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Summer in the Northeast, and especially in Massachusetts, is an opportunity for thousands to enjoy water sports or to get a boat into a harbor, lake, river, or pond. But this summer has seen an unprecedented spike in the number of boaters and, unfortunately, a commensurate rise in boating accidents.
In early August, a 55-year old woman in Brockton, Massachusetts was crossing Centre Street near the entrance to Brockton Hospital around 9:00 p.m. when she was struck and killed by a man driving a Chevy Tahoe. The suspect left the scene only to turn himself in to police about an hour later.
After 17-years of negotiations, bills that stalled and failed in the Assembly, and pleas from safety advocates, the Massachusetts Assembly passed a bill with teeth that addressed the growing epidemic of distracted driving. It took effect in February 2020 with officers initially issuing warnings to distracted drivers. In late March, officers began citing drivers who violated the new law.
Four cities—Norwood, Plymouth, Lawrence, and Westford– recently received grants from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as part of the Shared Streets and & Spaces program. These grants will enable these municipalities to implement or make design changes to streets, curbs, parking spaces, and parking lots. Its aim is to promote the public health, to facilitate bicycle and pedestrian mobility and safety, and make it easier to access businesses.
In an apparent distracted driving case, an 81-year old Fall River, Massachusetts woman tragically died from fatal injuries suffered while crossing Bedford Street in Falls River. She was struck by a 2015 Ford Freestyle SUV that was driven by a 19-year old young man.