Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

With Maine’s worst storms typically coming our way in December, we usually see a spike in the number of vehicle accidents during this time. This is because even some of our most experienced drivers seem to have “forgotten” how to drive in winter conditions. As the holidays approach, more and more motorists travel through the state to visit with friends and family. This increase in traffic causes a significant increase in your risks for a car accident in Portland.Our Portland car accident lawyers understand that the winter serves as the most dangerous time on our roadways. Motorists are urged to be cautious behind the wheel when navigating through the congested holiday traffic. To help reduce the risks of an accident, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) offers some important driving tips to keep you safe as the slow flies, through the holidays and through the entire winter season.

Safe Driving Tips from MaineDOT:

-Always drive slowly through ice and snow.

-Remember that stopping on ice without skidding takes time and distance. For this reason, you should never follow too closely to the vehicles around you, you should always drive under the posted speed limits and always keep all of your attention on the roadway. Skidding is common near bridges, off ramps and intersections as this is where black ice can form without ever being noticed.

-Don’t turn your four-wheel drive vehicle into a true “off-road” vehicle!

-Keep in mind that four-wheel drive can help you to get going faster, but it really does nothing to help you to stop any faster or help you to keep better control of your vehicle once you’ve lost traction. Yes four-wheel-drive vehicles drivers need to be cautious, too!

-Never tailgate.

-Keep extra distance between you and other vehicles to avoid becoming a part of a chain-reaction accident.

-Don’t take chances and pull out in front of oncoming vehicles.

-Remember that when the roadway is wet that you might not be able to slow down and that you’re probably not able to accelerate as quickly either. Go easy on the pedals.

-Avoid using your cruise control in winter weather.

-Try to avoid any sudden or exaggerated steering, accelerating or braking.

-If you need to stop and you’ve got anti-lock brakes, push the brake pedal down firmly and hold it down. If you don’t have these kinds of brakes, remember to pump the pedal when you need to stop quickly.

-Curb distractions, and stay alert and focused.

-Keep an eye on the vehicles ahead of you. They can help to locate problem spots on the road which may give you the split second you need to avoid an accident.

Motorists are asked to be extremely cautious on our roadways throughout the holiday season, regardless of the weather conditions. Please be safe and enjoy your holiday season.

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Recently, law enforcement officers in Maine started enforcing a relatively new law – no texting behind the wheel, according to The Maine Public Broadcasting Network. This law was recently enacted as a primary offense, meaning that officers can pull over a driver for texting without witnessing any other traffic infraction first. The law allows officers to hand over a $100 fine for anyone who is writing or reading at the wheel, including texting, using Facebook, sending or reading e-mails and fiddling with music libraries. All of these behaviors greatly increase a driver’s risk for a car accident in Portland.”Really what we’re trying to do here,” said state police Col. Robert Williams, “is get voluntary compliance because in 2010 about 39 percent of the traffic crashes’ … contributed to some type of inattention or distraction.”

Our Portland car accident lawyers understand that texting by teenage drivers in particular has become a problem throughout the U. . To help fight the problem, the U. . Department of Transportation (USDOT) launched a new public service announcement campaign called “OMG” to raise awareness about the dangers of texting behind the wheel. The campaign consists of two PSAs that will be shown at more than 525 Regal Cinema theaters, roughly 12,000 gas station pump-top screens nationwide and on the Distraction.gov website throughout December. The USDOT feels that these mediums will help reach a significant number of teenage drivers throughout the country.

As the holiday season draws near and Portland schools let out for winter break, teenage drivers will be setting out on our roadways to visit with friends and family members to enjoy some time away from class. To help spread the message about the potential consequences of texting while driving to teenagers, the USDOT has included popular texting lingo, like “LOL” and “L8R,” in its “OMG” campaign.

Greg Dunn, the President and COO of Regal Entertainment Group, says that he and Regal Entertainment Group is pleased to join forces with the USDOT for this campaign. He says that the partnership can help to make a difference on roadways nationwide, especially during the busy travel season.

As of right now, there are 35 states have made it illegal for all drivers to text behind the wheel. Nine states, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia have made it illegal for drivers to talk on the phone.

Parents should talk with teenage drivers about the risks, dangers and consequences of distracted driving. You’re talk can help your teen make smart and responsible decisions behind the wheel and to avoid a potentially fatal accident.

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During Drowsy Driving Prevention Week happening all this week, safe-driving advocates have been taking their message to streets in an effort to cut down on sleepy drivers who are causing traffic accidents in Maine and other states nationwide. My FOX Maine is reporting that more than 30 percent of drivers have admitted to driving while drowsy over a recent 30-day period, even though 95 percent of drivers surveyed said drowsy driving is unacceptable.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the National Sleep Foundation are using the campaign to help raise awareness about drowsy driving car accidents in Portland and elsewhere. These accidents take the lives of about 1,550 people and injure another 70,000 every year, running up a tab of nearly $13 billion.

Our Maine car accident attorneys understand the risks and consequences that come with drowsy driving. Statistics reveal that drowsy drivers contribute to about one out of every six fatal accidents and about one in eight injury-resulting accidents. We invite you to join the prevention week’s efforts and help educate your loved ones about the dangers and consequences of this dangerous driving habit. These accidents are 100 percent preventable.

“Drowsy driving kills, just as sure as drunk, drugged and distracted driving does,” AAA Foundation president and CEO Peter Kissinger said in a foundation. “Drivers have a tendency to underestimate the impact being tired has on their driving ability.”

How to tell if you’re too drowsy to drive:

-Are you feeling irritable, aggressive or restless?

-Are you having trouble keeping your head up?

-Are you having trouble keeping your eyes open?

-Can you clearly remember the last few miles driven?

-Are you daydreaming?

-Are you yawning excessively?

-Are you blinking a lot?

-Are you overlooking traffic lights, road signs, exit or turns?

-Are you having a tough time focusing on the roadway?

-Are you swerving in and out of your lane?

To help reduce the risks of falling asleep at the wheel, you’re urged to get at least seven hours of sleep before setting out on a long car ride. You should also ride with a passenger, make frequent stops to get out and stretch, and travel at times when you’d normally be awake.

If you fail to acknowledge the warning signs listed above, you’re putting yourself and other drivers at risk for falling asleep at the wheel. Oftentimes sleepy drivers fall into 3- or 4-second periods of microsleep. This is time when drivers are actually asleep at the wheel. A vehicle can travel the length of a football field during this short amount of time and can wind up in a pretty messy accident.

“We need to change the culture so that drivers recognize the dangers, appreciate the consequences and most importantly, stop driving while sleepy,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger.

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Our late October snowstorm caught many in the Northeast by surprise, including us in Maine. As of Nov. 1, still more than a million homes along the East Coast were without power. The storm also canceled trick-or-treat adventures, caused rail-service disruptions and contributed to a number of car accidents in Maine and elsewhere.The snowstorm dumped more than 30 inches of snow in some areas. Snowfall records from the National Weather Service were broken in areas from Virginia to Maine. News sources, including My FOX Philadelphia, are reporting that more than 20 people died because of the storm’s effects.

Our Portland car accident attorneys understand that this first blast of winter weather serves as a warning for what we can expect in the coming months. Car accidents on our snowy and icy roadways were lethal in some cases. We urge residents to stay off the road when weather conditions are bad, unless you absolutely have to go somewhere.

Both western and southern Maine saw record snowfall. The most snow fell in Oxford and York counties along the New Hampshire border. More than 17 inches fell in Bridgton and about 20 inches made it in Acton. South Paris and Oxford both received about 15 inches of snow, while Springfield got about 11 inches. These are some of the highest amounts ever recorded in northern and eastern Maine, according to The Bangor Daily.

“This is an unprecedented storm because we’ve never had this much snow in October in one day,” said Michael Sempa, a meteorologist based in Gray. “We’ve beaten the previous record for the whole month in some places.”

You know the common saying about the weather here in New England — “If you don’t like it just wait a minute!”sAnd that’s exactly what the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) is recommending. Drivers shouldn’t drive in poor conditions. Car accidents can be avoided if we all avoid these conditions, but sometimes this isn’t realistic. For that reason, we’re here to offer you with safe-driving tips for the wicked winter weather to help you get to and from your destinations safely.

Winter driving tips:

-Tune Up. Make sure you have your vehicle checked out. Be sure that tires, batteries and windshield wipers are in working condition, and that all fluids are topped off.

-Buckle Up. Always wear a seat belt. Seat belts may be your best defense against injury in the event of an accident.

-Slow Down. Remember that handling your vehicle is trickier on slick roadways, and that posted speed limits are the limits for normal, clear weather conditions.

-Pack Up. Make sure you’ve got an emergency kit in your vehicle. This kit should include water, nonperishable food, medications, a flashlight, extra batteries and warm clothing. Always travel with a mobile phone.

-Stay Alert. There’s no time for distractions when you’re driving down a snowy road. Keep all of your attention on the task at hand — driving.

-Stay Informed. Check out MaineDOT’s Travel Information Service or call 511 or 1-866-282-7578 to learn about possible delays resulting from weather conditions or traffic accidents.

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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.

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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.

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