Posts by Marc Breakstone
In Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Quite Different Messages on Automated Speed Enforcement for Back to School
As the school year begins, the City of Providence has announced plans to resume and expand its use of speed camera surveillance on school days. The goal is to encourage drivers to slow down and protect students and other pedestrians from car accidents and serious injuries. Providence – which began using speed cameras in 2018…
Read MoreWhen Runaway Vehicles Hit Pedestrians: The Complexities of Pedestrian Strike Crashes
Runaway vehicles can be lethal. Last year, a man in Hingham drove his car into an Apple store. The crash injured at least 18 people and fatally injured one. This type of collision may be less common than rear-end crashes, but it can be far more devastating (and deadly) when it occurs. Pedestrian strike accidents…
Read MoreFatal Truck Accident at Dangerous Andover Intersection Has Community Mourning
A tragic incident occurred in Andover, Massachusetts, on the afternoon of May 10 when a 5-year-old girl was fatally struck by a tractor-trailer at a busy intersection. Upon receiving multiple 911 calls, Andover police rushed to the scene at the intersection of Elm and Main streets around 5:15 p.m. State police later confirmed that the…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know if You’re Bitten by a Dog in Boston
It’s springtime in Boston – we and our neighbors are out enjoying the weather, along with our faithful canine friends. Although it’s always nice to say hello to a dog, animals can attack – often for no reason – and cause serious injuries. Breakstone, White & Gluck has successfully represented folks who sustained horrific injuries…
Read MoreCyclists May Sustain More Severe Injuries from Collisions with SUVs and Pickups
A vulnerable road user (VRU) is a term used to describe any person or group of people who are at a higher risk of injury or death when using the roadways. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and users of mobility devices such as wheelchairs or scooters. Vulnerable road users are more susceptible to accidents because…
Read MoreBicyclist Turns Helmet Footage into Dash Cam to Show Risks to Riders
If you use a bicycle to commute around Boston, you know it can sometimes feel like you’re taking your very life in your hands. Inattentive drivers and heavy traffic can make even a short bike ride dangerous. To prove this point, a UK cyclist who goes by the handle CycleGaz is giving motorists a virtual…
Read MoreWhat Drivers Say: More People Admit to Dangerous Driving, Even as Traffic Fatalities Rise
It is concerning and stressful to hear how many people have died in traffic accidents since the start of the pandemic. How many times have you watched the news and thought, “If only drivers would just slow down?” Unfortunately, a recent study shows more drivers are actually admitting to speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors,…
Read MoreNew Study Argues That Burn Injuries Are Like Chronic Diseases
When we think of acute and chronic diseases, we normally imagine conditions such as diabetes, cancer, appendicitis, or ones that can be communicable like the flu or common cold. We would not typically categorize injuries sustained from burns as these, but the long-term effects of burns can most certainly be seen as a chronic disease.…
Read MoreDrive Safely Near Pedestrians This Holiday Season
Make a Holiday Safety Plan Next time you stop at an intersection, check. Check in front of your vehicle, side to side, then behind. Expect to see pedestrians. Unless it’s winter and you are driving at night in Massachusetts. Then it becomes more difficult to see, raising the risk for pedestrian injuries at night. You may…
Read MoreWrong-Way Crash Detection Systems Coming to Massachusetts Highways
As we approach the holiday travel season, Massachusetts and Connecticut are installing new wrong-way detection systems for safer roads. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced a $2.6 million project to install wrong-way detection systems along 16 Massachusetts highway ramps. There will be several road closures this week in Danvers, Plymouth, Burlington, Webster and…
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