Auto Accidents

October 26, 2011

South Portland Police and Our Bangor Personal Injury Attorneys Warn of Halloween Accidents

As all of the zombies, ghosts, goblins and mummies head out for some neighborhood trick-or-treating adventures, there’s another scary monster lurking in the dark — child injury in Portland, Maine. It’s true. Halloween is one of the most dangerous times for children to be out and about. Their risks for a pedestrian accident are higher during this time that during any other time of the year.Don’t worry. The South Portland Police Department and our Bangor, Maine, personal injury attorneys are here to share some tips for parents and little monsters to remember while celebrating Halloween.

Parents who are supervising young trick-or-treaters and those who are able to roam the neighborhood alone should always plan their trip before heading door to door. Everyone should plan a route that is safe — one that isn’t along any major roadways, has sidewalks or safe shoulders, is well lighted and has safe crossing areas. Trick-or-treaters of all ages should have a curfew. The later it gets, the more dangers and risks we face for a pedestrian-car accident.

Tips to avoid a pedestrian accident this Halloween:

-Try to you make yourself and your little trick-or-treaters as visible to motorists as possible. You should wear reflective tape on your costume or carry a flashlight.

-Look left and right before and during your trip across a road. Although drivers should be on their best driving behavior, you must take it upon yourself to walk cautiously.

-Never trick-or-treat alone.

-Never go into a stranger’s house or car.

-Suit your child in comfortable shoes and make sure that all costumes are short enough to prevent a trip and fall hazard.

-Do not trick-or-treat at houses with no lights on.

Candy rules:

-Never allow children to snack on candy as their trick-or-treating. Make sure they eat dinner before heading out so they’re less tempted to snack.

-Examine all candy as soon as you get home. Make sure none of the candy has been opened or tampered with. If you see a piece in question, throw it away.

-Consider handing out non-food items like spider rings, bubbles, toothbrushes, etc.

Halloween at home:

-Make sure that all trip hazards are cleared from driveways, sidewalks and front porches.

-Be sure to wipe up any wet surfaces so that trick-or-treaters are less likely to slip and fall.

-Be sure that all lights are on and working proper outside the front of your house.

-Never leave a lighted pumpkin unattended.

We can all have a safe and fun Halloween if we follow these few safety rules. Motorists are urged as always to be cautious in residential areas, especially during dusk on the 31st. Be sure to keep a lookout for monsters on the roadway to prevent a scary car accident. Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!

October 20, 2011

National Teen Driver Safety Week and AAA Address Habits Causing Teen Car Accidents in Portland and Elsewhere

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Maine is proudly participating in the 2011 National Teen Driver Safety Week, which is taking place this week through the 22nd, according to MarketWatch. During this time, parents are urged to talk with their newly-licensed drivers about safe-driving habits to help reduce their risks of a car accident in Portland, Maine, and elsewhere throughout the state.Recently, the state was presented with thousands of dollars from the Ford DSFL grant to help to educate teen drivers about safe traveling habits. The funds will be used by state officials to conduct activities and events throughout the state this fall to help with the teen driver education process.

Our Maine car accident attorneys understand that teen driving habits are a frequent topic of conversation among safe-driving advocates nationwide. With inexperience comes a serious risk of injury or death on our roadways. To help our young drivers gain confidence and experience behind the wheel, parents are urged to ride along with teens even when they possess an unrestricted license. Positive reinforcement can help boost their skills behind the wheel, and more supervised driving time can help to keep them safe on our roadways.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently conducted and released its findings the risks that young drivers face.

The study concluded that teen drivers face the highest risks for an accident during their first 30 days of unrestricted driving. These risks are 50 percent higher than the risks they face during their first year of unrestricted driving, and about twice as high as the risks they face during their first two years of unrestricted driving.

Researchers conducted the study by installing cameras in the cars of teen drivers in North Carolina. About 60 percent of the accidents during a driver’s first 30 days of unrestricted licensing that a teen was found to be partially at-fault were caused by speeding, failing to yield and driver inattention.

Researchers also discovered that the involvement of speed decreased as a driver’s experience increased.

“We know that young drivers’ crash rates decrease quickly as they gain experience,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger.

Some researchers believe that teens are at such high risks during the first 30 days because of the way they were taught to drive. Many teens are allowed to drive only with parents through familiar roadways on routine trips in low-risk situations. None of this driving practice prepares them for what they will face on our roadways. Parents are urged to ride along with their teen driver in a number of scenarios, including nighttime driving, driving in the rain, driving in the snow, driving in heavy traffic, etc. This is the best way to help to prepare them for the real world of the road.

We urge that you use National Teen Driver Safety Week to talk with your teen driver about the importance of safe-driving habits and the consequences of bad ones. Unfortunately, car accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teenagers in the U. . According to AAA, there were more than 730,000 drivers between the ages of 15 and 18 who were involved in police-reported accidents in 2009.

Go ahead and talk to your teen driver this week. Let them know about the importance of safe driving habits and about the consequences if they don’t pay close attention at the wheel. Your talk about these habits could potentially save their life on our roadway.

October 14, 2011

October Kicks Off Season for Deer-Related Car Accidents in Maine

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A Knoxville pedestrian recently defied all odds and walked away from a car accident in Waldo County. The accident happened when a vehicle swerved to avoid hitting a deer and ran right into the man walking along the side of the road. He was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center with a broken neck, according to the Republican Journal. The vehicle was traveling so fast that when it hit the embankment, it went flying through the air and skidded for a couple hundred feet.A second animal-related car accident in Maine turned fatal as an 18-year-old driver also tried to swerve to avoid hitting a deer. The accident happened in Harpswell when the young driver swerved to avoid contact with the animal. His vehicle was sent into trees lining the roadway. Upon striking the trees, the vehicle flipped.

Our Portland car accident attorneys would like to warn drivers about the increased risks we’ll be facing over the next few months. According to State Farm, the largest insurer of U. . private passenger auto, October through December are the most dangerous months on our roadways for deer-car accidents. From July of 2010 to June of 2011, there were more than a million car-deer accidents reported in the U. . These accidents can cause damage in a number of ways, to your vehicle, to motorists and to your pocketbook. An animal-related car accident typically costs drivers more than $3,000. Injuries can be much more serious.

In 2009, these types of accidents cost drivers nearly $5 billion. More than $3.5 billion was handed over to repair vehicle damage and about $1 billion was used to cover medical payments and other out-of-pocket costs.

In our state, there are approximately 3,000 deer-car accidents every year. About 10 accidents are reported every day and they’re reported throughout all areas of the state. In the last three years, there have been more than 9,000 accidents reported; killing two people and injuring nearly 400.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were nearly 200 fatalities because of animal-related accidents in 2009 in the U. . These accidents resulted in another 10,000 motorist injuries.

The Maine Department of Transportation (MoDOT) offers you these tips to help avoid a deer-car accident:

-Turn on your high beams when there are no vehicles driving in front of you or any vehicles driving toward you. This will help to light up the road so that you’re better able to see deer. The light will also reflect from their eyes, which helps to make them more visible.

-Make sure that you always travel at a safe speed so that you’re able to stop quickly if you need to.

-Slow down when driving through fog and rain. Poor weather conditions reduce your ability to spot a deer.

-Always scan the roadside.

-If you see a deer cross the road, be cautious as there are probably more. Deer usually travel in groups.

-Always wear your seat belt.

-Be extra cautious during dawn and dusk. About 70 percent of these accident occurred when it was dark out.

In the last three years:

-Cumberland County experienced nearly 1,500 deer-related accidents.

-Penobscot County had more than 1,200 accidents.

-Kennebec County had more than 1,000 crashes.

September 27, 2011

Advocates Step Up to Help Curb Distracted Driving Car Accidents in Portland and Elsewhere

by Maine Employee Rights Group

Distracted driving car accidents in Portland and elsewhere are becoming a top concern for officials as more drivers than ever are taking their eyes off the road. To help combat the problem and to save some lives along the way, the National Safety Council (NSC) has released a new video series, “Understanding Distracted Driving,” to help drivers to fully understand the dangers and the consequences of the dangerous driving behavior.Our Maine car accident attorneys understand that state officials have yet to enact a ban on cell phone use by drivers. Currently, novice drivers in Maine are the only ones who are covered under a ban of cell phone use for both hand-held and hands-free devices. As of September 28th, no driver in our state is allowed to text while operating a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, not all motorists will abide by these laws and will continue to put other driver’s lives in danger.

Throughout the NSC’s new video series, the Senior Director of Transportation Initiatives at the NSC, David Teater, addresses a dozen popular questions regarding the dangerous habit, including just how severe distractions can be, why cell phones prove to be such a dangerous distraction and how employers can create an effective and beneficial cell phone policy for all employees.

Teater has chosen to conduct these videos because he and the NSC saw him as a good fit. Teater lost his 12-year-old son in a motor-vehicle accident that involved a distracted driver in 2004.

“Cell phone use and driving are a dangerous, and oftentimes deadly, combination,” Teater said.

The NSC isn’t the only one targeting distracted drivers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is at it, too. The NTSB recently made a proposal to ban all commercial truck drivers from using a cell phone and texting while driving.

The most recent proposal comes after a hearing that addressed a driver that was involved in a fatal accident just seconds after hanging up his cell phone. The accident took the lives of 11 people and sent local shops crumbling to the ground, according to FOX News.

According to the U. . Department of Transportation, there is a rule in place that bans truck drivers in Maine and nationwide from using texting while driving. The NTSB is trying to build on this rule by asking that the ban cover both truck and bus drivers and to prohibit both cell phone use and texting by these drivers.

“This is the most comprehensive recommendation we’ve made,” said the NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman.

The NTSB doesn’t have the authority to make something like this a federal law, so the proposal has been sent to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and each of the 50 states. This ban could potentially regulate the driving habits of nearly 3 million truck drivers in the United States and help to save thousands of lives on our roadways.

September 6, 2011

Holiday Travel a Danger to Maine Motorists Causing a High Risk of Severe Injury in Bangor Car Accidents

by Peter Thompson & Associates

It was a horrendous Labor Day holiday weekend for those traveling on Maine roadways with five fatal accidents and many more resulting in injuries.

Portland car accident attorneys remind us that school resuming, fall tourist season, upcoming holidays, and winter weather will all make the next few months especially dangerous. Common causes of Bangor car accidents include distracted driving, speeding, aggressive driving, drunk driving and accidents involving teen drivers.The Saturday of the Labor Day weekend, in Yarmouth, a one car accident left a motorist dead. A 36-year-old man driving his pickup left the road due to unknown causes, crashed into a tree stump and then flipped his vehicle. The victim was ejected from the vehicle which caused the fatal injuries.

That same day, a two-car crash in Mars Hill caused the death of one man and injured three others.

On Sunday, a resident of Mars Hill was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence that resulted in a fatal two-car crash that caused the death of a Medway man. The suspect also had in his possession methamphetamine, according to police. The 51-year-old Medway man was a passenger in his son’s vehicle when it was hit head-on on Route 1 in the accident, killing him instantly. The impact was so severe it sent the victim’s vehicle rolling into a ditch and ending up on its side. There was another passenger in the car that sustained life-threatening injuries. All occupants were trapped in their vehicles and rescue workers had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate them.

Also that Sunday, in Lamoine, police discovered the body of a woman inside a car that apparently had driven into the ocean. According to police, the roof of the vehicle was spotted in the water by a passer-by. The incident happened at the end of Route 184 that leads to the ocean’s edge. The 48-year-old victim was from Florida and was returning to her hotel after attending a family wedding. Authorities believe she got lost in her unfamiliar surroundings.

Also on Labor Day Sunday, a man was killed when he was ejected from a pickup in Hudson. The crash on Route 43 killed a 19-year-old male, when, after missing a turn, his pickup truck overturned into a field and ejected him into the woods. Police are still investigating the crash and it remains unknown if the victim was the driver or the passenger of the truck. Thus far it appears that alcohol and speed contributed to the crash.

Police in an early morning Labor Day Sunday incident in Turner found a car on fire with someone inside. It is unclear what caused the one-car crash that happened around 3 a.m. There has been a tentative ID of the victim but the name is not being released until family has been notified.

As you can see, many people were affected by these terrible accidents — both the victims themselves, but also many friends and family. Don’t mix alcohol and driving and always avoid aggressive driving, which can lead to accidents.

August 11, 2011

Amtrak Sues Trucking Company for Maine Truck-Train Accident

by Maine Employee Rights Group

Amtrak has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts company that owned the truck hit by the Downeaster passenger train last month in North Berwick, Maine. That truck is owned by Triumvirate Environmental Inc. of Somerville, Massachusetts.

The driver of the 18-wheeler truck was killed in the Maine car accident that happened on July 11th, according to boston.com.

The truck was carrying more than 50,000 pounds of trash to a local incinerator. Police are conducting an ongoing investigation into the accident.The Amtrak driver is accusing the big rig driver of ignoring the railroad crossing controls and warnings while he was crossing the railroad tracks. Four passengers aboard the Amtrak train suffered injuries in the collision. Amtrak isn’t seeking specific damages, but they are reportedly seeking compensation for subsequent service disruption costs of $3 million. The suit was recently filed in federal court in Massachusetts.

Our Portland personal injury attorneys understand that the court filings for this case state that the crossing warnings were activated as the truck proceeded through the crossing. They also state that the truck driver “failed to heed the warnings” and drove his tractor-trailer around the lowered crossing gates and caused the accident. This case is important to bring up because accidents near railroad crossings can be oftentimes produce deadly results if the proper safety measures are not taken and if warning signals are ignored.

“Once we get it all done, we’ll release what our finding was,” says Police Chief Stephen Peasley, estimating it could be another couple of weeks.

The suit was filed on August 8th at the U. . District Court of Massachusetts by John Bonistalli, the attorney representing National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

It is estimated that a person or a vehicle is hit by a train every 115 minutes. It is also estimated that about half of these railroad accidents occur at railroad crossings when automatic warning devices, like flashing lights and gates, are present and are properly activated and working.

According to the U. . Department of Transportation, there are approximately 5,800 vehicle-train accidents each year in the United States. A majority of these accidents occur at railroad crossings. These accidents result in an average of 600 fatalities each year. These accidents also injure about 2,300 people yearly.

Common injuries of a train and car accident can include brain trauma, spinal cord injuries, concussions, other head injuries, sprains, fractures, abrasions, burn injuries and internal and various soft tissue injuries. Many of these injures can be life threatening.

Railroad accidents most oftentimes include these scenarios:

-Derailment of a train.

-Train-train collisions.
-Train-car collisions.
-Train-person collisions.
-Damage to property.

Accidents that involve a train can be very complex and difficult for the victims, especially when fighting for deserved compensation. That is why it is critical for you to contact an attorney immediately following a train wreck or railroad accident.

June 10, 2011

National Safety Month in June Aims to Reduce Unintentional Injuries in Bangor

by Maine Employee Rights Group

June is National Safety Month in Maine and throughout the country. In order to raise awareness, the National Safety Council is urging communities and businesses to practice safe behaviors at work and home to reduce the number of preventable injuries and car accidents in Maine and elsewhere.

Our Bangor accident attorneys know that safety is important, but it is often someone else’s irresponsible behaviors that can cause serious injury, so be prepared to take action if you are the victim of negligence.

The NSC has dedicated each week of the month to different safety topics. The first week, June 1-4, is dedicated to summertime safety. Numerous Safety & Health Fact Sheets are provided with a concentration on distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and home safety.

The focal point of week two, June 5-11, is preventing overexertion. Injuries in the lower back, sprains and strains, are the most prominent example of overexertion injuries. Overexertion is the third-leading cause of preventable injuries that are treated in a hospital emergency room.

June 12-18 is dedicated to teen driving safety. Creating awareness is critical in keeping roadways safe since 5,500 people are killed yearly in accidents with a teen driver involved.

The fourth week, June 19-25 focuses on preventing slips and fall accidents. Falls are a common cause for a trip to the emergency room, especially in older adults (55 and up).

The final week, June 26-30, places attention on driving and cell phone use. It is estimated that 23 percent of car accidents are caused by drivers distracted by cell phones.

A national observance of unintentional injuries and deaths is needed because the number of accidents is escalating to undesirable levels. In 2009, there were more than 128,000 unintentional deaths – a 47 percent increase since 1992. In comparison, the 1992 total (86,777) matched the lowest estimated total since 1924; the 2009 total was the highest estimated total ever recorded.

Each year, families throughout the country spend roughly $5,900 on medical expenses for unintentional injuries and trips to the hospital. These injuries cost Americans and their employers almost $700 billion a year.

As part of overexertion recognition week, the NSC offers the following safety and health tips:

-Keep your home and work environment clutter-free. Store things in a closet or cabinet.

-Refrain from using rolling chairs as a ladder to reach things.

-Stack heavy items near the bottom to avoid them falling on you or straining your back to lift them.

-Make routine visits to the eye doctor to check your vision. Make sure prescription eyeglasses are used when needed.

-Make sure outlets are not overloaded with cords to reduce the risk of a fire hazard.
Visit the website for more safety tips that can be used at work.

Maine residents can reduce the risk of unintentional injuries by being safe drivers, maintaining a safe home and work environment and using a little common sense when it comes to proper safety procedures.

May 25, 2011

Proposed bill could lead to an increase in speed-related car accidents in Northern Maine

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Speeding is a common cause of car accidents in Maine and throughout the country. Yet, state officials are proposing a bill to increase the speed limit on a stretch of highway in Northern Maine, reports the Bangor Daily News. Our car accident attorneys in Bangor and Portland hope the state considers this bill carefully before they pass it, considering that 38 percent of traffic fatalities in Maine for 2009 were caused by a speed-related crash.

A unanimous vote by a legislative committee is in favor of passing LD 1557, a bill that would permit the state’s commissioner to raise the speed limit to 75 mph on a 100-mile stretch of highway from Old Town to Houlton. The current speed limit for that stretch of Interstate 95 is set at 65 mph. The bill would allow the commissioner to use discretion on parts of the highway that should remain at 65 for safety reasons. The issue came up during his campaign when 10 percent of the public doors he knocked on asked the question “When are we going to be able to legally drive 75 on the highway?”

The fact is, motorists already take their chances on this solitary stretch of highway, often driving above the permitted speed limit. With very few cars and even fewer exits, motorists and state officials feel the risks of a car accident related to speed is minimal.

“The motorists on this section of I-95 are traveling at speeds at which they feel comfortable regardless of the posted speed limit,” Nina Fisher, the DOT’s legislative liaison, said in testimony to the committee. “Past data has proven that a driver’s level of comfort does not increase as a function of posted speed limit but as a function of the drivability of the road.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 61 of the 159 traffic fatalities in 2009 were in speed-related crashes. During 2005-2009, speed was a factor in a high percentage of traffic fatalities in Maine. The highest percentage reported during that period was in 2005 when speed played a role in 51 percent of Maine traffic fatalities for that year.

The next step for LD 1557 is presentation to the House and Senate for deliberation.
Speed tips to consider on Maine roadways this summer:
-Maintain the legal speed limit on unfamiliar or rural roads. Curves in the roadway or unknown obstacles like groundhogs or moose can appear from nowhere and make it difficult to avoid at high travel speeds.

-Pass slower moving vehicles on the left-hand side. Passing on the right could cause an accident with merging vehicles that may not see your vehicle.

-Slow down on exit ramps or sharp corners to avoid a rollover accident or collision with another vehicle.

May 25, 2011

Construction Work and Memorial Day Travel — Recipe for Car Accidents in Maine

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Maine is going to be hit with a double whammy this Memorial Day holiday weekend as not will we see an increase in traffic because of the kickoff weekend to the summer season but construction season gets into full swing as well. Enforcement officers will set out in full force on our roadways to reduce risks of car accidents in Maine caused by speeding, drunk driving, aggressive driving and other poor driving habits.The National Safety Council recently released their yearly estimates for the number of traffic accidents for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. This weekend is marked as the time between 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 11:59 p.m. on Monday. The Council estimates that there will be more than 400 traffic fatalities and another 39,400 injuries requiring medical attention just over the celebratory weekend because of motor vehicle collisions.

Our Maine personal injury lawyers would like residents to be extra careful on our roadways this holiday weekend as we will have the added dangers of construction zones. According to NBC 2, areas in Maine will be seeing a ton of construction as new bridges and other construction projects are underway. Drivers are urged to be extra cautious in these areas as risks for an accident are greatly increased when workers and road work is present. The city is trying to get all of the work done before all of the visitors flock to the area.

In an attempt to keep motorists safe this holiday weekend, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be running its “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The campaign began last week and will be running through the first week of June. The “Click It or Ticket” is the most successful seat belt enforcement campaign ever. It has been proven to contribute to the highest national seat belt usage rate of more than 90 percent. Law enforcement everywhere will enact a zero-tolerance enforcement practice of seat belt laws nationwide throughout the campaign.

Over the last past six years, the long Memorial Day holiday weekend has seen an average of more than 12 percent increase in traffic fatalities than similar non-holiday periods. Many contribute this increase to the increase in the amount of travel by Americans.

Motorists are urged to follow these safety tips to help ensure road safety during the Memorial Day weekend and through high construction areas:

-Put away all distractions while your car is in motion.

-Be sure that all of your passengers are wearing a seat belt and all children are placed in an appropriate child safety seat.

-Be sure that you leave for your destination with time to spare and leave prepared with directions and routes already planned out.

-Drive defensively. Use caution and abide be all road signs and signals, especially in construction areas with frequent lane changes.

-Avoid driving while drowsy. Rest up before you venture out on to the roadways so that you can place your full attention on the road.

-Do not drink and drive. Any amount on alcohol consumption can impair your judgment and reaction time behind the wheel.

May 19, 2011

Motorcycle accidents in Bangor a spring and summer risk

by Peter Thompson & Associates

After months of cold weather and icy roads, motorcycle enthusiasts in Maine are finally hitting the streets again. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month so motorists are encouraged to share the roads wisely while keeping a watchful eye for bikers in order to avoid motorcycle accidents in Portland or elsewhere in the state.
Motorcycles are a fuel-efficient mode of transportation so it should come as no surprise if we begin to see more traveling on roadways due to the elevation in gas prices recently. Last month the Bangor Daily News reported that motorcycle fatalities decreased by 2 percent nationwide during the first nine months of 2010. This isn’t a trend believed to continue moving forward as the statistics indicated the drop in fatalities was during the beginning of the year. In fact, it is highly doubtful considering motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled in the last decade — from 2,483 in 1999 to as many as 5,290 in 2008. Each year has shown a steady increase during this 10 year time period according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. sInjuries have also shown a steady increase from 1999 to 2008 with the highest mark in 2007 at 103,000 people injured in motorcycle accidents. Maine recorded 18 motorcycle rider fatalities in 2008.

In 2009, Maine recorded over 49,000 registered motorcycles on roadways. There were 102,763 licensed motorcyclists in the state in 2009. Maine requires all riders and operators under age 18 or any motorcyclist with less than one year driving experience to use a federally mandated helmet when riding a motorcycle.

Motorists should keep riders in mind this summer with the following helpful tips:
-Keep plenty of space between you and the motorcycle in front of you.

-Never change lanes or merge with traffic unless you signal first and turn your head to look before you cross the line.

-Make sure the bike in front of you turns before approaching them too closely. Many bikes don’t have an automatic shut-off for the turn signal so they could be signaling inadvertently.

-Never engage in aggressive or distracted driving activities. Motorcycles can appear from nowhere and are difficult to spot.