Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Ongoing Risk of Drowsy Drivers on Massachusetts Roadways

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:03:07 -0500

We've all been there -- spending hours behind the wheel, wanting nothing more than some shuteye. While most of us make it home safely, there are others who aren't so lucky.

According to Yahoo News, there were more than 11,000 people killed in drowsy driving car accidents from 2000 to 2010. It's a problem that many researchers believe can be solved by tougher laws.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that there's no way to determine if a driver was drowsy at the time of a collision. We have tests for drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs, but drowsy driving is virtually undetectable. Still, many don't even think the drowsy driving laws are helping. Researchers believe that the laws banning motor coach and commercial truck drivers from spending more than 11 hours a day behind the wheel are flawed because drivers reporters are rely upon the honor system and are too easily falsified.

According to Massachusetts Sen. Richard Moore, there was once legislation considered to ban this dangerous behavior after a constituent's son was killed in a drowsy driving accident back in 2002. Unfortunately, there was no way to prove drowsiness of a driver. Instead, lawmakers decided to take the proactive approach and educate drivers -- hoping that knowledge will help to keep drivers safe and alert behind the wheel.

Although nothing may be more effective in curing drowsy driving tendencies than sleep, officials with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) say that two cups of coffee and a 15- to 20-minute nap may be able to get the job done. While many drivers believe that loud music, getting out of the car and stretching and eating may be the cure -- those will do nothing to wake you up behind the wheel.

According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), close to 5 percent of adult drivers in the country have nodded off or completely fell asleep behind the wheel at least once in the last 30 days.

"For some reason people in our culture think it's OK to lose sleep and get behind the wheel," said Mark Rosekind with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Sleepiness can impair driving performance as much or more than alcohol, studies show. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that one out of every six deadly traffic accidents, and one out of eight crashes requiring hospitalization, is due to drowsy driving.

We know it's dangerous and it's time to put an end to it.

Before heading out, whether you're driving a commercial vehicle or your own personal passenger vehicle, it's important that you get a good night's sleep. If you start to feel drowsy behind the wheel, pull over and stop. There's no point in keeping on and risking your life, and the lives of others. Stay safe out there this summer.

New "Silver" Rating to Help Older Drivers in New England

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:20:14 -0500

Older drivers face some serious obstacles behind the wheel. But there could soon be a way to help them get around some of these problems. According to The Washington Post, officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are proposing two new safety ratings geared toward older drivers and families.

What officials are looking into is a "silver" rating. What this would do is look at how a particular vehicle can accommodate the needs of an older driver. They're also looking at a "family" rating to see how well it's going to protect back-seat passengers and children. These ratings would be extremely beneficial as the car we're driving has a lot to do with how we're going to make out in the event of an accident -- and may even help us to avoid them in the first place.

Our Quincy car accident lawyers understand that these two ratings would be an excellent addition to the current five-star rating system. The truth of the matter is that we choose vehicles that can benefit and mold to our lifestyle. It's important that this rating system grows as our needs do. Unfortunately, the addition of these two new ratings could take up to four years.

So why the "silver" rating? As we see more and more older drivers, as the baby boomer generation ages, we're seeing more elderly drivers. This wave of drivers has been cleverly dubbed the "silver tsunami" and consists of drivers who are over the age of 64. By 2025, the AARP estimated that about 20 percent of drivers will be over the age of 54, meaning there will be more than 55 million elderly drivers on the road. That's compared to the less than 40 million we have today.

Stereotypically speaking, elderly motorists are less likely to survive an accident compared to younger occupants. That's why it's important that our elderly motorists are best protected out there -- and that can be done by purchasing a vehicle that can best suit their needs.

According to federal accident statistics, older drivers account for the highest fatality rate in serious crashes.

According to newly-released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were close to 100 people over the age of 64 who were killed in traffic accidents in the state of Massachusetts in 2011.

These older individuals made up 17 percent of all traffic fatalities and 8 percent of all people injured in traffic crashes during the year.

Our older drivers face vision problems and hearing deterioration. They may not be as flexible as they once were and their risks for accidents are higher. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It's all a part of growing up. But there are ways that we can help to ensure their safety. Let's all work together to keep those older drivers safe behind the wheel. Keep an eye on them, make sure they're doing alright and make sure they're in the best car to suit their needs.

Massachusetts Ranks in Top 10 Most Bicycle-Friendly States

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:35:31 -0500

The state of Massachusetts ranked as the 6th most bike-friendly state in the country for 2013. And we pride ourselves on this ranking.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, Massachusetts earned this ranking for good reason. Out of a scale of 1 to 5, we got a 4 for our bicycle policies and programs. While not the best, we are far from the worst. We earned a 3 ranking for our legislation and enforcement, education and encouragement as well as for evaluation and planning.

Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers understand that we're not at the top yet, and it's long road (or bicycle path) to get there. According to researchers, there are some simple steps that could help us to make our area safer for our cycling friends.

-Lawmakers should consider adopting a safe passing law with a minimum distance of 3 feet to address bicycle safety.

-Look into getting a tougher vulnerable road user law that increases penalties for motorists that injure or kill a bicyclist or pedestrian.

-There should be a law allowing transportation agencies to post 20 mph or lower speed limits under certain circumstances.

-State lawmakers should look into enacting a statewide, all-ages cell phone law for drivers to combat distracted driving and increase safety for everyone.

-There should be a policy requiring state official buildings, state parks, recreation facilities and other state facilities to provide bicycle parking.

-Since arterial and collector roads are the backbone of every transportation network, it is essential to provide adequate bicycle facilities along these roads. Increase the percentage of state highway network that has paved shoulders or bike lanes greater or equal to 4 feet wide.

-The state of Massachusetts is spending a low amount of federal funding on bicyclists and pedestrians. Adopt a federal funding protect rating criteria that provides incentives for bicycle projects and accommodations.

-Create a state bicycle rider's manual to ensure bicyclists have a pocket guide for rules of the road, relevant laws, state bike route and other necessary information.

-Hold a bicycle ride sponsored by the governor and/or legislation to show their constituents that their elected officials support bicycle riding.

In 2011, there were close to 10 bicyclists killed in traffic accidents in the state of Massachusetts. According to the latest release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these fatalities accounted for close to 2 percent of all of the roadway fatalities recorded throughout the state that year.

And don't forget that we're in the middle of National Bike Month. According to The League of American Bicyclists, there are ways that we can all do our part to ensure that bicyclists have a voice out there and that we're properly protected.

The truth is that bicyclists have a right to our roadways, too. Make sure you're respecting these rights and looking out for our two-wheeled friends. And bicyclists -- be safe out there. We can't rely on the safe driving habits of other to keep us safe. Stay one step ahead of the traffic around you and stay out of the danger zone.

"It Can Wait" Opens Summer Safety Campaign for Teen Drivers

Sun, 05 May 2013 09:11:20 -0500

AT&T is targeting teen drivers with a safety campaign to open the long summer months.

Recently, the campaign was significantly bolstered by the commitment of Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile US, Inc. and more than 200 other organizations that joined the movement. Within this campaign, there is a texting and driving simulator that will be traveling the country, working to spread the word about the dangers teen drivers face behind the wheel. This effort also comes as we approach the 100 Deadliest Days on the roads for teen drivers -- the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that teen drivers will be closing up their books and welcoming summer break. With this comes more free time to play with, later nights to enjoy and oftentimes fewer rules to abide by. With this time approaching, we're asking parents to step in and to remind these newly-licensed drivers about the risks they face out on our roadways.

"Awareness of the dangers of texting and driving has increased, but people are still doing it. With this expanded effort, we hope to change behavior. Together, we can help save lives," said AT&T Chairman & CEO Randall Stephenson.

Need some help in approaching your teen about safe driving? Look over the following topics and get talking. Make sure your teen understands the risks that come along with a driver's license and they know how to avoid these dangers out there on our roadways.

-Consider enacting a parent-teen driving contract. With this, you can enact your own household driving rules to make sure that your teen is as safe as they can be out there.

-Make sure your teen has, and abides by, a curfew. Teen drivers are more likely to get into an accident during the evening house than any other time of the day. Set a curfew and stick to it.

-Make sure they know that can call you at absolutely any time. You never want to put your teen in a predicament where they get in the vehicle with an intoxicated driver. Make sure they know they can always turn to you for a safe and sober ride.

-Remind all motorists that seat belts can save lives. Whether driving or riding along, make sure your teen is buckled in during every car ride.

-Keep distractions at bay. There is never a time when a driver should take their eyes off the road or their hands of the wheel. Teens may think they can text or make phone calls while driving, but the truth of the matter is they can't. No one can.

As it stands now, car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in the country. Step up, get talk today and help to change that sobering statistic tomorrow.

NHTSA Focuses on Distractions Caused by In-Car Technology

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:05:51 -0500

We can't rely on drivers to keep their eyes on the road, so officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are turning to auto manufacturers for help.

In a recent announcement from Ray LaHood, Secretary with the U.S. Department of Transportation, new guidelines have been released to help to minimize the possible in-car, electronic distractions for drivers. Included in these distractions are navigation, communication and entertainment devices.

"Distracted driving is a deadly epidemic that has devastating consequences on our nation's roadways," said Secretary LaHood.

Our Quincy car accident lawyers understand that the gadgets make the vehicle. Consumers are looking for vehicles with all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, those bells and whistles come with some serious risks for car accidents. Today, newer vehicles come equipped with in-car phones, text messaging devices, email checking services, web browsing devices and even interactive navigation units. While that might make a vehicle more appealing to drive, it also makes it more dangerous. That's why NHTSA officials are proposing voluntary guidelines for car manufacturers to put an end to these devices -- or to at least disable them while the vehicle is in motion.

Falling under these new guidelines are the devices that require a driver to take their eyes off the road of their hands off the wheel.

As it stands now, only drivers under the age of 18 in the state of Massachusetts are prohibited from using a hand-held cell phone in the driver's seat. All drivers in the state have been banned from text messaging at the wheel, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Safe Driving Law signed by Governor Patrick became effective on September 30, 2010. Among other provisions, the law bans sending, typing or reading electronic messages to or from handheld devices while operating a motor vehicle. This includes use of the internet and text messaging. While that may be the law, drivers are still engaging in these activities because the services are so readily available in their vehicle.

It's a serious problem and we need to do something about it now. According to Distraction.gov, there were close to 3,500 people killed in car accidents in the U.S. because of someone's distracted driving habits. That's an increase from the year before -- proving the problem is only getting worse. In addition to these fatalities, there were also more than 385,000 injuries recorded throughout the year because of these same irresponsible driving habits. As a matter of fact, close to 20 percent of injury crashes in 2010 were reported as distraction-affected crashes.

While these devices may be here to stay in our vehicles, it doesn't mean we have to use them -- especially when driving. There's a time and a place for everything, and behind the wheel is no time to make calls, check texts or deal with email. Make sure that you've come to a complete stop and your vehicle is in "park" before attending to these activities -- lives depend on it.

Prom and Graduation Up Massachusetts Auto Accident Risks

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:27:40 -0500

According to a recent article published on Boston Herald.com, a North Reading high school senior was killed in a one-car auto accident earlier this month. The accident happened just prior to 7:00 a.m. when the driver veered off the road into a wooded area. The cause of the accident has not been released. The young man died at the scene.

This high school senior will not make it to graduation. Unfortunately, our Boston car accident attorneys know that this young man is likely not the only teen who will be involved in a serious or fatal car accident in the upcoming weeks. Car accidents are always a leading cause of death for teen drivers. But some of the most dangerous times of the year are the spring season when school starts to come to an end and when kids celebrate prom and graduation.

Prom and Graduation Accident Dangers
Both prom and graduation are events that teenagers look forward to and that they choose to celebrate. The sad fact is, this celebration often involves drinking and perhaps even drugs. Kids routinely consume alcohol at after-prom parties or after graduation, and many also mark the occasion by using marijuana.

Unfortunately, kids get into cars after they have been drinking in order to get home before curfew or even just to head on to the next party. A drunk teen who is behind the wheel at a prom or graduation celebration endangers himself, his passengers and every other person on the road.

How to Stay Safe This Prom Season

While prom and graduation are traditionally times when kids take dangerous driving risks, safety can remain a priority if parents work to make it so. Many schools have taken steps to discourage drinking behavior, including hosting educational events about the dangers of drinking at prom. Parents, too, can do their part to help ensure that teens do not become involved in a car wreck due to bad decisions.

Some of the best ways to help your kids get through prom and graduation without harm include:

Arranging for a limousine or driver to take kids to and from prom. While you still don't want your kids to drink, at least when they have a limo you can rest assured they aren't driving.
Organizing alcohol-free post prom and post graduation parties. Many schools and parents have made it a tradition to throw post-prom parties that allow kids to have fun without getting drunk or using drugs.
Knowing where your kids will be. If your children tell you that they are going to a party for prom or after graduation, find out if there will be parents there and if there will be alcohol there.
Letting kids know you're there to pick them up. You should always make it clear to your kids that you will pick them up if they call and that they SHOULD call rather than getting in a car with someone drunk. Make clear your kids will never get in trouble if they call for a ride instead of getting into the car with someone drunk.

By following these tips and talking to your kids about the dangers they face when it comes to drunk driving this spring, you can hopefully help to ensure your children make it safely past high school so they can start their adult lives.

15-Passenger Vans a Summer Risk at Churches, Camps, Youth Groups

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:20:01 -0500

This summer, lots of kids will be attending camps and church functions. Often, these children are transported on field trips as part of their summer experience. Older Americans may also choose to use the summer months to go on site seeing tours or outings.

In many situations, 15-passenger vans are used by tour groups, camps, church groups and other small organizations. Unfortunately, our Boston accident lawyers know that these 15-passenger vans can be very dangerous because there is a high roll-over risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released an advisory reminding drivers of the potential rollover dangers of these vehicles.

Preventing Rollover Accidents in 15 Passenger Vehicles

According to the NHTSA's recent consumer advisory notice, 15-passenger vans are prone to becoming involved in tragic rollover accidents. A rollover crash occurs in top-heavy vehicles and often happens when drivers go around a curve too fast or when the car is involved in a crash. The vehicle rolls over onto its top with the wheels in the air, often causing passengers to suffer serious injury in the process. Other nearby cars can also be severely damaged if a large vehicle rolls on top of them.

Rollovers can happen in any car, but 15-passenger vans are especially susceptible to the risk. NHTSA indicates that 15-passenger vans present a unique rollover risk because they are particularly sensitive to overloading. An already top-heavy 15 passenger van will become much more dangerous if the vehicle is overloaded with passengers and luggage or other materials. This means when a whole church group or summer camp of kids piles in with suitcases and backpacks, the van becomes a riskier place to be and the chances of a rollover crash increase.

The increased length and increased width of 15 passenger vans also increase the chances that a rollover accident will happen, according to NHTSA.

How to Avoid Rollover Accidents

To help everyone stay safe this upcoming season, NHTSA has some key tips for drivers of 15-passenger vehicles. NHTSA reminds drivers:

To refrain from overloading the vehicle.

To make sure that the vehicle undergoes regular maintenance.

To ensure that all tires are properly inflated. NHTSA surveys have indicated that 30 percent of 15-passenger vans have at least one tire that is not properly inflated. This can up the chances of a rollover occurring.

Inspect and maintain the steering and suspension of the van in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

NHTSA also reiterates the importance of wearing seat belts. Some passengers in 15-passenger vans will treat these vehicles more like buses and may forget to put on a seatbelt. When this happens, the chances of an accident go way up. In fact, NHTSA indicates that a total of 88 percent of those who die in 15-passenger van accidents have no seat belt on at the time of the accident.

If passengers buckle up and if drivers follow basic safety tips, hopefully rollover accidents and other 15-passenger van wrecks can be avoided this summer even as people pile into the vans to head off and enjoy warm weather activities.

Elderly Pedestrians Have Double the Risk of Car Accident Death

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 03:14:22 -0500

The plight of the elderly when it comes to safe transportation has been very well documented by experts. It is clear that most elderly Americans will reach a point at some time in their lives when they are no longer able to drive safely. Unfortunately, walking often becomes out of the question at some point as well due to mental or physical infirmity. This can leave elderly individuals with no option but public transportation if they want to get around and don't have family to rely on.

Aging in Place, Stuck Without Options, revealed that there will be 15.5 million adults ages 65 and up living in U.S. communities where there is no public transportation option available. Our Boston car accident lawyers know that the lack of public transportation, coupled with the inability to walk or to drive safely, puts many older seniors in a very bad situation. Often, these seniors will choose to take on risks when they need to get somewhere. This is inherently dangerous, but a new recent study shows just how dangerous it is for the elderly.

Elderly at Great Risk of Dying in a Car Wreck
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts studies on many important pressing issues. One such issue recently tackled was the dangers that elderly Americans face as a result of their mobility.

As reported by USA Today, car accident fatalities from 2001 to 2010 were studied by the CDC in order to get more answers about the dangers that elderly adults face as pedestrians.

By analyzing the crash data from 2001 to 2010, experts were able to determine that:

Pedestrians account for 4,000 of the approximately 34,000 traffic related deaths in the U.S. annually.
Those ages 75 and up had more than twice the traffic-related death rate in pedestrian accidents than those who were aged 34 and under. Both older men and older women are more susceptible to traffic fatalities than younger men and younger women.

Older adults, therefore, are at greater risk of car accident deaths as pedestrians. These older adults are not just in danger of getting hurt if they drive past their prime but are also in danger if they decide to walk somewhere since they have no other way to get around.

Why Are Elderly Pedestrians More Likely to Die in a Wreck?

In general, older adults and senior citizens in the U.S. have been shown to take fewer walks than those who are younger. Unfortunately, when the elderly do walk and are involved in a car wreck, they are far more likely to die than younger adults.

There are many reasons why the death rate for older adults in car wrecks is twice the death rate for younger people. Age-related physical and mental disabilities may make the elderly more likely to become involved in a crash. When they are involved in a wreck, their physical infirmities may increase the chances of death.

Unfortunately, with few options, the elderly may continue to take dangerous risks both when walking and when trying to drive after they are no longer capable. Those with older relatives should be aware of the higher risk of car accident deaths among those ages 75 and older and should try to do everything possible to make sure elderly family members have safe transportation to take them where they need to go.

New Crash Test Shows Drivers in Danger of Underride Accidents

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:08:19 -0500

Getting involved in a motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer is always very dangerous. There is a strong chance that those in a motorcar will be injured when there is a crash with a semi truck. While those involved in a truck crash can be hurt in many different ways, one of the most dangerous types of accident is underride accident.

Our Boston trucking accident lawyers know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is not doing enough to protect the public from underride injuries. A new publication from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that the risk of underride accidents may be even worse than previously believed.

NHTSA Needs to Work to Curb Underride Accidents

An underride accident happens when a car goes underneath the body of a large truck. For obvious reasons, these accidents can be extremely deadly. The car can become trapped underneath the truck; the top of the car can be badly crushed; and drivers and occupants can sustain injuries to the head or neck.

Because of the inherent risk of a car sliding under a truck, there are regulations in place designed to prevent exactly these types of accidents. The regulations require the majority of semitrailers in the United States to have special steel bars attached to the back underside of the rear trailer. If a car is pushed forward, the idea is that the car will be stopped by these bars before it slides underneath the truck and gets into an underride accident. While hitting a steel bar is going to be dangerous, it is far less risky than sliding underneath a truck. As such, these underride bars can save lives.

Unfortunately, when the bars on the semi-truck meet only the minimum guidelines set by NHSTA, there is a good chance that they won't do their jobs very well. IIHS has pointed out some problems to NHTSA, including the fact that the bars may not be strong enough and may not be large enough. IIHS has urged that NHTSA strengthen the requirements for the bars and that NHTSA also expand the reach of the regulations so that other large trucks (including dump trucks) would be required to have underride guards.

NHTSA has not yet done this. Fortunately, however, many trucks are still up-to-par anyway despite the lack of NHTSA action because Canada has had stricter guidelines in place since 2007. Since the manufacturers who are making the trucks and underride bars have to follow Canada's guidelines for trailers in use in North America, the guidelines are usually followed on all vehicles including those destined for the United States.

This is good news since it means lots of trucks meet higher standards than the minimum safety requirements by NHTSA . Many lives may be saved as a result. However, the fact that manufacturers just happen to make tractors with better underride protection is not enough to truly protect drivers. A new IIHS crash test has revealed that cars hitting the side rear of a truck are more likely to experience an underride accident. These cars can slide right under the truck at an angle.

In light of the new crash test findings, IIHS now believes NHTSA should both adopt the stronger Canadian standard for underride guards and should go further to institute requirements that can protect against these side angle underride incidents.

Will a Driverless Car Make Car Accidents a Thing of the Past?

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:52:27 -0500

Until recently, the idea of a driverless car may have sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. With the many advances in computers and technology in recent years, however, a driverless car is not just within the realm of possibility. In fact, our Boston car accident lawyers know that driverless cars actually exist today and people (albeit testers) have been inside of them.

While many people may not have heard of these technological wonders since they won't be available for a decade or more and since they cost around $100,000, driverless cars got national attention when Jeb Bush talked about them at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). PolitiFact took a look at the truth of his statement and the information they found can help to shed some light on whether driverless cars are coming soon to a road near you.

Driverless Cars as a Safe Alternative
When Jeb Bush brought up the driverless car at CPAC, he indicated that such a car had already driven more than 300,000 miles on the crowded streets in California. In all of these hundreds of thousands of miles, the car had not been involved in an accident. PolitiFact looked into this claim and found that it was mostly true and that there really has been a safe and effective driverless vehicle zipping around the streets of California.

PolitiFact also reported on other driverless cars currently being developed, including one made with Google that had been successful on a reported test drive. Google's wireless car had been able to detect cars when merging and to detect and respond appropriately to a tailgating vehicle, among other accomplishments. The Google car can't drive in heavy rain, but this is a small drawback for a car that can effectively drive itself around and act as your personal chauffeur.

Driverless cars may attract attention because of the convenience and cool factor, but Jeb Bush brought up other important points about these vehicles when discussing them. Bush indicated that not only had the California car not been in an accident but also that driverless cars in general could essentially eliminate accidents and eliminate getting lost.

Of course, even a driverless car cannot possibly make all auto accidents in the U.S. stop. Still, the claim wasn't that outlandish because a driverless car can resolve a lot of the inherent flaws that human drivers have. For example:

A driverless car has more monitors processing data and can view more angles and locations at once when compared with an individual driving himself.

A driverless car doesn't react with emotion when making a driving choice. All decisions are made based on what is the most logical course of action given the visual the car is getting. A driverless car, for example, won't have a conscious or unconscious tendency to speed when you've been late to work.

A driverless car isn't going to be drunk, fatigued and falling asleep, daydreaming or otherwise distracted, unlike a real driver who could be one or more of those things and whose driving could be compromised as a result.

Driverless cars, in other words, take the human error out of driving and remove the risk that a driver will cause a crash through his negligence or intentionally wrongful and misguided acts.

Texting & Driving Accident Risk Reaches New Levels of Absurdity

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:23:46 -0500

With news that 660,000 people may be on an electronic device while driving at any given daylight moment, you might think that things cannot get any worse when it comes to the dangers of distracted driving. Unfortunately, as two recent stories show... you'd be wrong. The dangers of distracted driving go well beyond the fact that there are hundreds-of-thousands of people on the phone or texting at any given moment because there are people who are willing to take unreasonable and perhaps even crazy risks just to use their phones.

Our Boston distracted driving accident lawyers know that every driver who uses a cell phone or sends a text is significantly increasing the chances of hurting himself or someone else. This is why the National Safety Council (NSC) has declared April to be Distracted Driving Month and has organized activities and enforcement efforts to help educate the public about the risks of driving while distracted. Some people, however, are likely well beyond hope and distracted driving month activities would have been unlikely to change their egregious behavior.

Texting Drivers Show The Extremes of Distracted Driving
One of the two drivers who took distracted driving to an extreme paid with his life because of it. According to Boston.com, this driver wasn't in a car at all- he was flying a medical helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the accident since it was a commercial airline cash and NTSB found that texting had played a role.

This accident prompted federal accident investigators to approve a safety alert that should really be classified as common sense. The safety alert cautioned all pilots of aircrafts against using cell phones or other distracting devices during critical operations. Tragically, this obvious warning came too late to save the lives of the texting pilot or the four people who died in the crash through no fault of their own.

While nothing could be worse than a helicopter pilot who decides to texting while flying, an Alabama man recently came a close second in terms of bad distracted-driving decisions. According to NBC News, the man was "double texting" as he drove. This is just as risky as it sounds: he was driving the vehicle with his knees as he used both of his hands to send text messages. The man did not seem to grasp the extent of concern for his behavior, as he reportedly told deputies that he had been "double texting," since age fifteen.

This man, like the helicopter pilot and like all other distracted drivers, put his passengers at risk. In the case of the Alabama man, these passengers included a 3-year-old child in the backseat. He put his own life and the life of everyone else on the road in danger as well, all to send a text message.

Drivers need to remember that their actions have consequences and that no distracted driving is good distracted driving, even if some types of distracted driving are worse than others. Take the NSC pledge to drive cell free this April's distracted driving month.

Auto Accident Risk: Distracted Drivers are Everywhere

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 04:17:19 -0500

Distracted driving has been a hot button issue for a long time, with lawmakers in the majority of states passing bans or restrictions on the use of electronic devices behind the wheel and with numerous public health campaigns warning the public about the risks. With so many laws and with so much news coverage, it may seem like common sense that drivers would simply refrain from doing something that significantly increases their chance of getting into a car wreck.

Unfortunately, our Boston distracted driving accident lawyers know that many people simply disregard the dangers of using electronic devices as they drive. In fact, studies have shown that people are aware of the risks but choose to talk, text or otherwise use their cell phones anyway. Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, indicates that this problem may be far more widespread than one might believe.

There are Thousands of Distracted Drivers Right Now

According to the new NHTSA data, which includes statistics from the 2012 Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors Study as well as other studies and reports from 2011, distracted driving remains a major public health problem.

In fact, the 2011 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) demonstrated that at any given daylight minute, there are 660,000 drivers manipulating an electronic device as they are driving. These 660,000 drivers are across the entire United States, talking, texting, using an app, entering data into a GPS or otherwise playing with a device instead of focusing on the road.

The number of drivers manipulating an electronic device has not changed since 2010, despite efforts to educate the public and to encourage law enforcement to crack down on distracted, texting or taking drivers. In fact, the number has not changed even as:

39 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, Washington D.C. and the US Virgin Islands have a complete ban on texting and driving for every driver in the state adult or teen.

10 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, Washington D.C. and the US Virgin Islands also ban the use of a handheld cellular telephone while operating a vehicle.

74 percent of drivers surveyed in the 2012 National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors said that they supported a ban on the use of hand-held cell phones. On average, drivers who supported a ban indicated a belief that the fines should be at least $200 for an offense.

94 percent of drivers responding to the same 2012 survey expressed support for texting and driving with a fine of at least $200 for violators of the law.

With almost 100 percent of the population supporting a texting ban and almost ¾ of the population supporting a cell phone ban, it is shocking that there are so many thousands of people manipulating electronic devices as they drive. Yet, almost half of all drivers said they would answer a cell phone call while driving and ¼ said they'd place a call. These drivers, along with the drivers willing to text behind the wheel, make up that list of 660,000 drivers currently putting every single person on the road at risk.

Daydreaming on the Way to Work Could be Deadly

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:04:37 -0500

For many people, driving comes as second nature and they don't actually stop to think about their actions. If you are one of those drivers, you may find your mind wandering as you commute to work or drive somewhere in your vehicle. In fact, your mind may take you to another place entirely as you get lost in your daydreams.

It may seem like harmless fun to spend your commuting hours daydreaming but the sad fact is that this isn't the case. Our Boston injury attorneys know that a daydreaming driver may not be giving the road the attention that it deserves. A new study has confirmed this, showing just how many accidents each year can be attributed to dreaming drivers.

Daydreaming The Most Dangerous Distracted Driving Behavior?
According to a recent Yahoo News article, an Erie Insurance Group Survey has indicated that daydreaming while driving may be the single most dangerous behavior of all distracted driving behaviors.

The Erie Insurance Group conducted its study by looking through data on more than 65,000 car accidents that took place in 2011 and 2012. The researchers found that around 10 percent of fatal car accidents involved distracted driving. The Erie Insurance Group then looked further to try to ascertain exactly what type of distraction was keeping the driver unfocused.

The results were very surprising. While texting and driving or using a cell phone behind the wheel is widely viewed as the most dangerous of all distracted driving behaviors, the Erie Insurance Group actually suggested that something else was FIVE TIMES as dangerous as talking or texting. That something was daydreaming.

Based on the information reviewed, the researchers thus concluded that daydreaming was the cause of 62 percent of all distracted driving accidents in the U.S. as compared with just 12 percent of fatalities that occurred as a result of a driver using a cell phone.

If this is true and daydreaming is really the top cause of distracted driving accidents, this could have a serious impact on the ability to legislate these types of issues. Lawmakers can ban cell phones but they have no way to set and enforce a ban on daydreaming as they cannot read your mind. Thus, preventing distracted driving crashes could be hard since there'd be no clear way to make drivers stop dreaming.

It is worth noting, however, that the data that this study was based on centers around reports from law enforcement that were reached either based on their own observations and/or based on what they were told.

Someone who got into an accident might not want to admit he was using his cell phone, especially when cell phone use is illegal in the state where the driver was operating his vehicle. Thus, knowing that he was obviously not paying attention to the road, the driver might try to claim to the police that he was just daydreaming and try to get away with hiding the fact that he was actually chatting away at the time.

Although it is not clear exactly how many distracted driving cases may have involved a texter/talker who went unreported, the basic fact is that any distracted driving accident no matter what the cause can be devastating. Drivers should thus make sure to commit to not doing anything- from daydreaming to driving on the phone- that would make the risks of an accident increase.

Boston Traffic Safety - Spring is a Time for Teens and Parents

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:09:20 -0500

It's that time of year when we see a plethora of teenagers behind the wheel. Many of them are out enjoying what can be considered the best part of their lives -- prom, graduation and summer break.

What parents need to keep in mind is that traffic accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teenagers across the country. Their first year behind the wheel is the most dangerous of them all. Luckily, you're one of the biggest influences in their driving habits and can help to shape their skills for a lifetime of safe driving.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA), teenage drivers tend to emulate their parents driving habits. Our Boston car accident attorneys are urging you to be on your best behavior behind the wheel when your teen is in the car with you. You're not going to go at it alone though. Officials with the Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program will be flooding the country with safe driving materials for teens in 2013.

"By setting a good example behind the wheel, parents can increase the chances their children will adopt safe driving practices," said Jim Vella, the President for Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

Don't believe us? Consider this: about three quarters of teenagers surveyed in a DSFL poll say that they rely heavily on their parents' advice when they first get their driver's license.

Luckily, officials with the DSFL are here to offer you some safe driving tips to help to make sure you're setting the example that your young driver needs. Read the following and review these rules with the teen in your home.

Safe Driving Rules to Help Teens:

-Drive together and drive often. Make sure you offer your teenager a lot of supervised driving time. This is going to help you to make sure that they're displaying all of the proper driving habits needed to keep them safe out there.

-Buckle up. Parents who wear a seat belt are likely to have teenagers who will wear theirs. Make sure that everyone in the vehicle is buckled in during each and every car ride.

-Obey speed limit. Speed is a factor in about a third of all traffic accidents. Make sure that you're obeying the posted speed limit and that you're driving to accommodate the current weather and traffic conditions.

-Halt the distractions. Make sure there's a "no distraction" rule for the drivers in your home. Distractions include cell phones, music, GPS devices, passengers, eating and smoking. Say no to all of it.

-Scan the roads. Make sure that whoever is behind the wheel knows what's going on around them at all times. You want to be one step ahead of the traffic around you so that you can better avoid collisions.

-Limit passengers. Under state law, during the first 6 months of a driver's license, drivers are not allowed to have passengers younger than 18. Although this law is secondary enforcement, you should make it primary enforcement within your household.

Underride Guards Proving Faulty in Preventing Occupant Injury

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:50:21 -0500

Today's semis and tractor-trailers do a decent job of working to keep passenger vehicles from sliding underneath them in the event of a traffic accident -- but they could be doing better.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the standards for these underride guards are getting tougher, but they're still not tough enough. Canada still has stronger regulations than the U.S.

The problem is that these underride guards are really only effective in reducing the risks of injuries when a vehicle slams directly into the back of one of these large commercial vehicles. When a car slams into the side-rear portion of the truck -- your chances don't look so good.

Our Boston truck accident lawyers understand that these underride guards are meant to protect you. They're the steel bars that you can find hanging from the back of tractor-trailers and other big rigs to help to keep you from underneath. Recently, officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) improved these regulations, but they weren't made tough enough. The IIHS is campaigning for tougher standards for existing requirements, while working to get these underride guards one more kinds of large vehicles -- like dump trucks.

Canada has had tougher underride guard standards than us since 2007. Officials have been trying to shed light on this problem for years now, through more thorough underride crash tests.To see just how well these guards are working, officials with the IIHS recently conducted a crash test consisting of eight of the largest manufacturers in the business. All of the trailers involved had guards that met both Canadian and U.S. standards. The only difference was the positioning of these guards. Come to find out, the location of these guards can make all the difference.

Unfortunately Canadian trucks seemed to record better scores than ours in these tests.

Officials with the NHTSA report that there were more than 250 people who were killed in accidents with these large trucks because of underride issues. Although that's a number that's down from about 460 in 2004, it's still a number that's far too high. While officials would like to credit the decrease to tougher underride guards, they're leaning more toward the fact the drivers have been out on our roadways less because of the struggling economy.

Underride guards or not -- you need to be on your best behavior when traveling near these large tractor-trailers. Our passenger vehicles don't stand much of a chance against these large, commercial carriers. It's time to rely on our safe driving habits and not these guards.

Keep a safe distance from these vehicles when traveling along our state's busy roadways. Remember that these vehicles move and function much different than our vehicles. Allow them plenty of time and space to navigate the street and to help to keep you safe out there.