Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
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
The Massachusetts car accident lawyers at Altman & Altman can advise you if you have been injured on the road.
