One late afternoon returning from work, you see the light up ahead just turn green and enter the intersection. While looking straight ahead, your attention is directed for just an instant to your right and you notice a flash or blur just before losing consciousness. When you awake, you are in a hospital room, your face badly bruised and your limbs in traction. You have little or no memory of the accident.
Read MoreEach year there are an astounding 4.5 million dog bites in the US with many victims requiring reconstructive surgery from being mauled by a dog’s powerful jaws, teeth and claws. The Center for Disease Control reports that 368,000 dog attack victims visit emergency rooms each year with 27,000 requiring reconstructive surgery. In 2015, there were 35 fatalities nationwide that were attributed to a dog attack.
Read MoreVision Zero is here! This is an interactive traffic-related web site containing a map of Boston where residents can zero in on streets, intersections or particular roadways to make suggestions to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. The web site is the Vision Zero Boston Safety Concerns Map.
Read MoreOn March 20, 2016, Boston will stage its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, a tradition that began in 1901. Other Massachusetts towns and cities will have their own parades, either this day or beginning as early as March 5 and during subsequent weekends up to the day of the Boston festival. Of course, the focus for many will be on the parade in South Boston, or Southie as natives refer to this area, a slice of the city that its residents boast is the most Irish in America. But along with the celebrations, colorful costumes, music, food and other festivities, lurks the dangers of drinking and driving.
Read MoreIn January, the Massachusetts Senate passed by voice vote a ban on hand-held cell phones while driving. The bill is currently in the Massachusetts House where it will continue to be debated but, hopefully according to many frustrated lawmakers, still intact. This is a big win for any future accident victims who were hit by distract driver, and provides the tools necessary for a distracted driving lawyer to get you the compensation you deserve.
Read MoreSo, are energy drinks really bad for your health? Go to any convenience stor, liquor store or aisle of most grocery stores and the shelves are stocked with several different brands of “energy drinks” such as Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Rockstar, to name just a few. A close examination of the ingredients in these beverages reveals a large dose of caffeine and an unknown quantity of sugar, a sure warning sign that the drink is not good for you. Other ingredients are a mystery to most people, such as Guarana. This is a South American fruit loaded with caffeine!
Read MoreEd Davis, a former Boston police chief, recently offered strong criticisms of the taxi services his office monitored during his relatively brief tenure. Davis, who served as the city’s police commissioner from 2006 to 2013, relayed the statements shortly after his appointment to Uber’s new safety advisory board. Uber is the leading company in the ride-hailing industry where people with its app on their smartphones can request a ride and have their fare automatically paid with credit card information already input.
Read MoreEvery 3 years the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) releases a survey of the 100 most dangerous intersections in southeastern Massachusetts. The last one covered the period from 2010 to 2012 so the newest rankings will be published soon after all relevant statistics are gathered and compiled.
Read MorePedestrian safety is always a concern in any major urban, suburban or rural area. Pedestrians are at the mercy of motorists who have a duty to maintain proper lookouts and to use caution when approaching or entering intersections or while in residential areas. Some cities and towns are taking proactive measures to reduce the risks to pedestrians through education, road design and community involvement.
Read MoreIn the 2014 book, The Blameless Victim, by Harold S. Rhodes, we live with a suburban Boston family that was living a normal life before a tractor-trailer driver failed to pay attention and rammed into the rear end of Marcia Rhodes’ Toyota while she was on her way to work.
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