Car Accidents

May 30, 2013

Woman Injured After Hit-and-Run Accident in Worcester, MA

A Worcester woman was seriously injured after a hit-and-run crash early this morning.

The victim, 24, was struck around midnight while crossing the street at the intersection of Chandler and Wellington Streets. Police found the young woman lying in the middle of the road with severe hip and facial wounds.

Witnesses who saw the accident reported a small, dark-colored SUV flee the scene toward Main Street. According to police, it appeared that the woman was struck and rolled on top of the car and then fell back onto the ground. The victim was transported to a local hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition. Police are still investigating the accident.

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According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,280 pedestrians were killed as a result of motor-vehicle crashes and 70,000 were injured in pedestrian accidents in 2010. The number of pedestrian fatalities in 2010 accounted for 13% of all motor-vehicle accident fatalities and the number of injuries accounted for 3% of the total amount of individuals injured in a traffic accidents.

Most hit-and-run accidents occur in metropolitan areas where there is a high volume of car and pedestrian traffic. In fact, in 2010, the NHTSA reported that 73% of all pedestrian accidents occurred in urban settings, and typically at non-intersections (79%). Weather conditions, as reported by the NHTSA do not seem to have an impact on the amount of pedestrian fatalities however the majority of these types of accidents usually take place during nighttime hours. About 1 in 5 pedestrians killed in 2010, were the victim of a hit-and-run motor-vehicle accident, the NHTSA reported.

Pedestrian accidents occur for a variety of reasons, and may be attributed to not only the actions of a motor-vehicle operator, but the actions of a pedestrian as well. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding and reckless driving, and distracted driving by motor-vehicle operators are the most common factors that cause pedestrian accidents. About 20% of drivers involved in pedestrian accidents fled the scene according to the NHTSA. In some cases, pedestrians’ actions caused accidents. Actions such as alcohol consumption (leading to impaired judgment) was the most prominent factor, as well as failing to follow road signals, such as crosswalk signals, and improperly crossing intersections.
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April 25, 2013

Drugged Driving and Boston Car Accidents

by Altman & Altman

Per a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 10.5 million people in the 12 and over age group admitted to driving under the influence of illegal drugs in the year before they were surveyed. The age group that had the highest percentage of drivers that drove while on drugs was the 21 to 25 young adult demographic.

At Altman & Altman, LLP, our Boston car accident lawyers represent victims that have suffered serious injuries or lost loved ones in Massachusetts drugged driving accidents. Contact us today.

A drug doesn’t have to be illegal for it to impair one’s driving abilities, potentially causing a serious traffic crash. Even some over-the-counter medications may impair one’s vision, hearing, judgment, and abilities to react, act, respond, and process. Mix drugs with alcohol and the combination can be lethal for everyone involved.

March 30, 2013

Not All Boston Child Injuries in Cars Involve Actual Massachusetts Traffic Crashes

by Altman & Altman

At Altman & Altman, LLP, our Boston personal injury lawyers also represent the families of kids injured in non-traffic related Massachusetts car accidents that were caused by another negligent party, including incidents involving:

Backover Accidents

This type of car accident often occurs when a vehicle is backing out of a parking space or driveway. The motorist may not realize that a child is behind the car. According to KidsandCars.org, about 50 kids are involved in US backover incidents every week, resulting in about 48 injuries to minors and two deaths. Boston backover accidents are more likely to occur when there is a larger size vehicle involved, such as an SUV, van, or truck. The bigger size can make rear visibility harder for the driver.

March 28, 2013

More Adult Motorists than Teens May Be Texting While Driving, Finds New Survey

by Altman & Altman

According to a survey conducted by AT & T, 49% of the adult motorists that participated said the have texted while driving. Compare that to 43% of teen drivers that were asked in another survey in 2012. 98% of all respondents said they know that distracted driving is unsafe.

Multitasking is never beneficial while behind the steering wheel of the car. At Altman & Altman, our Boston personal injury lawyers represent clients who suffered serious injuries because of a distracted driving. Texting, talking on the cell phone, reading, surfing the Internet, and sending emails while driving can lead to catastrophic Massachusetts car crashes.

Per the At & T report, which is part of its “It Can Wait” campaign to get drivers to stop texting while behind the wheel, the number of motorists that text appears to be going up instead of down. Out of every 10 respondents, six of them said they didn’t text while driving three years ago. Meantime, 40% of those that do text while driving admit that this is an actual habit rather than a rare occurrence.

March 13, 2013

Teen Car Crash Deaths in Three States A Reminder to Young Boston Motorists to Drive with Caution

by Altman & Altman

Our Boston personal injury law firm represents victims that were involved in serious Massachusetts motor vehicle crashes. There can be many reasons why a traffic crash might happen. Drunken driving, distracted driving, drugged driving, speeding, carelessness, recklessness, drowsy driving, and auto defects are among the more common causes. Another cause of auto injuries and deaths is driver inexperience, which is common among teen drivers. Many of them lack the experience behind the steering wheel that can only come from years of actually operating a motor vehicle.

In the last few days, three tragic auto accidents involving teens in three different states have been a powerful reminder that teen driving can be dangerous. In Ohio early Sunday, six teenagers were killed when the stolen SUV that they were riding in overturned on a guardrail. The driver and five of the passengers died. Two other teens survived the collision.

Also on Sunday in Texas, five teens in a Chevrolet SUV were killed when the vehicle they were in crashed into a gasoline tanker. According to officials, the driver, age 16, failed to halt at a stop sign and collided with the large truck at an intersection. Everyone in the vehicle, including two sisters, died.

In Illinois, four teens were found dead in a sedan in a creek bed on Tuesday morning. The two girls and two boys ranged in age from 15 to 17.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, per miles driven, teen drivers are three times more likely than older motorists to be involved in a deadly collision. Auto crashes continue to be the number one cause of youth fatalities in this country.

The common causes of motor vehicle crashes that we mentioned above are some of the same reasons that Massachusetts teen driving accidents happen. That said, our Boston car crash lawyers cannot stress how the inexperience of youth can truly impact a teen driver’s ability to navigate challenging road conditions, bad weather, emergency situations, and rush hour traffic.

Ohio to Texas to Illinois: Toll of teen driving deaths rises, Los Angeles Times, March 12, 2013

Teen Drivers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Massachusetts Teen Driving Guide, DMV

More Blog Posts:
Recent Tragic Car Crashes A Reminder that Teen Driving Can Be Dangerous, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, March12, 2013

Former Middleboro, MA Teacher Dies in Tragic Car Crash, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, March 12, 2013

Child Left Alone for Hours on Cambridge, MA School Bus, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, March 12, 2013 Continue reading

February 23, 2013

Premises Liability?: Fans Injured in NASCAR Crash at Daytona International Speedway

by Altman & Altman

At least 30 fans were injured today when a racecar at the Daytona International Speedway flew from the track through the fence and into the grandstands. No fatalities have been reported.

The racecar collision involving multiple vehicles happened as they came toward the finish line. A car, driven by rookie racer Kyle Larson went airborne as it collided with the wreck, entering the grandstands. Pieces of the vehicle also landed in the crowd, including one of its tires.

According to Joie Chitwood, the Speedway president, 14 people were transported to hospitals while 14 others were injured. However, local officials believe the numbers may be a little higher. Chitwood says that even though fans were lined along the fence where Larson’s vehicle crash-landed through, there was a buffer there and all safety protocols had been in place.

January 15, 2013

Even With Texting Ban, “Legal” Distracted Driving Habits Continue to Up Risk of Boston Car Accidents

by Altman & Altman

Even though texting while driving has been banned in Massachusetts, this doesn’t mean that people are not engaging in distracted driving habits that are just as risky albeit legal. A Boston Globe article today reports on just this trend from the results of an operation carried out this month by police officers in West Bridgewater who were looking for drivers that were interacting with their cell phones while operating their vehicles.

51 motorists were pulled over for texting while driving. 37 of these people were given warnings or $100 citations. However, 14 were let go because, according to them, they weren’t actually texting but, rather, they were looking at directions or dialing the phone to make a call. Both activities are distractions, but both are legal to do on the road. Still, they can cause Boston car accidents.

Such distinctions between what is legal and what isn’t among distracted driving habits can make it tough for police to determine who is actually breaking the law by texting while driving and who is just getting ready to make a phone call or using their device as a map.

January 4, 2013

CDC Reports 4.2% of Adult Motorists Doze Off While Driving

by Altman & Altman

At Altman & Altman, LLP, our Boston injury lawyers represent clients injured in Massachusetts motor vehicle crashes that were caused by other negligent parties, and although following asleep at the steering wheel might not seem like an intentionally reckless act, if a driver causes an traffic collision as a result, it can be grounds for a Massachusetts personal injury or wrongful death. Auto accidents caused by asleep or drowsy drivers occur more often than one would like to think.

A recent report from the CDC revealed that 4.2% of adults admitted they had fallen asleep while driving at least one time in the last month. Our Boston car accident law firm doesn’t have to tell you that this is the equivalent to having a moving car on the road with no one at the steering wheel.

The report’s findings come from a survey of over 147,000 in DC and 19 states in 2009 and 2010. The report’s lead author, Dr. Wheaton, said that although a 4.2% national average seemed high, the actual number of motorists that actually do fall asleep while operating a more vehicle is more. She noted that the reason for this is sometimes a motorist may doze off for just a couple of seconds and not even realize it. While adult drivers in the 25 to 34 age range were most at risk of falling asleep while driving, senior motorists in the 65 and older age group were the ones least like to nod off. Also, more men drivers than women fell asleep.

December 17, 2012

A Decrease in Massachusetts Highway Deaths Doesn’t Mean Boston Car Drivers Get to Be Less Vigilant

by Altman & Altman

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of US highway deaths in 2011 went down to their lowest level since 1949 at 32,367 fatalities-a 1.9% drop from last year. The 2011 decline is a continuing trend over the last six years, which has lead to a 26% drop in traffic deaths since 2005.

In this state last year, Massachusetts traffic fatalities went down from 347 deaths in 2010 to 337. Nationwide, other significant 2011 statistics included:

• A 4.6% drop in the number of light truck and passenger car occupant deaths.

November 13, 2012

Parking Risks and How to Avoid Them

by Altman & Altman

Parking is a part of most people’s everyday work routine into which they probably don’t put much thought. While it may seem like a mundane part of one’s daily routine, the reality is that most people use parking lots several times a day without acknowledging the inherent safety risks until it is perhaps too late. Though parking lots are a breeding ground for all sorts of accidents, it is important for employers and employees to know their dangers in order to help prevent accidents from occurring.

The two most common and preventable accidents that occur in parking lots are security accidents and slip, trip or fall hazards.

The National Crime Victimization Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, reports that more than 1 in 10 property crimes occur in parking lots or garages. Other violent crimes occur in parking lots due to the nature of these spaces. Dark or unlit areas provide the perfect environment for crimes to occur, especially given that many people walk to their cars alone. Parked cars also provide hiding spots for predators who can crouch behind them and remain unseen for long periods of time.
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