospital for medical treatment.

Source: Three Injured in Wrong-Way Crash, TheBostonChannel.com, November 28, 2009

Continue reading "Methuen Accident Injures Three After Car Crosses Median " »

An auto accident in the Sumner Tunnel this past weekend killed a 34-year-old woman from Roslindale, Massachusetts and seriously injured two Roslindale men, who were thrown from the vehicle. The car accident occurred just before 1:30am on Sunday morning.

The woman was still inside the car when state troopers arrived at the scene of the motor vehicle accident. She was pronounced dead at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both of the injured men are 25 years old and were ejected from the car after it hit the median. They were listed in serious condition at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Medical Center as of Monday.

Authorities are still investigating the fatal car accident and have not yet determined the cause.

Source: Roslindale woman dies in Sumner Tunnel accident; two men thrown from vehicle, WickedLocal.com, November 23, 2009

Continue reading "Boston Car Crash Kills One, Seriously Injures Two Others " »

A two vehicle crash on Interstate 95 early Saturday morning seriously four people. The car accident victims were all in their teens and twenties, according to police. Three of the injured were treated and released from a hospital in Rhode Island on Saturday evening. The fourth, a 24-year-old male from Tiverton, Rhode Island, was listed in critical condition as of Sunday night.

Police say one of the cars went airborne roughly 20 feet in the air before landing in the woods nearby. One person was thrown from the vehicle and another had to be extricated by firefighters using chainsaws to cut trees around it. Both vehicles were totaled, and state police closed two lanes of traffic for several hours.

Police have charged the two drivers with racing, speeding, reckless operation, and failure to stay within marked lanes in connection with the 2am auto collision.

Sources: I-95 crash leads to charges, The Sun Chronicle, November 21, 2009

Four hurt in I-95 crash, The Sun Chronicle, November 21, 2009

Continue reading "Two Car Crash in Attleboro Injures Four People " »

A driver injured in a two-car crash in Milford, Massachusetts died last week after suffering extensive internal injuries. Police had initially believed that the 55-year-old man would recover from the September 12 auto accident, which occurred when the man's 2002 Dodge was hit by an 1998 Kia SUV. The SUV hit the driver's side of the Dodge after failing to stop at the stop sign on the Fruit Street Extension.

Police discovered that the driver was not licensed. They cited her for driving without a license and failure to stop at a stop sign. The owner of the SUV was also cited for allowing an improper person to drive a car without a valid driver's license.

Because of the driver's death, the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council's crash reconstruction team will conduct a scientific analysis. Officers will also review the autopsy review and make recommendations for any charges.

Driver from September crash dies; police to review circumstances, Milford Daily News, October 27, 2009

Continue reading "Police Reviewing Milford Car Crash After Drive Dies" »

Early on Saturday morning, a 32-year-old woman crashed her 2008 Mercedes into two Marion police cruisers on the side of Route 6. The first police car had its emergency lights flashing and there were no police officers in the vehicle at the time of the car crash, which occurred just 2am. Officers were talking to a driver who had been pulled over.

After hitting the first police car and pushing it into the center of the road, the Mercedes hit a second police car, which was parked on the side of the road while the driver assisted the other officer. According to a police report, the vehicle was pushed into the fast lane and sustained moderate damage. The Mercedes was severely damaged.

The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and taken to Toby Hospital for treatment. She was later released. No one was else was injured in the auto accident, although the incident forced the closure of Route 6 in both directions for an hour. The motor vehicle crash is still under investigation, but police say alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor.

Marco woman crashes into two Massachusetts police cruisers, MarcoNews.com, October 26, 2009

Continue reading "New Bedford Car Accident Involves Two Massachusetts Police Cruisers" »

Earlier this week, several Massachusetts state troopers were injured in unrelated car crashes. On Sunday evening, Trooper Patrick McGowan was injured in a Wrentham car crash involving a 2004 Acura. He was treated and released at Norwood Hospital. One of the passengers in the Acura was also injured in the auto collision.

Also on Sunday evening, Trooper John Duggan was injured in a Raynham car accident on Route 495 after a 2001 Pathfinder crossed the median and hit the trooper's cruiser head-on. He was extricated from his cruiser and transported to Morton Hospital with minor injuries.

On Monday morning, a Trooper Edward Bruso was seriously injured while responding to a car crash on Route 290 westbound in Worcester. He was transported to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and later released.

Both of the Sunday evening cruiser accidents are being investigated.

Troopers Hurt In Series Of Road Crashes, TheBostonChannel.com, October 19, 2009

Continue reading "Massachusetts Road Crashes Injure Troopers " »

Freestyle sledder Darryl Tait landed in a Massachusetts hospital following a snowmobile crash during a Boston area competition, according to the Whitehorse Star. The 19-year-old is at Massachusetts General Hospital and is using a respirator to breathe. His snowmobile apparently landed on him while he was demonstrating a maneuver.

According to a friend of Tait, surgeons are waiting until he can breathe on his own before attempting to operate in his back. Tait's doctors are unsure if his spine was severed in the snowmobile accident.

The friend told the Whitehorse Star that one of the athlete's lungs was punctured and the other collapsed. The snowmobile accident victim also reportedly suffered broken ribs.

Canadian Freestyler Darryl Tait Injured in Snowmobile Crash, TSN.ca, October 16, 2009

Continue reading "Massachusetts Snowmobile Crash Injures Freestyle Sledder" »

On Thursday evening, a flat bed tow truck carrying an SUV on Route 495 reportedly crashed into another vehicle, ejecting and killing the tow truck operator. No one else was killed in the truck accident, which occurred around 10:15pm. According to Massachusetts police, the tow truck also hit the Rt. 195 bridge abutment and overpass during the accident.

When EMS personnel responded to the emergency call, they pronounced the 52-year-old truck accident victim dead at the scene. The crash caused police to shut down Route 495 southbound near Route 25 for several hours as they examined the scene of the accident. Inspectors from Mass Highway were also called to the scene of the truck accident to help calculate the extent of damage caused to the overpass and bridge abutment.

The accident investigation is continuing with help from the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Service Section, and the State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section.

One Killed in Wareham Tow Truck Accident, ABC6.com, October 9, 2009

Continue reading "Wareham Tow Truck Accident Kills One" »

According to the Boston Globe, a car crash last Monday on Morrissey Boulevard near the entrance to University of Massachusetts-Boston injured five people. All suffered non-life-threatening injuries, said a police spokesman. Two of the car accident victims were taken to Tufts Medical Center. The other two were taken to Boston Medical Center.

The auto accident reportedly occurred when a car traveling southbound on Morrissey Boulevard made an illegal U-turn. It crashed into another vehicle and a street sign, propelling the car on top of the northbound vehicle.

A UMass-Boston student who witnessed the crash pulled the driver of the southbound vehicle out of the driver's seat. Another student pulled a person out of the passenger seat. Three people remained trapped in the back seat until firefighters cut the roof of the car open and removed them.

Five injured in Morrissey Boulevard crash, Boston Globe, September 29, 2009

Continue reading "Boston Car Crash Injures Five " »

According to a recent study, hybrid cars are a greater risk to pedestrians than vehicles with internal combustion engines because of their quieter engines. Blind pedestrians are especially at risk, because they rely more heavily on auditory cues. In fact, a blind woman in Kansas City last year had her cane run over and broken by what she suspects was a hybrid vehicle.

Because of this heightened risk of a pedestrian accident, automakers are exploring ways to create noise and warn pedestrians, especially when a vehicle is driving under 10 miles per hour, when tires on pavement and other road noises are barely audible.

Congress also passed the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, which ordered a federal agency to examine the issue and potentially recommend a minimum amount of sound. Already, American drivers kill approximately 4,500 pedestrian and injure 70,000 others each year. And as hybrid cars gain in popularity, the issue of safety becomes even more important.

Safety experts fear electric cars too quiet, KansasCity.com, September 26, 2009

Continue reading "Hybrid Vehicles Pose Safety Risk to Pedestrians" »

Last Wednesday, a car crash on Interstate 495 southbound in Bolton killed two people and injured three more. All five were riding in the same vehicle when the driver lost control of the vehicle, exited the road to the left, and rolled over before coming to rest against a tree in the median.

The driver was seriously injured and was transported by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, according to police. The other two seriously injured passengers were transported by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center. One passenger was pronounced dead at the scene after being trapped inside the vehicle and suffering serious injuries. Another was thrown from the vehicle during the crash and later pronounced dead after being taken by ambulance to University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

Following the single-vehicle accident, there was a 90-minute lane closure and traffic diversion to allow the medical helicopter to land safely. Police rerouted traffic onto Route 117 at Exit 27. The accident remains under investigation.

State police investigate fatal car crash on Interstate 495 in Bolton, WickedLocal.com, September 24, 2009

Continue reading "Bolton Car Crash Kills Two People, Injures Three" »

Last Friday, an Uxbridge man was seriously injured after driving his car into a tree on Park Street just before 2am. The 20-year-old man suffered severe head trauma, according to the Mendon Police and Fire Chief.

The motor vehicle accident victim was taken by LifeFlight to UMass Memorial Medical Center. His passenger suffered minor injuries and was treated at Milford Regional Medical Center. They were not wearing seat belts.

The car crash is still being investigated by the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Reconstruction Team and Mendon Police. Alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in the auto accident, but it is still unknown if the driver will be charged.

Driver still critical after crash, Milford Daily News, September 22, 2009

Continue reading "Uxbridge Driver Injured in Crash " »

A Boston Fire Department vehicle and a 1998 Audi collided on Monday afternoon, injuring four people. The motor vehicle accident occurred in Jamaica Plain. The driver of the Audi was reportedly driving to his fiancé's house after hearing it was on fire. He collided with the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe sport utility vehicle used by District 9 fire chief after allegedly running a red light at the corner of Amory and Atherton streets.

The driver of the car and a young child in the vehicle sustained injuries and were taken to Boston Medical Center for evaluation. The District 9 fire chief and his driver were also injured. They were transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. According to a Boston Fire Department spokesman, all injuries were minor. However, major damage to both vehicles was reported.

The fire that both vehicles were rushing to turned out to be smoke from overcooked food. The driver of the Audi was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, according to a police report. The auto accident is still under investigation.

Fire chief, 3 others injured in crash, Boston Globe, September 8, 2009

Continue reading "Jamaica Plain Motor Vehicle Crash Injures 4" »

Earlier this week, in Westford, Massachusetts, an auto accident occurred at 6:30am after a Honda CRV veered from the southbound side of 495 into the northbound side. The Honda was broadsided by an oncoming 18-wheeler and hit by a mini-van.

According to police, a 37-year-old male passenger was killed instantly in the collision. Emergency responders were not able to revive the driver, who also died. One man was from Fitchburg and other from Templeton. Both of the car crash victims were taken to Lowell General Hospital. Two other people sustained minor injuries, and the highway reopened several hours later after state police and rescue workers finished tending to the victims.

The crash is being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and the State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section. As of Wednesday afternoon, no charges had been filed in this motor vehicle accident.

Two men killed in 'horrific' crash on 495, Westford, The Eagle Tribune, August 26, 2009

Continue reading "Westford Highway Collision Kills Two Men" »

Last Thursday morning, a car crash on the Massachusetts Turnpike sent a 6-year-old boy and a 30-year-old man to University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester with serious injuries. The auto accident, which was reported around 10:30am, also caused a temporary closure of several westbound lanes on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

According to state police, the driver was partly ejected from his 1995 Chevrolet Lumina when his car was hit by a Ford Escape operated by a Peabody man, who was not injured in the crash. A preliminary investigation revealed that the Chevy's tire blew out, causing that vehicle to veer to the right.

As of last Friday, the identity of the younger motor vehicle accident victim had not been released pending notification of the family. The car accident is still under investigation.

Pike crash injures 2 in Charlton, The Republican, August 21, 2009

Two people seriously injured in Pike crash, Telegram.com, August 21, 2009

Continue reading "Charlton Car Crash Seriously Injures Two " »

Last month, a 32-year-old woman from Dedham died of injuries caused when a 71-year-old driver drove over the curb and into a private yard, hitting the woman and her 2-year-old child with her sport utility vehicle.

The child was in stable condition, the Dedham car accident victim died that night at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Police were called to the scene of the car crash on Munroe Street around 3:30pm. The name of the 71-year-old driver has not been released, though that could change if the driver is charged.

According to the Somerville police, the auto accident is being investigated.

Dedham woman dies after Somerville accident, Boston Globe, July 28, 2009

Continue reading "Somerville Car Accident Kills Dedham Woman" »

A study released last week by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) discovered that car drivers who talk or listen to someone on a cell phone while driving increase their risk of auto crashes by 1.3 times. Truck drivers who text message up their risk of a motor vehicle crash 23.2 times as compared to a non-distracted driver.

Here in Massachusetts, there are no laws against text messaging while driving, but there is a ban against cell phones for school bus drivers. Earlier this summer, the state Senate approved a bill that would ban texting while driving, but the bill was later overridden. Since May, over a dozen bills relating to driving and cell phone use have been have introduced in the State Senate.

So far, five states have passed legislation banning handheld cell phones for all drivers. Fourteen states (and Washington, DC) have passed legislation banning text messaging for all drivers. No state has completely banned all types of cell phones for all drivers, regardless of age. However, a bill that would prohibit all car and truck drivers from text messaging or emailing while driving was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week.

Texting big risk for drivers, The Martha's Vineyard Times, August 6, 2009

Continue reading "New Bill Would Ban Drivers from Texting While Behind the Wheel" »

On Sunday afternoon, a 43-year-old Massachusetts mother and two children, ages 10 and 12, were injured in an car collision on the Route 101 bypass in Milford. Police say the woman was driving a 1998 Volvo station wagon when she skidded into the other lane, colliding with a 2000 Volkswagen. The auto accident occurred on the western part of the bypass between Market Basket and Route 13.

The driver of the Volkswagen was not injured, while the woman driving the Volvo was taken to a Nashua hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The two children who were riding in the Volvo were also taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. The emergency response team included two ambulances from Milford, two ambulances from Amherst, and two Milford Fire Department engines.

Route 101 was closed for less than an hour following the motor vehicle crash. Police are still investigating the car accident.

Woman, 2 kids hurt in Route 101 crash, NashuaTelegraph.com, August 4, 2009

Continue reading "Newton Woman and Kids Injured in Route 101 Collision " »

Over the weekend, two Massachusetts State Police troopers were injured in separate traffic accidents in Sharon and Braintree.

The first auto accident occurred at 3:55am on Saturday morning. Trooper Eric Papkee was sitting in his vehicle in the breakdown lane processing traffic violation when his cruiser was hit by another car. The driver was cited for failure to take care in stopping. Papkee was treated for minor injuries to his neck and back at Quincy Hospital and released.

The second auto crash occurred on Sunday evening at 9:49pm. Trooper John McCarthy had stopped a car in the breakdown lane of Route 1 northbound when he was hit from behind by the side mirror of a passing pickup.

The pickup was allegedly driven by a drunk driver, who was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, leaving of the scene of an accident involving personal injury, unlicensed operation, marked lanes violation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and obstructing an emergency vehicle. McCarthy sustained back and shoulder injuries. He was treated at Norwood Hospital and later released.

2 troopers injured in separate traffic stops, Boston Globe, July 28, 2009

Continue reading "Two Traffic Accidents Injure Massachusetts State Troopers" »

Last week, a pedestrian sustained severe head injuries after he was struck by a car in Brighton as he was strapping his one-year-old child into a car seat. Fredy E. Zepeda was 36. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and treated for what police described as massive head trauma. He died last Thursday. His child was not injured.

According to a Boston police spokesman, police took the 47-year-old driver into custody. The Watertown woman was arraigned last week, and her original charges of leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle were upgraded to a charge of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of personal injury resulting in death. She pleaded not guilty.

According to driving records released by the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the driver had been found responsible for five previous car crashes since 2005.

Driver faces upgraded charges in Brighton crash, Boston Globe, July 20, 2009

Man struck while putting child in car, Boston Globe, July 15, 2009

Continue reading "Brighton Hit-And-Run Accident Kills One" »

On Friday night, a Massachusetts state trooper was injured in a car accident in Dorchester. According to police, the cruiser was traveling north on Morrissey Boulevard when another vehicle made a U-turn and caused the crash.

Authorities do not consider the injuries to be life-threatening. The trooper's vehicle was also carrying a dog at the time of the auto accident, but the dog is said to be fine.

Although some car crashes result in minor injuries, others can lead to serious, life-altering conditions such as burns, brain injuries, or even death. Massachusetts is a no-fault state, so motorists are covered by their own Personal Injury Protection Insurance (PIP), but some car accident victims find that that their medical costs exceed their PIP's policy limit.

State trooper injured in Dorchester crash, WHDH.com, July 11, 2009

Continue reading "Dorchester Crash Injures Massachusetts State Trooper" »

According to a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only about two thirds of Massachusetts drivers are likely to wear a seat belt. Massachusetts has the lowest percentage of seat belt use in the country despite the fact that research has proven the effectiveness of seat belts in saving lives during a car accident.

In fact, three separate Massachusetts motor vehicle accidents during this past 4th of July weekend resulted in a total of seven deaths where seat belts went unused.

Drivers and passengers give a variety of excuses, among them "I only wear one on the highway," "it's comfortable," and "I don't want to mess up my shirt." Massachusetts lawmakers have introduced mandatory seat belt legislation in an effort to combat these attitudes.

Bay State’s scorn for seat belts unrivaled, Boston Globe, July 8, 2009

Continue reading "Despite Safety Concerns, Massachusetts Drivers Resist Wearing a Seat Belt" »

In Bourne, Massachusetts, the driver of a truck with a boat attached was injured when his truck crashed into the median strip and woods on Route 28 North. The boat, measuring approximately 25 feet, was being towed by the truck and came off of its trailer as a result of the crash.

The motor vehicle accident occurred at about 4am on Saturday morning. One lane of traffic on Route 28 was closed for about an hour while the boat and truck were removed from the scene of the truck accident. Bourne police and firefighters were on the scene investigating the crash.

The truck driver was transported to Falmouth Hospital. The extent of his injuries are unknown.

Truck with boat attached involved in accident in Bourne, MA, NECN.com, June 20, 2009

Continue reading "Truck and Boat Accident in Bourne Injures Driver" »

Over the weekend, a Canton driver hit and killed a 4-year-old girl who was out for a walk with her grandfather. The girl was on a scooter in a Washington Street crosswalk when the car accident occurred. According to those who witnessed the accident, the impact threw the girl 50 to 60 feet. She was taken to Tufts Medical Center, where she later died of her injuries.

Just after the accident, the Registry of Motor Vehicles revoked the 88-year-old driver had her license revoked. The RMV cited her as an "immediate threat." On Sunday, the Massachusetts state police collision analysis and reconstruction team was the scene of the pedestrian accident.

It is unclear what caused the driver to hit the girl, but State Senator Brian Joyce, of Milton, says he hopes to get a hearing this for a bill that require Massachusetts drivers over the age of 85 to take road and vision tests. The bill has been opposed by several organizations for older Americans, who worry that it could result in age discrimination.

Elderly Driver Charged In Deadly Stoughton Crash, WBZTV.com, June 15, 2009

Continue reading "Driver, 88, Charged in Stoughton Car Crash " »

This morning, a four-vehicle accident on Route 128 in Waltham caused major delays during the morning commute. The crash closed two northbound lanes of Route 128. The southbound lane was backed up due to the "curiosity factor."

According to the Boston Globe, the motor vehicle accident happened just before 7am a few miles north of the Massachusetts Turnpike. A spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police said the crash involved a delivery truck, a tractor trailer, and two other vehicles.

Some of the drivers involved in the crash suffered injuries; however, police not know the extent of their injuries.

Crash on Rte. 128 in Waltham slows commute, Boston Globe, June 17, 2009

Continue reading "Four-Vehicle Crash in Waltham Causes Delays" »

On Monday afternoon, a Massachusetts woman was taken by ambulance to a local hospital following a one-vehicle accident on Route 3 in Augusta, Maine. The woman was driving east in her Infiniti when she says that two lanes merged and a truck cut her vehicle off. The Infiniti went into a ditch, hit some tress, and rolled over.

Police said the accident occurred roughly 10 feet from the Augusta-Vassalboro town line. The car crash was reported at 3:56pm, and emergency responders had the scene of the auto accident cleared by 5:55pm that day.

Responders included the Kennebec Sheriff's Office, Vassalboro Fire Department, and Augusta Fire Department. They did have to remove some trees to remove the car from the woods. The woman's injuries were not life-threatening, but her car was declared totaled.

Augusta Crash Injures One, Destroys Vehicle, WMTW.com, June 8, 2009

Continue reading "Massachusetts Woman Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident" »

On Friday, the mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts allegedly ran a stop sign and crashed his 2003 Lexus into another car while touring the city with the state's top transportation official.

Mayor Robert Correai was driving Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation James A. Aloisi Jr., as well as Senator Joan Menard and Rep. Michael Rodrigues, when the auto accident occurred. They were on their way to meet a news reporter.

The driver of the other car, a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder, told police that the mayor ran a stop sign and that she was not able to stop in time. No one was injured in the motor vehicle accident, but police cited Correia for failing to stop in accordance with Massachusetts law. He received a $100 traffic ticket.

Police: Mayor Runs Stop Sign, Causes Crash, TheBostonChannel.com, June 7, 2009

Continue reading "Fall River Mayor Reportedly Causes Car Crash" »

In Danvers, a 93-year-old man crashed his car into the entrance of a Wal-Mart off Andover Street. The car accident occurred just before 10am, injuring a mother and her one-year-old daughter. Several other people were taken to the hospital due to the shock of the accident, but none of the injuries were life-threatening, according to the Deputy Fire Chief. The driver refused medical treatment, but his 90-year-old wife was transported to the hospital as a precaution.

According to a preliminary investigation, authorities say the auto accident happened because the driver stepped on the gas instead of the brake pedal as he was trying to park his Toyota Camry. The car rammed into two cash register stations inside the store, narrowly fitting in between concrete posts intended to prevent cars from getting in the entrance.

Although there was no structural damage to the store, authorities estimate that the car crash caused between $50,000 and $60,00 in damage.

Mother and baby injured as car crashes into Danvers Wal-Mart, Boston Globe, June 2, 2009

Continue reading "Massachusetts Car Crash Injures Mother and Baby" »

According to the Boston Herald, state troopers have been issuing a startling number of tickets to Massachusetts drivers. In the first three months of this year, the number of speeding citations increased by 23 percent over the first quarter of 2007. Overall, troopers gave out more than 12,000 speeding tickets on the Mass. Pike in the first three months of this year.

Some drivers accuse the Pike of increased ticketing to compensate for a budget crunch created by the Big Dig construction project. However, a spokesman for the Executive Office Transportation insists that the number of tickets is based on a concern for public safety and a desire to minimize the number of motor vehicle accidents related to speeding or reckless driving.

Most of the speeding tickets are issued by Troop E, which is the state police unit assigned to patrol the 138-mil toll road. According to the United States Department of Transportation, the risk of sustaining injuries in a car crash increases exponentially with speeds much faster than the median speed.

Staties slap drivers, filling Pike’s coffers, Boston Herald, May 27, 2009

Continue reading "Mass. Pike Drivers Getting Issued A Higher Number of Speeding Tickets" »

On Friday morning, a car crash on 128 South in Burlington caused police to shut down all lanes of Route 128 intermittently for roughly two hours. Massachusetts state police said two people were on the ground when troopers arrived.

According to state police, Robert Carlo Jr., 29, of Bedford was driving a 2008 Ford pickup truck when he swerved into the right lane and hit a 1996 Ford Explorer just before 7am, causing the Explorer to spin out of control and cross into the far left lane. The Explorer hit a 2008 Dodge Durango, killing two Lawrence men and injuring others.

The deceased motor vehicle accident victims were identified as Juan Condorie, 43, and Alberto Maza, 22. Maza was pronounced dead at the scene of the car accident, but Condorie was taken by helicopter to Boston Medical Center before passing away that afternoon. Three other men were taken to Lahey Clinic in Burlington and were later discharged.

Two Lawrence men dead in hit-and-run on Route 128, Eagle Tribune, May 23, 2009

Crash shuts down 128 South in Burlington, NECN.com, May 22, 2009

Continue reading "Burlington Car Crash Forces Traffic Detour" »

Over the weekend, an 18-year-old high school student hit and killed a pedestrian as he drove home from a school-sponsored harbor cruise in Boston following his senior prom. Jonathan Caruso allegedly drove off Essex Road, hit a road sign, a telephone pole, a bush, and two women who were out walking their dog. Carol Marean, 67, was pronounced dead at the scene of the car accident, while her daughter, Charlotte Marean, 41, was seriously injured.

According to witnesses, the three teenagers involved in the car crash (none of whom were injured) tried to flee the accident until a neighbor threatened to turn them in. They waited for police to arrive, and Caruso was arrested after failing a sobriety test and reportedly telling his friends he'd had 10 beers. School officials said that all students were given breath tests and had their bags checked before the prom and before the cruise.

A judge ordered Caruso held on $7,500 cash bail, and the student was charged with negligent motor-vehicle homicide, transporting alcohol as a minor, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Today he pleaded appeared in Lynn District Court and pleaded not guilty.

Saugus teen arraigned in post-prom crash death, Boston Globe, May 18, 2009

Continue reading "Saugus Teen Pleads Not Guilty After Post-Prom Car Crash" »

Police say that speed may have led to the car crash that killed a Salem man and injured a Derry girl earlier this week. Police were called to Island Pond Road just after midnight when a 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier veered into the opposite lane and hit a tree. An assistant medical examiner pronounced the driver, 18-year-old Robert Stuart, dead at the scene of the car accident.

A 16-year-old girl was seriously injured and taken to Boston Medical Center for medical treatment. Her name has not been released to the public. Neither Stuart nor his passenger were wearing seat belts when the car crash occurred. He attended Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow and the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative in Massachusetts and would have graduated next month.

Although police say they believe speed may have caused the car accident, they are still investigating.

Speeding may have caused fatal Atkinson crash, Eagle-Tribune, May 6, 2009

Continue reading "Speed Believed to be a Factor in Atkinson Car Crash " »

A man who survived a recent Somali pirate attack was injured in a car accident in late April. First mate Shane Murphy was driving home to Seekonk with his wife the day after the pair attended a Red Sox-Yankees game in Boston when the auto accident occurred.

Murphy, 34, missed an appearance at his alma mater, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, as a result of the car crash, but his injuries were not believed to be serious.

His wife, Serena, 34, called her father-in-law after the motor vehicle accident to let him know that the couple was in the hospital. Their two sons were not with them at the time of the crash, and the father-in-law said they are trying to figure out what to do with the children while their parents recover.

According to a spokesman from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Serena was released from the hospital a short time later and the event honoring Murphy had been postponed.

Murphys injured in car crash, CapeCodTimes.com, April 28, 2009

Continue reading "Massachusetts Couple Injured in Car Crash " »

Last fall, Massachusetts' Registry of Motor Vehicles stopped mailing reminders to people whose driver's licenses would soon expire. According to the state Executive Officer of Transportation, the decision saved the state $857,000 per year.

However, Massachusetts drivers caught driving with an expired license can receive a citation with a fine ranging from $100 to $1,000. Since driving with an expired license is a criminal offense, police officers can arrest the driver if they choose.

To help prevent drivers from using an expired license, a Boston-based insurance company, Plymouth Rock Assurance, is offering a free email service to remind drivers when their license will expire. Beginning May 11, anyone, regardless of whether they are a Plymouth Rock policy holder or not, can sign up at www.plymouthrock.com. The company ensures approximately 180,000 drivers in Massachusetts.

Drivers offered license reminder, MassLive.com, May 4, 2009

Continue reading "Boston Company Offers License Reminder Service to Drivers" »

According to a press release from the Massachusetts state police, a car crash on Soldiers Field Road in Boston left two Waltham resident seriously injured on Monday. The single-vehicle crash occurred on Monday evening when a 1994 Lexus sedan veered into the left lane, spun out of control, and hit the guardrail.

The driver was taken by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital and was later pronounced dead. His two passengers, Francky Andrevil, 20, and Jeron Feaster, 19, suffered serious injuries and were taken by ambulance to New England Medical Center.

The traffic accident remains under investigation, and the right westbound lane of Solders Field Road was closed for about 3 hours after the car accident.

Two Waltham men seriously injured in Boston crash, Daily News Tribune, April 28, 2009

Continue reading "Car Crash Seriously Injures Two Waltham Men " »

A car accident in a Massachusetts suburb killed a well known Boston doctor when her car veered into oncoming traffic and hit another car. The driver, Dr. Phyllis Jen, was killed, and police are questioning whether Dr. Jen was using her BlackBerry at the time of the car crash.

Speed and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the auto accident, and the driver and passenger of the other vehicle, a large SUV, were not seriously injured. Although Massachusetts has not experienced as many car crashes related to texting or cell phone use as some states, lawmakers are considering a ban on wireless handsets to protect drivers.

According to a recent study conducted by Harris Interactive, 92% of Americans believe driving while texting or emailing as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Cell Phone Misuse May Have Killed Boston Physician, InformationWeek.com, April 23, 2009

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An early morning car accident in Marion, Massachusetts, on April 10 sent two people to the hospital. According to police, Jonathan Fonseca, 20, was driving west on Route 6 when he hit the curb and a utility pole, breaking the pole and causing it to fall across Route 6. The damage from the car crash (a broken utility pole and downed wires) forced authorities to close Route 6 for nine hours.

Fonseca and his passenger, 18-year-old Michelle Rico, were flown to the hospital by Med Flight helicopter. Their injuries were considered serious, according to the Marion police chief. As of last week, Ricco was in fair condition, and Fonseca had been treated and released from the hospital.

The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstructions Section is investigating the auto accident along with the Marion Police. They believe that speed may have been a factor.

Two local people seriously injured in car accident, WickedLocal.com, April 14, 2009

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On Saturday night, a state police trooper was hit by a car while on a detail in a damaged area of Boston's Mass Pike. The area was damaged in an earlier traffic accident that occurred around 11am that morning.

The driver of a 2009 Toyota Camry dropped a "large piece of equipment" which hit one of the panels at the D entrance of the Mass Pike on Congress Street around 9pm.

According to state police Lt. Eric Anderson, the injured trooper was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Toyota Camry, a 24-year-old man from Hyde Park, was arrested on marijuana charges, and the car accident remains under investigation.

State trooper at Pike ramp struck by car, Boston Herald, April 12, 2009

Trooper Struck By Vehicle in Boston, WBZTV.com, April 11, 2009

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Countless studies have confirmed the link between cell phone use and car crashes. One estimate prepared by the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis states that more than 2,600 people die from cell phone-relatd auto accidents.

According to CellularNews.com, the United States and Sweden are the only two industrialized nations that do not prohibit cell phone use while driving (though many allow it with a hands-free set). Many states, including Massachusetts, have discussed the possibility of banning drivers from using cell phones on the road. But aside from fining drivers for violating the ban, there seems to be little that law enforcement officials can do to prevent cell phone use.

This gave Fred Wenz, a UPS deliveryman, an idea. Wenze formed Try Safety First LLC with John Fischer and the pair has filed a provisional patent for an owner compliance key (OCK). The device will block the incoming and outgoing radio signal to and from cell phones for a five-foot radius – preventing the person in the driver's seat from making or receiving calls. The OCK could be used on a secondary set of keys (say, for a teen driver) or on the primary set of keys. The company is in the funding stages.

Hang up and drive, Enquirer.com, April 9, 2009

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Over the weekend, a 16-year-old from Quincy, Massachusetts died in a rollover car crash in the southbound lane of Interstate 89 in Hopkinton. A press release from the State Police states that the auto accident occurred around 2:19pm on Saturday afternoon. Police arrived at the accident and found a Jeep on its side on the media. They believe that the Jeep veered off the roadway and rolled over several times before it landed on its side.

The driver, Michael Richardson, 48, of Quincy, Massachusetts, and the front passenger, Angenetta Cairo, 35, also of Quincy, were both wearing seatbelts and did not sustain any injuries. Anthoney Wilkerson, 16, was riding in the backseat but was not wearing his seatbelt. Members of the Hopkinton Rescue Squad tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead by the state Medical Examiner’s Office.

Driver impairment does not appear to be a cause of the car accident, and according to the press release, fatigue or “inattention/distraction” may have contributed.

Crash claims Mass. teen, UnionLeader.com, March 22, 2009

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In Salem, a car accident injured four people on Thursday evening. Three of the car crash victims were taken to local hospitals, and the vehicles were severely damaged.

The auto accident occurred on the northbound lane of Fort Avenue around 7:30pm. The driver of a 2002 Ford Mustang GT was in the wrong lane and collided with a Honda Odyssey. Both cars caught fire as a result.

A passenger riding in the Mustang was thrown from the car and later taken to Massachusetts General Hospital by MedFlight helicopter. According to the Salem’s fire deputy chief, two other accident victims were taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

The cause of the motor vehicle accident and the names of the victims are unknown.

4 hurt in fiery crash, Salem News, March 13, 2009

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Earlier this week, a Salem resident was awakened by loud noises and bright lights on his lawn. He and his girlfriend initially thought it was a thunderstorm, but they didn’t fathom that it could be a burning car on his front lawn.

John Frost, a Marlborough Road resident, rushed outside with a fire extinguisher and watched someone crawl out of the overturned car shortly after 1am. Miraculously, there were no injuries in the car crash. However, the driver and passenger were transported to Salem Hospital as a precaution.

The driver, a 32-year-old from Peabody, was driving from Peabody toward Highland Avenue. He told police he had brake trouble coming around the curve. His car became airborne before it hit two cars in a driveway (both of which were towed) and tore the front gutter off the house.

According to Salem News, the driver will be cited for speeding, driving without a license, operating to endanger, and a marked lanes violation.

Wild crash ends with flames on resident's lawn, Salem News, March 10, 2009

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On Sunday night around 8:18pm, a 2006 Toyota Prius collided head-on with a 2003 Saturn Ion on Memorial Drive in Cambridge. According to a state police trooper, both drivers were treated for minor injuries at local hospitals.

The Boston Herald reports that the injured drivers were Cynthia Scott, 54, of Wellesley and Jonathan Buchbinder, 53, of Quincy. The scene of the accident was at 8:55pm and Memorial Drive at Magazine Street was shut down.

The cause of the car accident has not been released.

Drivers survive head-on Memorial Drive collision Sunday, Boston Herald, March 9, 2009

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On Friday afternoon, a car accident injured the four occupants of a Toyota Corolla that had spun out of control and slammed into a large cement planter. The passengers and driver were taken by Action Ambulance to local hospitals. Two were in serious condition.

The car was traveling down Essex Street in Swampscott and passed two other car before the driver, Nicholas Linear, lost control. The 19-year-old lives in Salem. His passengers included Edgar Manan, 20, also of Salem, Bernard Coleman, 21, of Dorchester, and Jonathan Elvert, 26, of Medford.

According to Salem News, Linear and Manan have already been released from the hospital. The other two car crash victims are being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The auto accident is still under investigation by Massachusetts State Police.

4 injured in Swampscott crash, Salem News, February 28, 2009

Two seriously injured in Essex Street crash, WickedLocal.com, February 27, 2009

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A North Attleboro man was arrested on one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allowing his unlicensed 15-year-old relative to drive his car. The teen accidentally drove into the parking lot of Cumberland Farms around 9:40pm last Saturday night. She confused the brake and the gas pedal, and the 2006 Pontiac Vibe crashed into the brick and glass façade of the store. Fortunately, the customers and cashiers scattered and no one was harmed.

The man, 49-year-old Thomas M. Gibbons, told police he was giving her a driving lesson. The received a traffic citation for driving without a license. According to police, the car crash caused “significant damage” to the store’s brick façade and window display.

A similar incident occurred last April, when a 49-year-old woman was drove into the façade of the former Sunrise Bagel Shop during her road test for her driver’s license. She, too, had mistaken the brake and the gas pedal. But because she had a valid learner’s permit, police did not cite her. She was treated for minor injuries, but no one else was harmed.

Unlicensed teen slams car through Cumberland Farms, The Call, February 23, 2009

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In Lynn, Massachusetts, a car accident on July 12 left a police officer severely injured and out of work. The State Police accident report states that high speeds, running a red light, and not wearing a seat belt all appear to be factors in the car crash.

The auto accident occurred at the intersection of Western Avenue and Chestnut Street, where a police cruiser driven by officer Gregory LeBlanc collided with another vehicle driven by Lt. Christopher Reddy. According to the report, Reddy was driving westbound on Chestnut Street, when slowed his vehicle as he drove through a green light and “T-boned” the cruiser driven by LeBlanc.

Massachusetts state law exempts on-duty police officers from wearing seat belts, so neither one was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. Reddy sustained minor injuries and returned to work within a few days. LeBlanc had to be extricated from his cruiser and transported to a Boston hospital by helicopter. According to his wife, LeBlanc suffered a shattered pelvis and received three surgeries in two weeks.

As of late last year, LeBlanc’s medical bills had topped $410,000 and the city of Lynn will likely be expected pay half once LeBlanc’s insurance coverage kicks in.

Report: Lynn cruiser crash due to lax safety measures, ItemLive.com, February 10, 2009

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In Saugus, a 28-year veteran of the Massachusetts state police died an early morning car crash last week. Captain Richard Cashin, 52, was working the 11pm to 7am shift when his cruiser, an unmarked Crown Victoria, hit a utility pole, crossed a parking lot, and slammed into a snow bank off Route 1 north. The car crash occurred around 1:45am.

No other vehicles were involved, and Cashin was pronounced dead at the scene of the car accident. The cause of this tragic auto accident is under investigation, but authorities said it does not appear to be weather-related. Cashin had worked with the state police since 1980 and some believe that he is the highest-ranking Massachusetts state police officer ever to die in the line of duty.

Our condolences go out to Cashin’s wife and four children on the loss of their husband and father.

State Trooper Killed In Route 1 Crash, WBZTV.com, January 28, 2009

Mass. state trooper dies in crash, Associated Press, January 28, 2009

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The Boston Globe reports that a Wellesley, Massachusetts man was killed in a car crash while on a fishing trip in Argentina. The family of Thomas Patrick McDermott, 73, formerly the head of Ernst & Young’s New England division, said that McDermott often traveled to South America on philanthropic trips and to visit his wife’s family in Chile.

The truck McDremott was riding in, along with his companion, Thomas Fritz, turned over. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the car’s driver, William Smith Kanaga, 83, of Orleans Massachusetts was pinned underneath the car. A representative of the United States embassy in Buenos Aires said Kanaga was in serious but stable condition following the motor vehicle accident.

According to the representative, the State Department is investigating the car accident.

Wellesley man dies in Argentina crash, Boston Globe, January 27, 2009

Argentina: 2 Americans die in car accident, Associated Press, January 26, 2009

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Yesterday morning, a car crashed into a Sutton police cruiser at Route 146 and Boston Road. The police cruiser was on its way to investigate an unrelated traffic accident on Route 146.

Neither the policeman nor the driver of the driver of the car, a 36-year-old Auburn woman, were injured in the car crash, though the police car was severely damaged. Both vehicles were towed away.

According to state police Sgt. David Mahan, all drivers at the four-way intersection yielded for the police cruiser except for the driver of the car that collided with the police cruiser. That intersection is the only one on Massachusetts’ Route 146 that has a traffic signal.

Police are investing the car crash involving the police cruiser and the car accident that the policeman was about to investigate.

Car collides with cruiser on its way to an accident, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, January 22, 2009

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On Thursday, an Enfield police officer was traveling south on I-91 when a tractor-trailer changed lanes unexpectedly and hit the officer’s car. Fortunately, the officer and his police dog Niko were not injured in the crash. As the tractor-trailer forced the officer’s car into the guardrail, the officer kept control of his vehicle and pulled over the truck. He then called the Massachusetts state police.

According to police, the truck’s wheels practically reached the hood of the officer’s car, which was heavily damaged. Police said the damaged vehicle was a spare, because the officer’s new car was being outfitted with radios and other items.

The truck driver who crashed into the officer's car received a moving violation from Massachusetts state police.

SPRINGFIELD/ENFIELD: Officer, Dog Unhurt In Crash, Harford Courant, January 17, 2009

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Massachusetts lawmakers have unveiled a new state policy that would remove the appeals process that allows Mass. drivers to appeal a rate hike in their insurance coverage after a car accident. The current appeals process takes about seven months and costs drivers $50, so the change in policy is being touted as a faster, cheaper option for drivers.

The new policy, which goes into effect of April 2009, requires drivers who were involved in a traffic accident but were not at fault to file a complaint with their insurance company. The insurance company will determine whether the driver should pay a rate hike for the accident, and the Insurance Commissioner said that drivers can switch insurance companies if they disagree.

Some are concerned that this new policy will give insurance companies too much power. “You’re letting the fox guard the chicken coup,” said the president of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents. “I just don’t see how this is consumer-friendly.”

According to the Boston Herald, Massachusetts is the only state where drivers can contest surcharges before an appellate board if the driver was found at fault.

Massachusetts nixes driver appeals process, Boston Herald, January 9, 2009

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On Sunday evening around 5pm, a car crash left five people injured and caused significant structural damage to a home, which was later condemned as a result of the car accident.

Crystal S. Chaney, 28, was driving a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina when she ran a stop sign and was hit by a 2008 Buick Enclave driven by Doyle W. Kincaid, 52. The impact caused Chaney’s vehicle to spin off the road and crash into the corner a house.

All three passengers in the Lumina had to be cut out of the vehicle by rescue crews. Two passengers, one in serious condition, were airlifted to a local hospital. The driver of the Buick and his wife suffered minor injuries as a result of the traffic accident. Police cited Chaney for false registration, driving on a suspended license, and disregarding a stop sign.

Car crash leaves 5 hurt, house condemned, The Journal Gazette, January 5, 2009

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An allegedly stolen SUV fleeing the police crashed head-on into a CDTA bus shelter and seriously injured a person in the bus shelter. Jonathan Carpenter, who sustained broken legs, arms, internal injuries, and severe head injuries in the car crash, was transported to a local hospital.

Robert A. Holcomb, 47, appeared in stocking feet and hospital garb to be arraigned on several charges including first-degree vehicular assault, two counts of criminal mischief, criminal possession of stolen property, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, running a stop sign, DWI, and failure to signal a turn.

A city court judge said that Carpenter has two previous felony convictions and has an outstanding arrest warrant in Massachusetts.

Fleeing driver crashes, severely injures bystander, TimesUnion.com, December 19, 2008

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This holiday season is harder for many Massachusetts families, including a North Shore family whose Dad broke his back in a serious car accident in 2005. The Boston Globe reports that the mother wrote to Globe Santa recounting the life-altering head-on collision that left her husband disabled and unable to work.

According to the mother’s letter, her two daughters, ages 6 and 9, have had to take on many of the household chores because of the chronic back pain that resulted from the car crash. Though the mother has been working as a waitress, the family says it is struggling to make ends meet on one income and a small insurance settlement.

This family will be among approximately 30,000 receiving gifts from Globe Santa. The Globe reports record numbers of requests this year, and urges individuals and groups to contribute to Globe Santa to ensure that all eligible Eastern Massachusetts families receive a visit from Santa this year.

Mom seeks help for family after dad disabled in car crash, Boston Globe, December 15, 2008

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On Sunday during the season’s first widespread snowfall, more than a dozen auto accidents were reported between 1 and 4am between Northampton and Holyoke. Most of the car crashes occurred on Interstate 91 in Holyoke near exits 15, 16, and 17 northbound and southbound, according to a Massachusetts state trooper.

Several people were taken to Boston area hospitals, but no serious injuries were reported. One driver slid into a parked police cruiser. The trooper had stopped on the side of I-91 to assist with another motor vehicle accident when his car was hit. Fortunately, he was not in the car at the time, so there were no injuries.

On Sunday afternoon, the snow returned, resulting in several small accidents in Franklin and Berkshire Counties. In addition to highway accidents, police in Western Massachusetts reported a few minor car accidents in their area as well.

Snowfall causes flurry of accidents, MassLive.com, December 8, 2008

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A Massachusetts man was taken to South Jersey Healthcare-Elmer Hospital with minor injuries following a two-vehicle accident on Friday around noon. The collision occurred on Yorktown Road in New Jersey, according to state police.

Harvey Wilmore, 41, was a passenger who sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash. Also injured was Eugene Brice, of Millville. The 60-year old was transported to Cooper University Hospital with severe chest injuries following the auto accident.

Police say Brice’s Dodge pickup truck collided almost head-on with a Ford pickup truck driven by Joseph Massey, 34. Massey was trying to make a left-hand turn onto Mannington-Yorktown road when he evidently pulled in front of Brice, who was traveling in the opposite direction.

No tickets had been issued at the scene of the accident, which police say is still under investigation.

Millville man suffers chest injuries in 2-vehicle crash, NJ.com, December 6, 2008

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In Salem, Massachusetts, a car driven by a 76-year-old Peabody man was struck by a commuter train in a Massachusetts tunnel during the evening rush hour on Monday. Officials say the driver was able to walk and talk to investigators after the commuter rail accident, but the man later died. It is unclear whether injuries resulting from the crash played a role in his death. His name has not been released to the public.

Witnesses to the commuter rail collision say that the man was driving along the ground-level platform at the Salem station before driving about 300 feet into the tunnel. The driver of the northbound commuter train braked when he saw the headlights of the car, but it was too late.

No injuries were reported by passengers of the commuter rail train.

Driver dies after collision with MA commuter train, Boston Globe, November 3, 2008

Car driven by 76-year-old driver strikes Mass. commuter train in rail tunnel; man later dies, Newsday, November 3, 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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