Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A bill filed by Senator Robert L. Hedlund of Weymouth would make interlock safety devices mandatory for those convicted of drunk driving in Massachusetts. Currently, Melanie’s Law requires the devices for repeat drunk drivers.

The device works like an in-car breathalyzer test so that the driver must blow into a tube to analyze the driver’s blood alcohol content. The car will not start if the reading is .02 percent or higher.

Jill O’Bryan, a 25-year-old from Rockland, was injured by a repeat drunk driver in 2005 and has had more than two dozen surgeries as a result of injuries she sustained during the car accident. O’Bryan will attend an event in support of bill.

Hingham police will also demonstrate the interlock safety device and promote their 7th annual Designated Driver Program.

Source: Hingham police show anti-drunk driving unit, Boston Globe, November 19, 2009 Continue reading

Earlier this year, a report released by the Massachusetts Highway Department revealed that intersections in Boston, Brockon, Stoughton, Quincy, Braintree, and Abington are among the most dangerous in the state. The report was based on data compiled by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and covered motor vehicle accidents that occurred at intersections between 2005 and 2007.

State officials hope the information will help them plan construction projects and improve safety of Massachusetts roads. Some of the possible measures include widening certain roadways, adding turning lanes or additional traffic lights, or timing traffic signals differently.

While state officials say the report contains some inconsisencies due to communities reporting car crashes differently, the report gives them an overview of where accidents are occurring to help improve traffic safety.

Sources: Accidents waiting to happen, Boston Globe, November 15, 2009
Report: 2007 TOP CRASH LOCATIONS REPORT, Massachusetts Highway Department Continue reading

Critics say that using cameras to fine drivers who run red lights is an attempt to raise revenue, rather than improve safety, but the Boston Globe and other media outlets report that Governor Deval Patrick is pushing to make Massachusetts the 25th state to adopt such a measure. Many mayors and police chiefs have been wanting the cameras for years.

If passed, the state law would allow cities and towns to fine drivers up to $100 if their traffic violation is caught on camera. The fine would not subject the owners of the vehicle to insurance surcharges and would require signs warning drivers that their cars and license plates are being photographed. Such signs have been shown in some studies to actually cause more rear-end car crashes, perhaps because motorists slam on the brakes when they notice the signs.

However, federal studies show that the cameras do lower the number of right-angle auto collisions in the middle of intersections, which can be even more hazardous than rear-end collisions. The Federal Highway Administration says the cameras should be used for safety purposes, not as a way to generate more revenue.

Source: Patrick pushes for cameras to catch red-light violators, Boston Globe, November 13, 2009 Continue reading

Several Massachusetts car accidents earlier this year have highlighted the controversial issue of whether senior citizens should be subject to extra scrutiny when renewing their driver’s licenses. While AARP has sponsored a driver safety refresher course for the past thirty years, Massachusetts seniors are not enrolling in the course at the same rate as their counterparts in other New England states. Between January 1 and September 30, less than a thousand senior citizens opted to take the refresher class. According to AARP Massachusetts, enrollment in Massachusetts was 11,000 less than in Connecticut.

One explanation for this discrepancy is that insurance companies in Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island offer discounts to drivers who complete the course, while Massachusetts does not.

Taught by AARP volunteers, the four-hour refresher course covers basics like hearing, vision, and flexibility changes in older drivers, driving alongside bigger vehicles, and driving or braking in inclement weather. Participants receive a 121-page driver’s manual with visual aids, instructions, and quizzes. Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are considering a bill that would require Massachusetts drivers over the age of 75 to retake road and visions tests every five years.

Source: Course puts elder drivers on road to safer driving, Boston Herald, November 8, 2009 Continue reading