Fatal Accidents

October 12, 2011

Man Held on $20,000 Bail for Causing Crash and Fatalities in Worcester

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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September 23, 2011

Lynn Man Dies After Windshield Hit by Wheel

by Altman & Altman

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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September 16, 2011

Woman Charged for Fatal Crash in Stoughton Held on $100,000 Bail

by Altman & Altman

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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September 9, 2011

Wheel Separates from Vehicle and Causes Fatal Accident in Warren

by Altman & Altman

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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September 2, 2011

Driver Accused of Trying to Cover-Up Involvement in Fatal Hit-and-Run in Revere

by Altman & Altman

At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Sunday near 335 Lee Burbank Highway in Revere, Sothany Pen, 22, was hit and killed by a vehicle that fled the scene of the accident. Jon J. Ravida, 47, who struck Pen, reportedly returned to his mother´s house after the accident, hid his damaged Ford Explorer, and then drove past the scene of the accident in his mother´s vehicle. He is also accused of bleaching the stain on his vehicle and trying to hammer out the dents in his vehicle. Megan O’Rourke, Suffolk County assistant district attorney, said during Ravida’s arraignment in Chelsea District Court that he went to great lengths to try to cover up his involvement in the accident.

A Revere police account reported that a witness saw Ravida purchasing cigarettes at a Hess gas station. Ravida and the witness ended up in the same flow of traffic on the northbound side of the freeway and the witness noticed Ravida cross from the left lane and then back to the right lane before swerving back to the left lane. The witness noticed an object fall off of Ravida´s roof which he believed at the time to be a piece of luggage. He then saw Pen lying in the street and pulled over to help her and called 911. At this point, Ravida reversed his vehicle and turned around to go south on the road despite the witness´s attempt to flag him down. Pen had severe head injuries, was not breathing, and had no pulse by the time police arrived.

Another witness, John Merullo, said that he was sitting in the employee parking lot of Capitol Waste Services, a trash hauling company in East Boston, and saw the suspect pull up next to him at 5:35 a.m., immediately following the accident. Merullo commented “I could see fear on his face…Then he very calmly backed out, like he didn’t want to arise suspicion. But the front of his Explorer had a lot of damage to the front, and it was obvious to me that something serious had just happened.” Merullo then drove a short distance before finding the scene of the accident and told police what he had just observed and that the employee parking lot has surveillance cameras. Police also retrieved video surveillance footage from the gas station.

August 18, 2011

Summer Traffic Woes Continue, Cross-country Drive Turns Fatal

by Altman & Altman

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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July 29, 2011

Blaze in Saugus Caused by Crashed Gas Tanker

by Altman & Altman

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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July 12, 2011

Jamaica Plain Man Dead After Two-Vehicle Crash in Quincy

by Altman & Altman

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

Man Indicted for Fatal Crash in Somerville

by Altman & Altman

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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May 31, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend Driving Results in Two Fatalities in Separate Accidents

by Altman & Altman

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