Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

August 22, 2011

Unsecure Cargo Kills Woman in Massachusetts Trucking Accident

Unsecure loads on trucks are a common cause of serious Massachusetts trucking accidents. A recent fatal accident happened when a loader/backhoe fell off a tractor-trailer being towed by a National Grid truck and landed right on top of a van on Interstate 495 in Southborough, according to boston.com. Criminal charges have not been ruled out completely.

The woman killed was pronounced dead on scene, a female driver was airlifted to UMass Medical Center in Worcester and two children were transported by ambulance to that same hospital. The truck ran off the road, but the driver was not injured. Police are looking to interview witnesses and reconstruction experts are doing their best to recreate the scene.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys realize that one of the first areas that will be examined in this accident is the measures that were taken to secure the heavy piece of construction equipment to that trailer. When the proper safety precautions are not executed, catastrophic injury can result.

Truck drivers can lose control of their tractor-trailers because of heavy-shifting cargo. This shifting can cause the cargo to fall. Oftentimes cargo includes lumber, logs and other heavy building products. It is also risky to transport heavy machinery, such as bulldozers and backhoes, as swerving can cause the cargo to break loose from its moorings. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s regulations require that truck loads remain under a specific weight and for this reason it is important for you to contact an experienced attorney if you’re involved in an accident with a truck’s loose cargo; they can help to determine if any federal regulations were broken. There are also regulations that specifically detail how cargo is to be secured and fastened so that the truck’s maneuverability and stability is not adversely affected.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were approximately 380,000 large trucks involved in traffic accident in the United States in 2008 alone. A large truck is classified as a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds. Nearly 4,100 large trucks were involved in fatal traffic accidents that took the lives of nearly 4,500 people during that year. These deaths accounted for more than 10 percent of all of the traffic deaths in 2008. Another 90,000 people were injured in these accidents. Even though these large trucks made up only 4 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S. in 2007, they accounted for nearly 10 percent of all of the vehicles miles traveled.

Those in a passenger-vehicle that are involved in a traffic accident with a large truck are most at risk. According to 2008 statistics, nearly 75 percent of those who were killed in these accidents were occupants of another vehicle (not of the truck), approximately 10 percent were nonoccupants and more than 15 percent were those in a large truck.

Of those who were injured in these accidents, more than 70 percent were those in another vehicle (not in the truck), 3 percent were nonoccupants and more than 25 percent were the occupants of the large truck.
Continue reading

August 20, 2011

Fall Season Brings Wild Animals and Increased Risks of Fatal Car Accidents in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A wild bear is taking all of the blame for a recent fatal car accident that sent seven motorists to the hospital, according to the Boston Herald. The two-vehicle accident happened at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Route 16. It all happened when a 225 pound bear strolled onto the roadway. An SUV swerved to avoid hitting the animal and ran into a passenger vehicle, which held a Winthrop and a Boston occupant. Rescue crews at the scene had to use the Jaws of Life to extract passengers from the mess. The three SUV passengers were taken to hospitals and are believed to be in stable condition while the two Massachusetts motorists were taken to Maine Medical Center and are believed to be in stable condition.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are more than 1.5 million car accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere throughout the United States that involve deer or other large animals. The months of October through December typically mark deer season although you’re are at risk of hitting a wild animal all year long. It is during this time of year that we see many wild animal-car accidents, more than any other time of the year. For this reason, you should be extra careful when driving near forested areas or on any roadway where deer are prone to roam.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys would like to ask motorists to be extra cautious when traveling from the middle of fall all the way until the beginning of winter because this is typically when we see the most deer and wild animals near our Massachusetts roadways. This advice is especially important during dawn and dusk hours as these are times when animals are most likely to wander. It is also important to remember that animals don’t travel alone, so if you see one there’s likely to be more.

The more than 1.5 million car accidents we experience every year with wild animals in the United States cost about $1 billion in vehicle damage. Roughly 150 human lives are lost and another 10,000 injuries are sustained as a result of these accidents each year. We believe that these statistics are actually higher than reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because it’s assumed that not all incidents are reported.

Safe driving tips to avoid a car accident with a wild animal if you see one on the roadway:

-Avoid hitting the animal at all costs. If you plow through, you’re putting yourself in danger. Motorists can die in traffic accidents with wild animals.

-Turn off your head lights. They’re likely to be less shocked when you turn off your lights and will be more likely to jump out of the way just from the sound of your vehicle.

-If you can’t avoid a collision, at least try not to hit the animal straight on. Striking the animal at an angle will give it a greater chance of spinning away from your cars path.

-Try to slow your vehicle as much as possible as you’re approaching it. Hopefully this will allow the animal more time to get out of the way.

-Stay in your lane. Swerving to miss the animal is how a lot of people get into accidents with other vehicles. Do all that you can not to make a bad situation even worse.

-As contradictory as this sounds, speed up at the last possible moment. By speeding up, your vehicle’s front bumper will lift up and will reduce the chances of the animal hitting the vehicle and being sent over the top of the car.
Continue reading

August 19, 2011

Massachusetts Car Accidents Cost Big Bucks in Medical Costs and Lost Work Days

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A two-vehicle accident landed a 40-year-old pickup truck passenger in a medical helicopter to a local Boston hospital recently. The man required immediate medical attention for his injuries caused by the accident. Upon collision, the passenger was thrown from a pickup truck that ended up rolling over twice. The Massachusetts car accident happened at South and West streets, according to The Sun Chronicle.

“He suffered serious head and chest injuries,” said fire Capt. David Laracy.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand how beneficial a hospital helicopter ride can be when dealing with life-threatening injuries. A helicopter ride to the hospital can often mean the difference between life and death. When a helicopter is used by UMass Memorial LifeFlight the on board crew of medical professionals is able to put its advanced skills and technology to work to keep a patient alive during the transport. There’s only one downside to this treatment and transportation — the cost. The average cost, according to The Metro West Daily News, ranges anywhere from about $2,600 to nearly $6,200 per flight. That’s only the cost of the ride alone. That doesn’t include any hospital treatment.

“They can do pretty much anything in the back of that aircraft they can do in the emergency room,” said Rory Duquette, director of communications for LifeFlight.

In this region, Boston MedFlight, UMass Memorial LifeFlight, the Dartmouth Hitchcock Advance Response Team, Life Net of New York and LifeFlight of Maine all work together as part of the North East Air Alliance.

The Worcester-based LifeFlight is the oldest air medical transport service in Massachusetts. Since it took off in 1982, LifeFlight has transported about 25,000 people.

According to the AAA Ambulance Service, medical costs resulting from injury exceeded $21 billion for motor vehicle-related injuries last year. These types of injuries only counted for about 20 percent of all medical costs attributable to injury. This doesn’t begin to examine the other costs associated with an injury.

Injuries not only affect direct medical costs, but they can contribute to higher insurance premiums, time away from work and other financial costs to individuals.

In a one-year period, traffic accident-related fatalities in the United States resulted in about $41 billion dollars in medical and work loss costs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Traffic accident fatalities in Massachusetts cost about $400 million in 2005 alone. Roughly $6 million went to medical costs while the other $388 million went to work loss costs.

If you’re or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that has resulted in costly medical bills and lost work days, you’re urged to seek the advice and the assistance of an experienced attorney. A lawyer can help you to fight for the compensation to cover the high cost of medical care and rehabilitation.
Continue reading

August 17, 2011

MassDOT Launches Program to Repair Roadways and Reduce Risks of Car Accidents in Massachusetts’ Tunnels

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The development of a comprehensive, five-year Capital Maintenance Program (CMP) was recently ordered by Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Mullan.

His plan is to coordinate and enhance the current ongoing maintenance procedures that involve the many tunnels of the Metropolitan Highway System and to reduce tunnel car accidents in Boston.

“The tunnel system is proven safe, thanks to the professional maintenance crews working under comprehensive protocols every day to address the ongoing maintenance needs of the tunnels,” said Secretary Mullan. “Today we are taking the next step to develop a comprehensive five-year plan in order to better coordinate these efforts to ensure the tunnels remain safe for generations to come.”

Our Massachusetts car accident attorneys have been informed that MassDOT has recruited the infrastructure firm HNTB Corporation to help develop the CMP by the fall of 2011. The completion of this project will help to identify existing and future expected maintenance needs for the tunnel and help to estimate the costs necessary to implement solutions to ensure that the tunnels remain safe.

“MassDOT’s Highway Division will focus on the Capital Maintenance of the Metropolitan Highway system, including the CA/T, Ted Williams Tunnel, Sumner and Callahan tunnels, the Zakim and Tobin Bridges and all related ramps and roadways,” said MassDOT Acting Highway Division Administrator Frank DePaola. “It is our charge to keep all of these facilities in safe, good working order.”

Recently, MassDOT finished installing redundant support straps on all of the 25,000 or so fixtures in the Central Artery tunnels. This system was developed as an interim, 3-5 year solution to the current light corrosion issues to allow time for engineers to evaluate options for a long-term solution. This move was warranted when an engineer noticed a light fixture that was out of alignment with the clips on the right side of the light. That fixture was taken down immediately and new stainless steel clips were re-installed.

“On behalf of the MassDOT Board of Directors and MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola, I offer my appreciation and thanks to the crews that worked so diligently to complete this effort well ahead of projections to further ensure safety of the public,” said Secretary Mullan. “The completion of the strapping to ensure that a redundant system is now in place will go a long way to restoring public confidence in the safety of the system.”

The CMP will look into and respond to a number of recent tunnel issues, like securing and ultimately replacing light fixtures, recommending maintenance safety/emergency egress railing and the safety efforts regarding the ongoing water infiltration mitigation efforts.

Back in February, a light fixture in the Central Artery Tunnel fell from the ceiling on Route 92 Northbound near the entrance to the Ted Williams Tunnel. In the wake of this light fixture incident, MassDOT electricians performed a number of inspections of all of the tunnel light fixtures. During this time they searched for an interim solution to secure these fixtures. Strapping material has been used to secure nearly 400 fixtures to date.

As the CMP will also include suggestions regarding tunnel maintenance safety and the emergency egress railing, recommendations have been made from April 2011 that included a plan to get rid of the railing at a number of locations where they are not required to meet emergency egress requirements. Suggestions were also made to retrofit the existing railing with chain link fence mesh fabric around the outside curves and other high risk locations.

You can stay up to date with all MassDOT and CMP plans of the ongoing tunnel maintenance as the Transportation website offers this information.
Continue reading

August 16, 2011

Man Loses Sight in Left Eye after Massachusetts Beach Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A summertime accident on Cold Storage Beach in Dennis left a frequent visitor seriously injured after a beach accident in Massachusetts. The beach’s strong winds took an umbrella right out of the sand and caused it to fly directly toward a man, striking him in his left eye, according to the Cape Cod Times.

Lifeguards and a nearby physician rushed over to the man and provided him with first-air care. He was transported to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and was later rushed to Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston for urgent eye surgery. It was there that doctors spent roughly five hours attempting to fix his ruptured eyeball. Unfortunately, the accident left his retina detached from the optic nerve. This is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. Just a week later, doctors informed him that he would never be able to see out of his left eye again.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys would like to give credit to the man’s wife who says that she holds no anger against the unidentified owners of that lethal umbrella and agree with her in saying that this accident could very well have been prevented. While it should be the responsibility of umbrella owners to properly secure their equipment in the sand, it is also the lifeguards and beach official’s responsibility to warn fellow beachgoers to shut their umbrellas on windy days and help to ensure that they’re properly set up in the sand.

The town of Dennis has a policy in place to help prevent these types of accidents and was reportedly enforcing it at the time of the accident, but the wife of the victim claims she witnessed no such enforcement.

According to beach statistics, about 6 accidents happen on Dennis beaches each summer with most accidents being less severe than this.

Accidents on the beach are not uncommon. Beachgoers oftentimes will see and/or experience accidents involving boats, jet skis, umbrellas, parasailing injuries, drownings, lacerations from debris in the sand and all-terrain vehicle injuries. Many of these accidents can be prevented with the proper preventative safety measures. Rented umbrellas need to be properly secured by rental companies, jet skis need to meet all equipment rules and regulations, other beach rental companies need to be certified and trained in their operations and lifeguards need to be trained and alert when on the clock.

It is critical for you to contact an attorney if you or a loved one has recently experienced a beach-related accident. An attorney can help you to determine who may be at fault whether it is a company, the designer of a product or another beachgoer.

Here are some simple steps to help you place your beach umbrella securely in the sand the next time you hit the beach:

-First make sure that you choose a beach spot that will allow you and your buddies to have as much personal space as possible. Make sure you leave enough room to walk around and play.

-Before placing your umbrella into the sand, measure and mark the umbrella at least 18 inches from the bottom of the pole, measuring up towards the canopy.

-Put the umbrella into the sand and shift the pole back and forth while pushing down on it.

-Continue doing this until the sand is up to that 18 mark you previously made.

-Adjust the canopy of your umbrella so that the top is slanted towards the oncoming wind. This will help to prevent your umbrella from blowing away.

We hope that everyone gets out there and enjoys the beautiful weather that the summer months provide, but remember to be safe and consider the safety of others as well when you’re out enjoying our public beaches.
Continue reading

August 15, 2011

Boston Launches New Balance Hubway — Advocates Worry about Massachusetts Bicycling Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Boston is endorsing a new type of transportation for enjoyable summer travel — bikes! The New Balance Hubway, named after the athletic company, is the city’s new bike-sharing program. It was recently launched at City Hall Plaza. New Balance is a lead sponsor of the bicycle program. Mayor Thomas M. Menino presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The city looks to use bicycling as a way to reduce roadway congestion and to urge residents to get out and be active, but they warn riders to still be cautious in their travels to avoid a bicycling accident in Boston.

“Over the past four years, we have taken great strides toward making Boston a city that welcomes and encourages bicycling but this innovative bike share system may be the most significant step yet,” Menino said in a recent statement. He said officials were confident there is “no better time to make Hubway a reality.”

Our Massachusetts bicycle accident attorneys would like to tell you a little bit about the new program. New Balance Hubway consists of more than 60 kiosks that are set up around the city that allow would-be bicyclers to rent one of 610 bikes. When a rider is done using the bicycle, all they have to do is return it to any Hubway kiosk.

In celebration of the Hubway launch, registered Hubway members and employees of Hubway sponsors rode 200 of the bikes around the city.

Looking to rent a bike from Hubway?:

-A bike will cost you $5 for a 24-hour period.

-You can also rent a bike for a three-day period for only $12.

-An annual Hubway membership costs $85.

-Fees are added for rides longer than 30 minutes.

Bicyclists are urged to be cautious on their rented bikes when traveling among motor vehicles. Here are some important safety tips to help keep you safe:

-Make sure that you ride with traffic, never against it.

-Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. Cyclists are also required to come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs, just like motor vehicles.

-Never ride on expressways, drives, highways or interstate routes unless authorized by signs.

-Always ride predictably. Do not weave in and out of traffic. Riding predictably reduces your chances of an accident with a vehicle.

-Make eye contact with drivers before changing lanes or making a turn. Make sure that drivers see you before making a turn or crossing in front of them.

-Be on the lookout for open car doors. Always be prepared for the possibility of a car opening in your path.

-Wear brightly colored clothing to remain visible. During the evening hours, use reflective materials and lights.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 650 bicyclists killed because of motor-vehicle accidents in the United States in 2009 alone. Another 51,000 were injured in these incidents. Massachusetts witnessed nearly 10 bicyclist deaths during that same year.
Continue reading

August 13, 2011

New Study Urges Metro to Areas Seek Transportation Options to Reduce Risks of Elderly Pedestrian Accidents in Boston and Elsewhere

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

“The baby boom generation grew up and reared their own children in communities that, for the first time in human history, were built on the assumption that everyone would be able to drive an automobile,” said John Robert Smith, president and CEO of Reconnecting America and co-chair of Transportation for America. “What happens when people in this largest generation ever, with the longest predicted lifespan ever, outlive their ability to drive for everything? That’s one of the questions we set out to answer in this report.”

The report he’s talking about is the Aging in Place, Stuck without Options report that ranks large, metro areas by the percentage of seniors that have poor access to public transportation, now and in the coming years; it offers other data on aging and transportation issues. Many of these issues involve the increased risks of elderly pedestrian accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that the population of Americans that are 65 and older and live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent is expected to reach 15.5 million by 2015. We will be even closer to that predicted number as the baby boom generation grows rapidly and “ages in place” in suburbs and exurbs with few transportation options for those who don’t drive.

This study aims to figure out how cash-strapped states and local governments will come up with the funds to help accommodate these residents. Researchers believe that these governments will be turning to federal support to help them meet their needs.

In this report, Boston is ranked as the 8th largest metro area, with a population of 3 million or more, with an expected population of residents age 65 to 70 that will have poor access to transit features in 2015. Researchers predict that 231,944, or 45 percent, of people in this age group will be hindered by the lack of access.

Metro areas are encouraged to look into expanding public transit systems to be able to address the mobility needs of these older residents. Communities are also urged to get proactive and to support the creation of community-based programs, like volunteer programs, flex-routes, service routes and deviated fixed-routes that can be tailored to the needs of the residents. These programs should include senior-friendly shuttles to shopping centers, medical facilities and local services. They should also consider flexible route services that can provide transportation for those who have short notice or spontaneous travel requirements. These transit options should also be able to accommodate residents who require wheelchairs or shopping carts.

“The vast majority of people age 50-plus want to stay in their homes for as long as possible, according to our research,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “When they do move, they most often want to stay in their communities.”

By offering more public transit options that these elderly residents can effectively use, we can help to reduce their risks of potentially fatal pedestrian accidents in the Greater Boston area.
Continue reading

August 12, 2011

Young Skateboarder Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in Massachusetts Car Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Taunton teen was hit and killed in a Massachusetts car-pedestrian accident. The teen was out riding his skateboard when he was hit on Bay Street at about 9:40 p.m. one night earlier this month, according to Boston 5.

The driver of the vehicle that collided into the skateboarder did not stop, but instead fled northbound, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. Police immediately issued an alert for the driver of that vehicle. The skateboarder was left with a severe brain injury that later took his life.

Officers closed down a large section of Bay Street near Watson Pond State Park for more than three hours as they photographed, reconstructed and investigated the scene of the accident.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of that 17-year-old boy. Our Boston wrongful death lawyers understand that he was just weeks away from getting his driver’s license. Children are more vulnerable to bicycling, skateboarding and other types of pedestrian accidents. For this reason, motorists are asked to be extremely cautious when navigating in areas where children may be.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 4,000 pedestrian fatalities in 2009. Nearly 250 of these deaths were of child pedestrians age 14-years-old and younger. Nearly 20 percent of the total number of traffic fatalities for this age group was pedestrian deaths. Males accounted for 159 of the young age group’s pedestrian deaths. During that same year, another 59,000 pedestrians were injured. The young population account for 13,000 of those injuries. Males accounted for approximately 55 percent of the young pedestrians that were injured.

Those age 14-years-old and younger had the highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities between 4 p.m. and 7:59 p.m. Accidents during this specific time accounted for more than 40 percent of the fatal incidents. The next highest percentage of fatalities among this young age group was between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 3:59 p.m., accounting for more than 20 percent of the fatalities.

Nearly three-fourths of the young pedestrian fatalities happened at non-intersection locations in 2009.

Parents Magazine offers these pedestrian safety tips to children and teens:

-Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street. Pedestrians should never run into the street without looking.

-Always try to make eye contact with drivers when you’re crossing the road.

-Avoid using roads that don’t have sidewalks. You should also try not to cross busy streets that don’t have crosswalks.

-You should always walk in the opposite direction of traffic. Make sure that you’re facing oncoming cars. This way you’re more aware of the vehicles that are coming towards you.

-Always keep children from playing in a street, parking lot or driveway.

-Don’t run through intersections. Walk so you’re less likely to trip and fall.

-Always try to take the safest route with the least amount of street crossings.

-Make sure you wear bright, reflective clothing during dawn, dusk or any low-light situations.

-Always abide by traffic signals and signs. Remember that they aren’t just for cars.

-Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Try making your own list about pedestrian safety with your child and post it on the fridge or the front door where they can see it before heading out every day.
Continue reading

August 10, 2011

Small Child Overlooked in Massachusetts Backup Car Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A 10-year-old girl was run over by the family vehicle as her mother backed the car out of the driveway in Littleton. The Massachusetts backup car accident killed the child. It all happened when the girl was sitting in the driveway playing with her pet bird when her mom came home one afternoon, according to boston.com. The mother says that her view of the downward sloping driveway was blocked by two other vehicles and she never saw her daughter.

After the incident, the girl was taken to Children’s Hospital Boston where she was pronounced dead. Authorities do not anticipate filing charges against the mother.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that backup cameras could be required on all new vehicles by the year 2014. This is thanks to the Kids Transportation Safety Act. We understand that backing up a motor vehicle is inherently difficult and potentially dangerous. To help save lives, mainly the lives of children, Congress recently passed the Kids Transportation Safety Act to require all cars to have backup cameras by 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently considering delaying the rule at the request of vehicle manufacturers.

These backup cameras are meant to prevent pedestrian injury and death from accidents that happen when a vehicle is in reverse. Children are especially vulnerable to these types of accidents as they are often too short to be seen by a driver in a rear view mirror.

As it stands today, the new backup camera regulations require the rear camera display to turn on in two seconds or less from the time that a vehicle is put into reverse.

Until these cameras are installed into all vehicles, we must continue to rely on driver awareness to prevent these types of injuries and deaths.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers drivers these tips to help prevent these types of accidents:

-Teach your children not to play in driveways or around cars.

-Be sure to supervise children carefully when in and around vehicles.

-Before getting in your vehicle to back up, you should always walk around your vehicle and check the area.

-Keep a lookout for small children. The smaller a child, the more likely it is you won’t see them.

-Cameras ultimately cannot take the place of you actively walking around your car to make sure your children are safely out of the way. You shouldn’t rely solely on these devices to detect what’s around your vehicle.

-Teach your children to keep their toys and bikes out of the driveway.

-Teach your children to move away from a vehicle when a driver gets in it or if the car is started.

-Always have children in the area stand to the side of the driveway or sidewalk so you can see them as you are backing your vehicle out of a driveway or out of a parking space.

-Actively check your mirrors the entire time you’re backing up.

-Make sure that you look behind you while you’re backing up slowly in case a child dashes behind your vehicle unexpectedly.

-Be extra cautious if you drive a large vehicle. The larger the vehicle is, the bigger the blind spots are. You should roll down your windows while backing out of your driveway or parking space. This way you’ll also be able to hear what is happening outside of your vehicle.

“There is no more tragic accident than for a parent or caregiver to back out of a garage or driveway and kill or injure an undetected child playing behind the vehicle,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Continue reading

August 8, 2011

Elderly Drivers Face Heightened Risks for Car Accidents in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Two days after a 73-year-old motorist ran her vehicle through a sliding glass door at the Linden Ponds assisted-living community in Hingham, Massachusetts authorities suspended her driver’s license, according to The Patriot Ledger.

Luckily, no one was injured in the Massachusetts car accident. Linden Ponds Executive Director Ian Brown was thankful that there wasn’t much damage to the Birch Creek residential building. Sgt. Steven Dearth said Hingham police made a request for an “immediate-threat” license suspension for the North Quincy woman. Police were unable to cite the woman for a traffic violation because the accident happened inside a gated community and not on a public roadway.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that there is a time, that will come for all of us, when we may no longer be able to effectively and safely operate a motor vehicle. Residents are urged to look around to their elderly friends and family members to see if any of them may be at risk for a serious accident on our roadways. This may be a tough subject to approach with a loved one, but it’s worth the conversation when it can mean saving their life.

According to officers, the accident happened when the driver was trying to back out of a handicapped parking spot in front of the Birch Creek building. Her vehicle shot over the curb and the grass and plowed straight through the sliding glass door of a ground-floor apartment. It came to rest in the bathroom of that apartment. The elderly driver was able to back out of the apartment before police arrived at the scene.

The driver said that she thought she put the car in reverse before accelerating the first time. She had actually put it in drive, according to officers. The driver has not been identified because she is not facing any charges.

Everyone ages differently. It is important to keep an eye out for warning signs in both you and your loved ones to help determine when it’s time to stop driving. According to helpguide.org, elderly drivers are more likely to get traffic citations and are more likely to get into a traffic accident than younger drivers. Fatal accident rates increase significantly after a driver reaches the age of 70. Factors including decreased vision, impaired hearing and slowed motor reflexes.

Here are 10 warning signs from AARP that may hint that you need to talk to your elderly loved ones to stop driving, for their own safety:

-Almost getting into accidents, with frequent “close calls.”

-Discovering dents and scrapes on a car or on property, such as fences, mailboxes, garage doors, curbs, etc.

-Frequently getting lost.

-Difficulty seeing or following traffic signals, road signs and pavement markings.

-A delayed response time to unexpected situations on the road, difficulty moving feet from the gas pedal to the brake pedal or confusing the two.

-The inability to judge gaps in traffic at intersections and on highway entrance and exit ramps.

-Road rage behind the wheel or having other drivers frequently honk.

-Becoming easily distracted or having a difficulty concentrating while driving.

-Difficulty turning around to check over their shoulder while backing up or changing lanes.

-Getting multiple traffic tickets or “warnings” from traffic or law enforcement officers.

We understand that it might be very difficult for you to make this call for your loved one. It’s important to remember that their safety and the safety of others comes first in this decision. Don’t be afraid to have the conversation with them if need be.
Continue reading