Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Last month in Reading, Massachusetts, a motorcycle accident claimed the lives of two. Authorities say both the 32-year-old driver of the motorcycle and his 25-year-old passenger were killed instantly when the cycle collided with as pickup truck.

According to the motorcycle accident victim's mother, the two were leaving the funeral of a friend who had died in a car accident the previous weekend.

Neighbors in Reading described the intersection at Lowell and High Streets as dangerous. They gathered at the site of the double fatal motorcycle accident, and at least one person left a bouquet of flowers at the accident scene.

Source: Two die in Reading motorcycle accident; Ex-E-T columnist's daughter a victim, The Eagle-Tribune, November 20, 2009

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This week, members of Massachusetts' Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony about two bills that relate to traffic safety. The first, dubbed Ryan's Bill after a 16-year-old who died in a motorcycle accident, would require driver's education for motorcyclists between the ages of 16 and 18. Currently, Massachusetts law does not require Class M permit applicants to pass a riding test or undergo lessons, which some consider "ludicrous" given that motorcycles can travel up to 100 miles per hour.

Ryan's father, Brockton Fire Lieutenant Roger Orcutt, hopes that the bill will prevent other teens from getting into a dangerous motorcycle accident. State Senator Stephen M. Brewer urged the Joint Committee to pass the bill, so "Ryan's death will not be in vain."

The committee also heard testimony surrounding a bill that would require paratransit vehicles to have an up-to-date wheelchair tie-down and safety belt system. In addition, the bill would require a training course for employees and volunteers who transport wheelchair-seated passengers. Among those testifying in favor of the bill were Kenny Cieplik, a 34-year-old man from Middleborough who sustained serious injuries in a van crash last May when the seatbelts tying down his wheelchair broke.

Bill aims to toughen license laws, Boston Globe, October 7, 2009

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Earlier this month, a second-grade boy was pinned under an SUV as he ran to catch a school bus. The SUV accident occurred in the morning around 7:30am. The motor vehicle accident victim was rushed to MetroWest Medical Center, where he was treated for serious check injuries.

Police spent much of the morning investigating the motor vehicle accident.

As children head back to school and traffic increases with school buses and parents dropping off their kids, it is especially important for drivers to be alert and watch for children crossing the street. Our Massachusetts traffic accident attorneys previously blogged about tips for preventing a car accident during back to school season.

Framingham boy pinned by SUV as he ran to catch school bus, NECN.com, September 11, 2009

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Over the weekend, a Massachusetts woman was thrown from her motorcycle and suffered minor injuries as she was driving in the rick Rockland-bound lane of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The motorcycle accident occurred just after 11am when a car suddenly stopped in front of her and her brakes locked up. She reportedly landed on her back and complained of pain around her ribs. The motorcycle accident victim was wearing a helmet and remained conscious as she was taken by ambulance to Nyack Hospital. Traffic was backed up as it squeezed into the middle and left lanes.

According to police, the site of the motorcycle accident was cleared with half an hour.

Woman injured in motorcycle accident on Tappan Zee Bridge, LoHud.com, September 19, 2009

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Last week, a motorcycle accident injured two bikers, sending them to the hospital. The accident occurred in Putnam, Connecticut. Both of the motorcycle accident victims, ages 30 and 36, were transported to University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester.

The traffic accident was reported just after 6pm on Saturday evening. Police said one of the motorcyclists appeared to be traveling east on Grove Street when he crossed into the westbound lane and hit a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer carrying six passengers. The driver, a 37-year-old woman from North Grafton, was not injured, nor were her passengers. The second cyclist hit a 2004 Mercury Sable, but the driver and his two passengers were also unharmed.

The motorcycle accident is still being investigated.

2 motorcycle riders hurt in Putnam accident with car, SUV, Norwich Bulletin, September 6, 2009

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On Monday morning, a Methuen, Massachusetts man was sent to the hospital following a motorcycle crash on Route 28. The 59-year-old was traveling northbound on Route 28 around 11am when he lost control of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. According to police, the motorcylce accident occurred near the intersection of Windham Depot Road and Route 28.

The injured man was transported by ambulance to Parkland Medical Center. He was later transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where a hospital spokesperson said he is in fair condition.

Following the motorcycle accident, traffic was momentarily halted on Route 28, but by the afternoon, the scene had been cleared. A Derry Police captain said there were no other vehicles involved in the accident, which is still under investigation.

Methuen man hospitalized after crash, The Eagle-Tribune, August 18, 2009

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According to a Gannet News Service analysis of federal accident reports, deaths from motorcycle accidents have increased since states started loosening helmet laws in the mid to late nineties. Once the federal government chose to stop withholding highway money from states without helmet laws, some states began weakening or repealing their helmet laws.

Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics show that 5.6 motorcyclists were killed for every 10,000 registered motorcycles in 1996. Ten years later, that number had risen to 7.3. That may seem like a small spike, but the annual death toll from motorcycle crashes rose from 2,160 to 4,810 during that same period. Fatality rates for all other passenger vehicles have been decreasing.

The government's Fatality Analysis Reporting System of motorcycle deaths between 2002 and 2006 also revealed that nearly half of those riders killed were not wearing helmets. The average age of those killed was around 38, and nearly half of motorcyclists who died in 2006 were 40 and older. Nearly a quarter were 50 or older.

Only about 20 states require riders to wear helmets, and the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that states reinstate helmet laws to reduce the risk of severe head trauma or death from motorcycle crashes.

Southern States Among Those With Highest Motorcycle Death Rates, USA Today, March 3, 2009

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Over the weekend, two Massachusetts men died in tragic accidents while pursuing personal missions on their motorcycles. The first motorcycle accident occurred around 11am on Saturday morning. Lucas Haus, 21, of North Reading was a novice rider who had borrowed a bike to participate in a memorial ride for a close friend who had died in a motorcycle crash earlier this year. Haus was riding at 65 miles per hour through Danvers when his cycle went out of control and hit several trees. Emergency medical workers pronounced him dead at the scene of the motorcycle accident.

Less than one hour later, 65-year-old Paul E. West, of Brockton, was returning from a trip to Mount Washington in New Hampshire when he fell down a 10-foot embankment and hit a tree. He also died. Reaching the top of Mount Washington was a longtime goal for West. He was a lifelong motorcyclist, according to his 32-year-old daughter, who also took up her Dad's hobby.

Our condolences go out the families of both motorcycle accident victims.

Quests end tragically for 2 motorcyclists, Boston Globe, August 10, 2009

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Last Thursday, a man from Marlborough, Massachusetts was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Depot Road in Nashua. The accident occurred around 9:35am. According to police, the 61-year-old man was riding southbound on Depot Road when a car pulled out of a driveway. The motorcyclist swerved off the road, hitting a sign and wooden fence.

The motorcycle accident victim sustained serious leg injuries, and his motorcycle was damaged extensively. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, but he was unable to remember the make, model, or color of the car that hit him. Police are seeking further information from the public and are requesting any witnesses to call 465-7637.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, our Boston personal injury attorneys also handle accidents involving machinery, defective products, motor vehicle collisions, and medical malpractice.

Motorcyclist hurt in crash, Nashua Telegraph, July 24, 2009

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