Pedestrian Accidents

November 24, 2008

Boston Pedestrian Accidents Frequently Occur on Massachusetts Avenue

Students and workers on Massachusetts Avenue are complaining that the street is a danger zone for pedestrians. Aggressive drivers, multiple buses, motorcyclists weaving through traffic, speeding ambulances, faulty walk signals, and pedestrians talking on cell phones are some of the reasons they cite for why so many pedestrian accidents keep happening on this busy Boston road.

Since the Boston University School of Public Health installed new facilities on Massachusetts Avenue this year, at least six pedestrians have been hit by cars. There have also been a number of near-miss pedestrian accidents.

For example, on August 29, Associate Professor Anita Raj was struck by a motor vehicle as she stepped onto Massachusetts Avenue. She sustained minor bruises in the traffic accident.

According to The Boston Globe, professors, other staffers, and students are calling on Boston police to put in a four-way traffic stop, install traffic cameras, and enforce traffic laws. A few months ago, the Boston Transportation Department posted bigger “Yield to Pedestrian” and “No Turn on Red” signs, as well as signs warning pedestrians to watch out for vehicles that are turning. Boston workers also repainted the street’s crosswalks. New traffic signal controllers allowing pedestrians to cross the street before the green light goes on will also be installed.

Municipal safety officials are supposed to make sure that all streets are safe for motorists and pedestrians-especially on roads where there is plenty of traffic and/or are located around school zones and in residential areas. There are also steps that motorists can take to prevent pedestrian accidents from happening.

Some Steps Drivers Can Take to Avoid Boston Pedestrian Accidents:

• Yield to pedestrians.
• Watch out for pedestrians that appear distracted when crossing the street.
• If there is a car that is stopped in front of you or next to you, consider that there may be a pedestrian crossing the street and you may have to stop also.
• Be on the lookout for pedestrians that may be walking behind your motor vehicle as you are backing up.
• Even if it is your turn to move forward in traffic, look out for pedestrians that may still be in pedestrian zones or elsewhere on the street.

On Mass. Ave., a danger zone for pedestrians, Boston.com, November 23, 2008
Pedestrian Safety, ICBS
Related Web Resources:

Boston Transportation Department

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Continue reading

November 5, 2008

Dorchester Crossing Guard Struck by Car in Massachusetts Traffic Accident Dies From Her Injuries

by Altman & Altman

In Massachusetts, the 59-year old crossing guard who was struck by a car as she helped a 10-year-old across a Dorchester street has died. Marie Conley passed away one week after the October 21 pedestrian accident that took place outside Mathers Elementary School.

The pedestrian accident took place in the morning. According to Boston police, Conley was using her reflective vest and had signaled that traffic should stop when she was hit by a car, driven by senior driver Anis G. Gazeau, as she walked into the crosswalk. Following the accident, Conley was rushed to Boston Medical Center with serious head injuries.

Boston Police are working with the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office to charge motorist Gazeau with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation. The 86-year-old driver has already been cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Witnesses say his car drove through the crosswalk at a speed of around 20 mph.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Gazeau said he was not at fault and did not cause the deadly pedestrian accident. He says he never saw Conley step in front of his car. He also claims that the crossing guard walked backward into his car as she watched the kids on the sidewalk. Investigators tested his car brakes at the October 21 crash scene and found that they were working properly.

Gazeau has a number of driving infractions on his record. He was involved in another pedestrian accident in 2002. Police cited him then for failing to yield.

Conley is a grandmother and the mother of four children who spent eight years working as a school traffic supervisor. She helped young kids cross the street to and from school and, when necessary, stayed at work after her shift was over to keep kids company while they waited for their parents.

Crossing guard struck by car dies, Boston.com, October 30, 2006
Crossing Guard Struck By Car Dies Of Injuries, WBZ, October 29, 2008
Crossing Guard Hit, Injured Outside School, The Boston Channel, October 21, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Adult School Crossing Guard Guidelines, SRTS Guide Continue reading

November 2, 2008

Mother and 9-Year-old Son Die in Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Accident While Trick-or-Treating

by Altman & Altman

In Westfield, a mother and her nine-year-old son died on Halloween Night when they were struck by a car while trick-or-treating. Roberta A. Salois, 47, and Steven X. Smith-Salois were crossing the street when the deadly Massachusetts motor vehicle crash happened on South Maple Street, which is also called Route 202.

Steven was wearing a Batman costume that night. After the accident, he was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield where he was pronounced dead. Roberta was pronounced dead at Noble Hospital.

The driver of the 2005 Toyota that struck Roberta and Steven is 25-year-old Westfield resident Anne R. Schlichtig. She was not injured in the traffic accident, and no charges have been filed against her. Westfield police, however, are continuing to investigate the deadly crash.

According to witnesses that saw the accident scene, the street was littered with candy and Steven’s shoes, which had come off during the pedestrian accident. One neighbor says that traffic was moving rapidly on South Maple Street that Friday night.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Out of the 4,654 pedestrian deaths last year, 306 of these fatalities were children, age 14 and under.
• 187 of these kids were boys.
• 18% of the kids belonging to this age range that died in traffic deaths were pedestrians.
• 14,000 of the 70,000 pedestrians that sustained injuries last year were age 14 or younger.
• 8,000 of the kids in this age range who got hurt were boys.
• 80% of children pedestrian deaths occurred at non-intersections.

Driver Kills Mother, Son, Out for Halloween, Boston.com, November 2, 2008
Family, friends in grief after Halloween tragedy, Boston.com, November 2, 2008

Related Web Resources:

2007 Traffic Safety Facts: Children, NHTSA
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
Continue reading

October 16, 2008

NHTSA Records 61 Pedestrian Deaths in Massachusetts

by Altman & Altman

Out of the 417 Massachusetts traffic deaths in 2007, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 61 of those fatalities were pedestrians. Nationally in the US, there were 4,654 pedestrian deaths last year, with one pedestrian dying every 13 minutes.

2007’s national total is a 13% decrease from 10 years prior when 5,321 pedestrians died in 1997. 70,000 pedestrians survived traffic accidents with injuries last year.

Other 2007 NHTSA US Pedestrian Facts:

• 73% of pedestrian deaths happened in urban areas.
• 77% of pedestrian fatalities took place at non-intersections.
• Over 70% of the pedestrians that died last year were male.
• 721 elderly pedestrians, ages 70 and over, died in the US last year.
• 8% of pedestrian fatalities were children ages 15 and younger.
• 23% of pedestrian injury victims were also children in this age group.
• 85% of nonoccupant fatalities were pedestrians.
• 13% of nonoccupant fatalities were pedalcyclists.
• The remaining 3% were roller skaters, skateboarders, etc.
• In 49% of traffic accidents resulting in pedestrian deaths, at least one of the parties involved-whether the motorist or the pedestrian-had been drinking.

Under the General Laws of Massachusetts, motorists are supposed to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the streets in crosswalks, whether or not they are marked or unmarked. Both drivers and pedestrians are expected to exercise caution on the roads to prevent traffic accidents.

Pedestrians are at high risk of getting seriously hurt or dying anytime they are involved in an accident with a car, truck, bus, or motorcycle.

2007 Pedestrian Traffic Safety, NHTSA
Chapter 89: Section 11. Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty, The General Laws of Massachusetts

Related Web Resources:

Pedestrian Safety, Federal Highway Administration

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, WalkingInfo.org Continue reading

August 19, 2008

NHTSA Releases 2007 Traffic Accident Statistics

by Altman & Altman

This month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its 2007 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured data. Statistics for last year indicate a 3.9% percent decrease in traffic accident fatalities between 2006 and 2007.

Overall traffic accident deaths for 2007 was 41,059, down from 42,708 in 2006, with injuries also decreasing from 2,575,000 in 2006 to 2,491,000 in 2007.

Other 2007 US Traffic Facts:

Passenger vehicle deaths: 28,933 Injuries: 2,221,000
Motorcycle deaths: 5,154 Injuries: 103,000
Pedestrian Deaths: 4,654 Injuries: 70,000
Bicyclist Deaths: 698 Injuries: 43,000
Large Truck Occupant Deaths: 802
The NHTSA also provided 2007 traffic accident statistics for the state of Massachusetts: 417 deaths.

According to US Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, the decline in total motor vehicle deaths can be attributed to more aggressive law enforcement measures at both the state and federal levels, as well as the manufacturing of safer motor vehicles.

Read the Summary of the 2007 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured (PDF)

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Highway Department

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Continue reading

July 17, 2008

Massachusetts Man that Struck Pedestrian in Hit-and-Run Accident May Have Been Text Messaging

by Altman & Altman

In Massachusetts, Michael Faria, the man charged in connection with a fatal hit and run accident in Easton on Saturday may have been text-messaging when the accident occurred.

According to a Bristol County prosecutor, Faria told a friend that he was texting on his cell phone when his car struck John McCarthy. The 58-year-old pedestrian had been walking close to Washington Street when he was struck.

Prosecutor Jessica Lennon says that Faria’s failure to call for help may have been the cause of McCarthy’s death-who may have survived the accident if he had received medical help sooner. Another motorist contacted 911 about 25 minutes after the accident happened.

McCarthy was wearing a reflective vest when the accident happened. Easton police believe that he was on the shoulder of the road when Faria allegedly struck him. While no one witnessed the accident, police found a small fragment from what was the wheel well of a black Infinity SUV.

Easton police publicized the information, and they received an anonymous phone call on Monday that eventually led them to Faria, who turned himself in after several hours of negotiations over the phone.

Faria pleaded not guilty to homicide by motor vehicle, leaving the scene of the accident, and operating to endanger.

Driver negligence and inattention are common causes of catastrophic injury accidents to pedestrians and other motorists. All motorists are required to exercise a reasonable duty of care when behind the wheel. When failure to fulfill this care leads to serious injury or death, a driver can be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death.

Examples of motorist negligence:

• Failure to obey traffic signs or laws • Drunk driving • Speeding • Failure to exercise caution on the road • Text messaging or talking on the cell phone while driving • Reckless driving • Hit and run
• Leaving the accident scene
Prosecutor: Hit-and-run defendant was text-messaging, Boston.com, July 16, 2008
Fatal hit-run puts scrutiny on texting, BostonHerald.com, July 17, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Outlawing Text Messaging While Driving, US News and World Report, February 11, 2008
The Tragedy of Fatal Hit and Run Accidents on America’s Deadly Roads, Deadly Roads.com Continue reading

March 12, 2008

Woman Sued for Wrongful Death in Deadly Massachusetts Car Accident

by Altman & Altman

A woman who has been charged in the motor vehicle homicide death of a female pedestrian she accidentally struck outside a car wash in Haverhill, Massachusetts, is now the defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed by Roger Young, the husband of Robin Young, who was killed last year on June 16 at Hafner’s carwash, located on the Haverhill/Plaistow line.

Robin was wiping down her sport utility vehicle outside the car wash exit when she was struck by Marie Pigaga in a 2000 Mercedes Benz SLK 230 coupe. The motor vehicle jumped a retaining wall before hitting Robin, whose 12-year-old daughter witnessed the deadly collision from inside the SUV.

February 14, 2008

Thousands of Massachusetts Drivers Have Been Involved In Multiple Motor Vehicle Accidents

by Altman & Altman

Approximately 87,000 Massachusetts drivers have been in at least two motor vehicle accidents from 2002 through June 2007. 8,400 of these drivers have been in three crashes. Some 1,100 were in four auto collisions. Some 220 people have been in at least five accidents. Yet a number of these drivers continue to return to the roads. There are 4.7 million Massachusetts drivers.

The Boston Globe looked at 750,000 accident records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. According to the study:

• Males are more frequently involved in motor vehicle accidents than females.
• Drivers 25 years of age and under are involved in 30% of the crashes.
• Fridays, after midnight, and after rush hour are the times when accidents are most likely to occur.

According to state and public safety officials, common causes of motor vehicle accidents in Massachusetts include:

• Negligence • Aggressive driving
• Driver inexperience • Bad road designs • Bad weather
In one recent deadly hit and run accident, the driver, Craig P. Bigos had at least six tickets and two motor vehicle crashes on his driving record. He was also driving with an expired license. Bigos allegedly hit a 13-year-old pedestrian while text messaging. He faces a motor vehicle homicide charge.

In 2004, a repeat offender heading to a methadone clinic struck a 55-year-old man in Kingston. In 2005, a 76-year-old Upton farmer, who has been in five accidents in six years, drove his tractor into a truck driven be an off-duty cop.

Accidents waiting to happen, Boston.com, February 10, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

2004-2006 Massachusetts Crash Statistics
Continue reading

February 7, 2008

8-Year Old Massachusetts Girl in Medically Induced Coma After Being Struck by Elderly Voter in Car

by Altman & Altman

8-Year-old Brittany Noel suffered internal injuries and a fractured skull after being struck by an SUV in the schoolyard at E.G. Lyons Elementary School in Randolph, Massachusetts on Tuesday. She was placed in a medically induced coma at Boston Medical Center last night.

The man driving the 2001 Ford Escape was 86 year-old William Geisler, who was trying to park his car at the school so he could vote. He appears to have lost control of his SUV, which he drove through a grassy area before it hit the second grader.

About 70 students witnessed the accident. Some of them had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by Geisler’s vehicle. A number of the children were reportedly traumatized from watching the motor vehicle accident. Emergency personnel had to pull the SUV off Brittany.

Geisler already has had two citations for speeding. He received one citation in Norwood in 1987 and another citation in 1995 in New Hampshire.

Elderly Drivers
Although elderly drivers are generally less inclined to speed or drive aggressively, their reflexes can slow down. While many elderly drivers are perfectly able to drive their motor vehicles into their 80’s or 90’s, there are senior drivers whose driving abilities start to fail.

Problems That Can Occur to Senior Drivers:

• Hearing problems • Visual problems • Drowsiness • Brain impairment • Dementia • The side effects that come from taking prescription medication
Although these side effects are not the fault of the elderly driver who is experiencing them, when any of these problems are the reason that an elderly driver loses control of a car, runs over a pedestrian, or strikes another motor vehicle, he or she may be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death.

If your child was injured in a car accident, a bus accident, a truck crash, or a motorcycle collision. You and your family may be entitled to recover personal injury compensation.

Girl, 8, hit by car at school poll, Boston Herald.com, February 6, 2008
Children scatter as SUV crashes at school, injuring girl, Boston.com, February 6, 2008
Related Web Resources:

Elderly Drivers, Insurance Information Institute

Senior Citizen Driving: Warning Signs and Helping an Unsafe Driver Stop Driving, Helpguide.org Continue reading

February 5, 2008

90-Year-Old Boston Woman Dies in Pedestrian Accident While Crossing Massachusetts Avenue

by Altman & Altman

Bert Hirschberg, a 90-year-old Boston grandmother and women’s rights activist, died while crossing Massachusetts Avenue when she was struck by a car.

Hirshberg used a walker to get around. She was crossing the avenue, located close to her apartment, when she was hit by a Toyota. Heavy rains were pouring onto the roads at the time the Boston pedestrian accident occurred.

Hirshberg was transported to Boston Medical Center, where she died the next day. The 90-year-old activist also championed local arts and underprivileged children. Police gave the driver of the Toyota that struck Hirschberg a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that of the 4,784 pedestrian deaths that took place in 2006, 966 of the victims were elderly persons, ages 65 and over. Some 6,000 seniors were also injured in pedestrian accidents that year.

One of the reasons that older pedestrians are at high risk of being struck by a motor vehicle is because their reflexes, perception, and eyesight can deteriorate the older they get. Older people also take a long time to recover from any injuries.

Safety Tips for Elderly Pedestrians:

• Cross the street at the corner or crosswalk.
• Continue to watch both sides of the street even when crossing at a crosswalk.
• Watch for oncoming traffic as you cross the street.
• Wear bright clothing that makes it easy for drivers to see you.

Although pedestrians must exercise caution when crossing the street, car drivers, motorcyclists, truckers, and bus drivers are responsible for exercising the proper care when operating their motor vehicles on the roads. It is important for drivers to be on the lookout for any pedestrians-especially at night or during rain or snow storms. When a driver’s carelessness or negligent actions, such as drunk driving, speeding, driver inattention, or driver error, leads to the serious injury or death of a pedestrian, the driver can be held liable in a Massachusetts personal injury or wrongful death case.

Activist Bert Hirshberg, 90, killed in tragic accident, Boston Herald, February 5, 2008

Focusing on the Senior Pedestrian, U.S. Department of Transportation

Related Web Resources:

Traffic Safety, NHTSA
Street Smarts for Seniors, Canada Safety Council
Crash Statistics, PEDSAFE Continue reading