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A Brockton teen was injured in a snowboarding accident earlier this week. The 14 year old suffered a concussion and broken wrist after a hard landing at the terrain park at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford, Massachusetts.

The general manager of the ski area said the teen was not wearing a helmet at the time of the snowboarding accident. Of course, statistics from the National Ski Area Association suggests that a helmet doesn’t necessarily prevent injury in case of an accident, particularly when the skier is traveling more than 12 mph.

The injured teen was transported by ambulance to Emerson Hospital in Concord. He is expected to be OK.

Source: Mass. teen injured in snowboarding accident, NECN.com, February 16, 2010 Continue reading

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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

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Here in Massachusetts, we’ve experienced several train accidents in recent years. Yesterday morning, two trains collided in Halle, Belgium and killed at least 18 people. Authorities estimate that at least 55 others were injured in the train collision, though they add that these numbers are not final. The crash occurred during morning rush hour as passengers traveled to work. Those not injured were transported away from the scene of the crash by bus. The injured were treated at a nearby sports center, according to the Belga news agency.

The train accident has apparently disrupted other parts of the rail network in northern Europe. Eurostar suspended high-speed train service between London and Brussels, and there were delays in northern France close to the Belgian border.

The cause of the accident is unknown. While snow was falling at the time of the train collision, officials say there was not an unusual amount of snow. The crash is believed to be one of the deadliest train accidents in Europe since the 2006 crash in Montenegro killed 41 people.

Source: 18 killed in Belgian train crash, official says, CNN World, February 15, 2010 Continue reading

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Earlier this week a crash involving a car and a school bus in Falmouth, Massachusetts injured the driver of the car. The motor vehicle accident occurred around 3:15pm on Monday.

The school bus was carrying about 12 students at the time of the accident, and fortunately neither the bus driver nor any of the passengers were injured. The driver of the car was taken to Falmouth Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Here in Massachusetts, it’s a no-fault state and motorists who get into a car crash are covered by their own Personal Injury Protection insurance, but sometimes those medical costs can exceed policy limits.

Source: One Injured in Falmouth School Bus Crash, ABC6.com, February 8, 2010 Continue reading

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Yesterday morning, two Green Line trains collided underground near Boylston Station. According to a spokeswoman for the MBTA, both trains were traveling about 5 miles per hour when the trolley crash occurred. Officials said there were no injuries, but police were investigating reports that two people suffered minor injuries.

One of the trains sustained minor damage and both trains were taken out of service. Roughly 200 people were on board the trains at the time of the MBTA accident, and they were evacuated. As is routine, the MBTA employees on the two trains will undergo drug and alcohol testing. MBTA officials say there is no indication of signal or equipment problems, nor do they believe that cell phones or other electronic devices were involved.

Trolley service was interrupted for about 15 minutes after the train collision.

Source: Police Investigate Green Line Crash, TheBostonChannel.com, February 9, 2010 Continue reading

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Legislators here in Massachusetts recently passed a bill that would ban drivers from texting messaging while on the road. The bill will be passed along to the Senate. But an article in the Boston Globe points out that enforcing this ban could be tricky. Since the ban would not outlaw dialing phone numbers, how could police officers really know if a driver is texting or dialing? And if you plug an iPod into your car’s stereo system, could you get nabbed for messing with your music rather than texting?

The technology is no new that these questions are tough to answer.

In fact, a spokesman for the Governor Highway Safety Association admitted that they don’t yet have a good way to enforce texting bans. It’s much easier for officers to spot a driver talking on a cell phone than texting on a cell phone, because texting can be done covertly under the window. However, advocates for the bill are quick to point out that distracted driving is a major factor in countless car accidents, causing numerous fatalities and serious injuries.

Source: Texting bans raise questions of enforcement, Boston Globe, February 7, 2010 Continue reading

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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

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Police are investigating a truck accident in Danvers that seriously injured a 17-year-old boy. The accident occurred yesterday just before 7:30am when the teen crossed the street and was hit by a cement truck, according to police. He suffered a broken pelvis, contusion, and a gash on his head.

The truck accident victim was taken by ambulance and then MedFlight helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. As of yesterday afternoon, he was in the intensive care unit and would undergo surgery to repair the fracture on Thursday or Friday. He had stitches for the gash on his head.

The truck accident is still being investigated, but speed was not believed to be a factor. Solar glare may have contributed to the accident.

Source: High school student hit by cement truck in Danvers, Boston Globe, February 4, 2010 Continue reading

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Here in Massachusetts, the debate over drivers and cell phones continues. Earlier today, the House debated a bill that would ban text messaging while driving. It would also ban junior drivers from using cell phones at all and require drivers over the age of 75 to renew their license in person every five years. Currently, they must renew their license every ten years. These new rules were prompted by several high-profile car crashes last year involving older drivers.

During the early part of the bill, members voted 93-66 to make the bill even tougher, requiring all Massachusetts drivers to use hands-free devices when they make cell phone calls. Though the House has previously voted to require hands-free devices in 2008, the law was later killed by the Senate.

Members of the House hope that the bill would reduce the risk of auto accidents in Massachusetts. Assuming the legislation passes today, it will continue to the Senate.

Source: House bill would require drivers making calls to go hands-free, Boston Globe, February 4, 2010 Continue reading

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The last several weeks have seen a flurry of media coverage about the impact of cell phone usage on drivers. The most recent coverage suggests that cell phone bans will not decrease the number of car crashes. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) study was released at a conference last Friday.

The HLDI, which is sponsored by the insurance industry, compared roadway accident data from states that have banned driving while texting to states that do not regulate texting. The organization also examined data on monthly collision claims in four states that banned hand-help phones and looked the data before and after the laws went into effect. However, HLDI’s data does not distinguish drivers who were using cell phones at the time of the car accident versus other drivers.

The Transportation Department has already renounced HLDI’s research, calling the study irresponsible.

Source: Cellphone Curbs May Not Decrease Car Crashes, Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2010 Continue reading

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