Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

October 4, 2012

House Fires in Boston: Is your family ready?

It’s easy for you to improve fire safety at home.

All you have to do is keep an eye on your smoke alarms and make sure your household not only has a fire escape plan, but that everyone knows and practices the plan. According to the City of Boston’s Home Fire Safety page, all of the smoke alarms in your home should be tested at least once a month and you should replace their batteries annually. Each family should also make sure that the fire escape plan is practiced at least twice every year. To help you to remind you of this, officials are soon launching Fire Prevention Week, from October 7th through October 13th.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand that there are roughly 3,000 people who are killed in residential fires each and every year. Most of the victims in these accidents are killed from the inhalation of toxic gases and smoke and not as the result of any burns from the fire. Most of the fatalities and injuries happen in fires that occur at night while residents are asleep, too!

The truth of the matter is that smoke alarms can save lives, they can prevent injuries and they can help to minimize properly damage by helping to make sure that residents are alerted when a fire is developing in the home. The risk of being killed by a fire in your home is about twice as high in a home that does not have a properly-working smoke alarm.

Make sure that you always follow the instructions from the manufacturer when testing smoke alarms and replacing the batteries.

If your smoke alarm is powered by batteries and it starts to send off a low-power warning, which is usually a beep or a chirp, you’re urged to replace the batteries immediately with new ones.

You never want to disable your smoke alarm. This is never acceptable, not even if you experience a “nuisance” from it while showering or cooking. When this happens, you want to clean out the smoke alarm and make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions while doing so. If you can, you might want to place it somewhere else, like away from the bathroom or the kitchen.

Develop an Escape Plan:

-Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

-Make sure that children, babysitters and elderly family members are familiar with this plan.

-When practicing, remove any obstacles that could hinder a safe evacuation in the event of a real emergency.

-Parents should hold a practice fire drill at night to make sure that children are able to wake up during the real thing.

When changing the batteries in your home’s smoke alarm, it’s also a good idea to change the batteries in the Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm, too! CO is an odorless, colorless gas that is created when fuel is incompletely burned. Each year, there are close to 200 people who are killed from CO, non-fire poisonings that are associated with home fuel-burning heating equipment.
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October 1, 2012

Massachusetts’ Safe Routes to School Gets 500th Partner!

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recently announced a pretty big milestone. They were able to enroll the 500th Safe Routes Partner School. This is a program that’s federally funded but organized by MassDOT. It’s the first statewide program in the U.S. of its kind to achieve this level of school participation.

“This achievement is a testament…of our communities to make walking and bicycling safer and more widely used travel modes for our school children” says Frank DePaola, MassDOT Highway Administrator.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that there are now close to 250,000 students from kindergarten through 8th grade in some 150 communities throughout the Commonwealth who are benefiting from the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School pedestrian safety initiatives and outreach education programs and services. The 500th partner to join the effort was the city of Woburn. The city reports close to 3,500 students currently enrolled. With more students involved in this program, we continue to help to make our young ones safer and reduce the risks of accidents through awareness and education.

The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program is different from other states’ programs because ours provides a central source of Safe Routes services to every school that’s interested within the entire state. Schools that participate are provided with year-long bicycle and pedestrian safety education instruction, environmental and safety priorities, engagement initiatives and infrastructure improvements.

Safe Routes to School pushes the five E’s: Engineering, Evaluation, Enforcement, Encouragement and Education. Through stakeholders in the community and the partnered schools, the program works to improve children’s physical and mental health all while helping them to do so safely. These efforts are also working to help to improve air quality and cut down on traffic congestion.

Currently, the state has 25 Safe Routes to School projects going on that total close to $10 million. The safety program works alongside all members of various school boards to help to make sure that all schools are well equipped to help their kids to get to and from school safely.

Children are some of our most vulnerable pedestrians. They don’t oftentimes understand the dangers that accompany vehicular traffic and are at high risks for accidents — oftentimes fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every five children between the ages of 5 and 9 who were killed in traffic crashes was a pedestrian in 2008.

Altogether, there were close to 4,500 pedestrians who were killed in traffic accidents across the U.S. in 2008. There were another 70,000 pedestrians who were injured in these same incidents. This means that someone was killed in these accidents every 2 hours and injured every 8 minutes.

Typically, pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than motorists to be killed in a car accident on each trip.
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September 27, 2012

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Preventing Child Injury

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Do you go through your medicine cabinet ever?

The truth of the matter is that we should all take the time to do so because there’s a good chance there are expired or unused drugs in there. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), these drugs can be a serious safety hazard for young children, for teens and for other members of your household.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers are urging adults to take an inventory of their medicines. You want to check the expiration dates for prescription medications and even over-the-counter medicines. If you’ve got any leftover medicines, you want to safely dispose of them!

On the 29th of September, officials with the NSC are conducting the 5th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. From 10am to 2pm, local communities throughout the country will be collecting unused prescriptions and will safely dispose of them. There are a number of National Takeback Initiative Collection Sites in the state of Massachusetts. Find one near you!

Drugs can affect both your body and your mind in a number of ways and is greatly determined by the dosage. Kids who try drugs may see a change in their mood, in their appearance and in their development. Some of the most common side effects of being on drugs include anxiety, dizziness, confusion, paranoia, sleepiness and even hunger. Because young brains ard still developing, children run a serious risk of developing lifelong disabilities when consuming drugs not prescribed to them. These young ones are also more prone to overdose because of their size.

Why should I safely dispose of my unused medicines?

-Once a medicine has expired, it’s no longer effective. These drugs can be dangerous to your health, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

-Recommendations can change on your drugs and even on over-the-counter medicines. For example, cold medicines in many cases are no longer made for children under 5. Before they were recommended. Be sure you have newer medications and drugs to ensure safe dosages.

-Unused and leftover medicines can be of harm to kids and teens and other who might not understand that it’s dangerous to take drugs they’re not prescribed.

-Some prescription medicines, like painkillers, can be removed from your home without your knowledge and contribute to your community’s drug abuse problem. You never know who has an eye on your medicine cabinet.

When you break it down, drugs are defined as any kind of substance other than food that has the ability to change the way your mind and/or your body functions. Drugs have some serious side affects and these affects can be fatal to children and teens. Not only are these addictive, but they’re dangerous and can have some lasting effects on kids! Make sure that you take the proper safety precautions to protect your young ones and get rid of your unwanted prescriptions and other drugs on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day!
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September 25, 2012

Truck and Bus Safety Focus of FMCSA as Holiday Travel Season Approaches

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced a number of improvements to the Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) program. This is the program that helps safety officials to identify and address safety concerns among bus and trucking companies.

“Good data plays a key role in keeping our nation’s roads safe,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand the risks that accompany commercial buses and large, commercial trucks on our roadways. Not only do we expect commercial buses to be safe for passengers, we expect them to be operated in a safe manner. When a commercial truck or bus driver fails in that regard, it’s typically the occupants of passenger vehicles who pay the price.

The power and the weight of these large vehicles overpower other vehicles on the road. That’s why it’s so important that these vehicles are properly regulated and that they’re kept in safe operating condition.

The changes in this policy will be finalized and implemented by December. The changes include:

-Altering the Changing the Cargo-Related BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category) to the Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance BASIC. This is going to help safety officials to better point our compliance and safety issues. According to FMCSA, this change will help to supervise more carriers.

-Fatigued Driving BASIC will be changed over to Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance BASIC. Officials think that this change will help them to better keep track of these kinds of violations and will allow them to monitor both electronic and paper records more efficiently.

-Now, there will be separate busing classifications for buses that carry more than 15 passengers and those that carry fewer.

-There will no longer be classifications for those carrying fewer than 8 passengers, like taxis, limos, vans, etc.

-Violation records will be kept in accordance with the specifications of the inspections. Drivers’ violations will be kept under driver inspections instead of in the broad “inspection” category.

Last year, there were close to 4,000 people who were killed in accidents with large trucks and buses — down about 4.5 percent from the previous year. Still, enforcement of exisiting laws is critical to improving safety for everyone. Consumers are urged to check out a company’s safety rating before hiring a busing company. Drivers are also asked to beware when driving near large, commercial vehicles.

Drivers who operate these vehicles are required to have their Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) driver’s license. Even the most experienced drivers are at serious risks for engaging in dangerous driving activities that could end up caused fatal accidents, according to the FMCSA.

Common Dangerous Driving Habits Among Truck and Bus Drivers:

-Failing to alter driving habits to accommodate current weather and traffic conditions. Never travel too fast for safety.

-Neglecting to look for other vehicles before making a move in traffic.

-Being too tired to drive.

-Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

-Inattention and even daydream oftentimes affect these drivers on long road trips.
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September 23, 2012

Camp Bourndale Bus Runs into Function Hall

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A bus carrying Thayer Academy kids was unfortunately in an accident recently. According to the Braintree Patch, the bus slipped out of gear when it was being loaded with baggage at Camp Bourndale. It rolled down some stairs and right into the camp’s function hall. Luckily, no one was injured in the accident.

Our Plymouth car accident lawyers understand that school buses are used for much more than getting kids to and from school. They’re used for after school activities, for camps, for church events and for so much more. It’s important that everyone knows how to behave in and around a bus to help to make sure that everyone remains safe.

Capt. John Rogers of the Plymouth Police Department likes to remind kids walking to and from school bus stops to always use crosswalks and to stay on the sidewalk. You should avoid walking alone too, stay with parents, guardians or a group of friends.’

You should never accept a ride from someone you don’t know.

Most kids in the area take buses to and from school and use them for after school activities.

First Student offers young passengers some safety tips to help to make sure that each and every bus ride is a safe one. Parents are urged to talk with their children about the safety tips listed below to help ensure their safety on buses of all kinds.

Bus Safety Tips:

-Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to get to the bus stop. If you have to rush, you may not follow safe traffic rules.

-Always walk on a sidewalk when there is one available.

-Always be alert. Don’t listen to MP3 players, play on phones or play hand-held video games. You want to know what’s going on around you.

-Don’t wear your hood up if you don’t have to. It makes it tougher for you to see.

-Wait for the bus away from the street. Stay at least 5 big steps away from the street.

-Avoid horseplay when waiting for the bus.

-Make sure that drivers can see you at all times.

-Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching.

-Find a seat and sit down immediately once you’re on the bus.

-Never toss anything out of the bus’ windows.

-Make sure you know your bus driver’s name and your bus number to make sure you’re always on the right bus.

-Stay quiet on the bus so that the driver can concentrate on the traffic and work to keep you safe!

-If you drop something near the bus, tell the driver first! Never go down to get it.

-Stay away from the bus wheels at all times – especially the back wheels where it’s hard for the driver to see you.
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September 21, 2012

Weymouth Motorist Allegedy Flashes Knife During Traffic Dispute

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

As we recently discussed on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, road rage and aggressive driving puts drivers at increased risk for traffic accidents.

Roughly 90 percent of drivers say that they’ve either witnessed an act of road rage or they’ve been the victim in one of these incidents. Massachusetts is certainly not immune. After all, Boston drivers are legendary.

According to the Boston Globe, a 27-year-old driver from Weymouth was threatened with a knife by another driver. Police say that the man was heading down Peal Street when he let a motorist get in front of him. That’s when a second driver pulled up next to him and started yelling. Reports indicate that the men exchanged a few choice words before the enraged driver reportedly wielded a knife and pointed it at the other driver. The victim in the incident drove toward the MBTA station for safety. Unfortunately, officers were not able to track down the enraged driver, but they are still investigating.

Our Braintree personal injury attorneys understand how frustrating our state’s roadways can be. They’re awfully congested at times and are only going to get worse with the upcoming travel season. Drivers are asked to remain calm and to take the necessary safety precautions to help to eliminate the risks of any kind of road rage incident.

According to RoadRagers.com, road rage, which is also known as road violence, occurs when drivers partake in deliberately dangerous and/or violent behavior after getting emotional, angry or frustrated behind the wheel. It’s when these emotions get out of hand that bad things happen and drivers make irrational judgments.

Acts of Road Rage:

-Hitting another traveler, object or vehicle with your vehicle.

-Firing a weapon from your car.

-Hitting another person who may not be in their vehicle.

-Physically harming any other traveler.

-Getting out of your car and approaching another traveler in a hostile manner.

-Yelling insults at another person.

Top Contributors to Road Rage:

-Traffic backups.

-Other’s dangerous driving habits.

-Bad weather conditions.

-Loud noises.

-Running late.

There are simple ways that you can avoid road rage. If you run across an enraged driver, you want to steer clear of them. Never antagonize a driver. Avoid making eye contact and don’t return their gestures. You want to drive to a safe place if you feel threatened and contact authorities.

You want to make sure that you have plenty of time to get to your destination. Rushing increases irritability and the risks for rage behind the wheel. Avoid traveling during congested rush hours and stay away from busy roads.

It’s important to remain calm behind the wheel. We’ve all got to get through the same traffic on the same roadways. Let’s all work together to help to keep everyone safe!
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September 19, 2012

Car Accident Near Tip O’Neill Tunnel Entrance Ends Fatally

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to Massachusetts State Police (MSP), a motorist was killed and another was injured in a recent accident on I-93 in Boston. The accident happened near the entrance to the Tip O’Neill Tunnel.

The Boston Globe reports that a 53-year-old driver was killed in the accident. He was driving his pickup the wrong way on the highway as he entered onto Fontage Road. He crashed his pickup into an SUV. Accident reports indicate that the driver was thrown from his car in the crash. He was taken to Tufts Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The other driver was not injured.

The car accident went down just before 6:00 a.m. Officers were forced to close the northbound lanes for a short while. They were reopened just after 8:00 a.m.

Our Boston accident lawyers understand how dangerous our roadways can be. They’re congested, they’ve got small lanes and often seem as though they are packed with irresponsible drivers. It gets even worse when you throw tunnels into the mix. We’re here to offer you some safe driving tips to help you to get safely to where you need to be, even when traveling through a tunnel is involved.

Tunnel Safety Tips:

-When you come close to a tunnel, pay close attention to your vehicle, other vehicles and traffic signs.

-Keep an eye on any height restrictions for the tunnel if you’re traveling in a large vehicle.

-Lookout for lane closures.

-Never engage in distractions while driving through a tunnel. The road always needs your full attention, but especially when driving through a tunnel.

-Make sure that your headlights are on so that you can see and so that other motorists can see you.

-Never tailgate!

-Be on the lookout for changing traffic patters and for changes in traffic speeds.

-Make sure you’re aware of the minimum speed limits, too!

-In tunnels that have two-way traffic, you should try to stay away from on-coming traffic, if you can.

-Never cross the center line.

-Never reverse or make a U-turn in a tunnel.

-Never stop unless it’s an emergency.

-If traffic starts to slow down, switch on your hazard warning lights.

-Never leave your vehicle, not even if the traffic has come to a complete stop.

-If you breakdown in a tunnel, turn on your hazard lights, pull over to the side of the road into the emergency lane and turn off your car. Get in touch with the rescue services.

It’s important to adjust your driving to accommodate the traffic conditions and the weather conditions. Driving through a tunnel is much different than driving on the regular roadway. Your vision is hindered because of the darkness and you feel like you’re in tighter quarters with other vehicles. Make sure you’re on your best driving behavior so that you can enter and exit our state’s tunnels safely!
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September 19, 2012

Child Passenger Safety Week Kicks Off in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Safe Kids recently teamed up with officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to push this year’s Child Passenger Safety Week.

The goal of this year’s campaign is to make sure that parents and guardians are not only buckling in their kids during every car ride, but that they’re doing so properly. According to a recently-released survey from the NHTSA, about 20 percent of parents are using these devices incorrectly.

“The key to keeping kids safe is to make sure your child is in the right seat for their age and size – and to make sure that the seat is correctly installed in your vehicle,” said USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

Our Braintree injury lawyers understand the risks that children face when involved in car accidents. The risks they face increase significantly when parents neglect to buckle them in properly. You are the saving grace for these young passengers. Make sure you understand how your child car seat works, how to properly buckle your child.

The study revealed five common mistakes that parents and guardians are making when installing car seats and buckling in kids. These mistakes could wind up costing your child their life in the event of an accident.

Common Child Car Seat Mistakes:

-Oftentimes parents use the wrong harness slot. Parents are positioning these straps either too low or too high on the seat.

-Parents weren’t placing the chest clip in the right spot. It should fall across the abdomen and not the chest.

-When buckling in a child, they need to be secure. Too many parents are leaving too much slack between the harness strap and the child. There shouldn’t be any slack.

-Parents weren’t buckling in the seat tightly. There should never be more than an inch of slack when buckled in properly.

-Seat belts for kids need to fit properly. Too many parents were leaving the seat belt near the child’s neck or face.

During Child Passenger Safety Week, events will be held throughout the country to make sure that parents have the resources available to them to properly buckled in kids. Make sure you listen up and take advantage of the resources available to make sure your kid is safe during each car ride. These young passengers rely on you!

If parents were to properly learn how to use these devices, hundreds of young passenger lives could be saved. In the meantime, parents are asked to stop in at one of Massachusetts’ Child Car Seat Inspection locations to have a trained professional double check the use of your car seat and properly install it for you if necessary.
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September 17, 2012

Grove City Makes Roadway Improvements for Pedestrian Traffic

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Boston Department of Transportation is working with the residents of Grove Street to make improvements to the roadways. These improvements are going to be used not only to improve traffic safety, but will focus on pedestrian safety as well.

“It’s important for residents to feel safe using neighborhood streets, and they should not have to be worried about their personal safety due to speeding cars and trucks,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

Our Boston pedestrian accident lawyers understand the appeal of walking in Boston. Keeping areas like West Roxbury pedestrian friendly is equally important. Earlier this year, residents in the area went to a City Council Hearing to discuss “Traffic Calming.” This meeting was headed by Matt O’Malley, the Boston City Councilor. During this meeting, one local resident spoke up about his concerns about the dangerous traffic on Grove Street, particularly the part between Washington Street and the Dedham line.

Those voicing concerns contend that traffic is just too heavy and it’s traveling too fast! Residents were also concerned with the trucking traffic in the area. BTD Commissioner Thomas J. Tinlin says that he is happy to announce that the new plan will help to fix all of these issues.

After the meeting, officials with the BTD’s Engineering Division completed a study of the area. They concluded that there was a 24-hour period back in March in which there were close to 1,000 vehicles that passed through a residential roadway. Even worse, more than 83 percent of the vehicles that passed through were exceeding the 30 miles per hour speed limit. To help to put an end to this, there will be a number of traffic safety measures that will be executed in the area. These are measures that have been proven to reduce the risks of pedestrian accidents, injuries and fatalities.

New Traffic Measures:

-There will be two crosswalks installed in the area.

-There will be four pedestrian ramps, equipped with signs, that will be installed at these new crosswalks.

-There will be two more speed limit signs installed on Grove Street. One will direct northbound traffic and one will direct southbound traffic.

-Officials will be laying down new pavement marking to help drivers to better see the 11 foot travel lanes that are in each direction.

The project to incorporate both pedestrian and vehicular traffic on Grove Street recently kicked off. Officials believe that the project will wrap up by mid-October. Officials will continue to monitor the area and will make adjustments to the project as needed.

Before, during and after this project, we ask drivers to on their best behavior in this area and keep an extra watchful eye out for pedestrians. Traffic of all kinds needs to work together to help make our city safe for all.
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September 15, 2012

Chuggington’s Back to Enforce Child Safety to School

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Chugginton is back! As summer comes to an end, students are gearing up to head back to school. That’s why officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have decided to bring back Chugginton. Chugginton and his friends help parents to get safe traveling habits back into the mind’s of our young ones. It helps them to get kids to put safety back at the top of their “back-to-school” list.

The NHTSA reports that there were close to 3,000 school children who were killed in traffic accidents in 2010. The most of these accidents happened between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., which is when these young kids are making their way home back from school and the traffic on our roadways is plentiful.

Our Quincy personal injury attorneys understand that students, especially the young ones, are at high risks for traffic accidents during this time of the year. The NHTSA has released the traffic safety campaign, “Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!” to help to get students to remember to be safe when traveling to and from school. Officials have come forward with a list of safety precautions to help these young travelers to do just that. You’re urged to review these tips and share them with your young ones before they go back to school.

School Bus Safety Tips:

-Always stay at least 5 large steps away from the road.

-When you get on the bus, go right to your seat, sit down and listen to the driver.

-Look for cars as you get off of the bus. Get off of the road quickly when you get off.

-Make sure to look both ways and at the bus driver before crossing the road.

Walking To/From School Safety Tips:

-Always walk on a sidewalk.

-When there’s no sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic.

-Never horseplay while walking.

-Before crossing the street, look both ways and make eye contact with drivers.

Bicycling Safety Tips:

-Never ride without a helmet.

-Always use the chin strap on your helmet.

-Always ride on a sidewalk or a bike path.

-Never ride in the street.

If you choose to drive your kid to school or to daycare, we’re reminding you to make sure that your child is properly buckled in during each and every car ride. Make sure they’re in a child safety seat or a booster seat that is appropriate for their height and their weight. We’re also reminding parents to “Look Before You Lock.” Make sure there are never any children left inside the vehicle before you lock up and walk away.

Lastly, we’re asking all adult and teens, whether drivers of passengers, to wear their seat belt every time they get into the car. Seat belts are your best way to stay safe in the event of an accident.

Let’s start out the school year safe and keep it going all year long!
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