Firm News
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets at Dedham Bike Rodeo For Third Year
Breakstone, White & Gluck returned to the Dedham Bike Rodeo yesterday for the third year in a row. We were happy to donate 120 new bicycle helmets to the kids at the rodeo.
Photo: Attorneys Ronald E. Gluck and David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck with Dedham police officers, including Neil Cronin and Bob Nedder.
Photo: Attorney David W. White with 4-year-olds from the Courtyard Learning Center in Dedham.
The Dedham Bike Rodeo was one of the first events we participated in after starting our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013 and we always look forward to it. It is an annual event organized by the Dedham Police Department and Dedham Parks & Recreation Department. Local children are invited to ride around at the Endicott Estate, then offered a free lunch. The Dedham Police Department raffles off free bicycles to a few lucky children. For the finale, the Dedham Fire Department brings in the hose truck and lets the kids run under the water to cool down. That was much needed yesterday, with the temperature over 90 degrees!
Attorney David W. White fitted the children for new bicycle helmets and talked to them about the importance of always wearing one. A child who wears a helmet significantly reduces their chance of suffering a traumatic brain injury in a bicycle accident. In Massachusetts, wearing a bicycle helmet is also the law for children and teenagers 16 years old or younger.
David has fitted some of the Dedham kids two or three times now over the years and it was nice to see them back, willing to wait in line on such a hot day. A lot of helmets from years past were still being worn by other kids.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the helmets as part of our Project KidSafe campaign, which we launched in 2013. To date, we have donated over 5,000 helmets and expect to reach 8,000 by year’s end.
Our goal is to encourage children to wear bicycle helmets and ride their bikes safely. Even though it is widely known that bicycle helmets can protect cyclists, many children still do not wear them or use ones which do not fit properly or are in poor condition.
It is important for children to wear helmets which fit properly and meet safety standards. Children are especially vulnerable to bicycle-related injuries and deaths, accounting for half of all cyclists who are treated in emergency rooms each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some 26,000 children are treated for traumatic brain injuries related to bicycling accidents.
We also encourage parents to always wear their helmets too. When children see their parents consistently wearing helmets, the use of helmets by children increases dramatically.
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone Says Clients Feel Former New England Patriots Player Brandon Spikes “Got Off Lightly” With Probation
Click here to view the interview on WCVB.
Former New England Patriots player Brandon Spikes pled guilty yesterday to criminal charges in the hit-and-run car crash which injured a family of three on I-495 in Foxborough. He was sentenced to one year probation and loss of license.
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone of Breakstone, White & Gluck represents the family.
“They feel that he got off lightly for engaging in conduct that could have killed them frankly,” Breakstone told WCVB.
Early on June 7, Spikes was driving his Mercedes-Benz Maybach on I-495 in Foxborough and struck the Nissan Murano carrying Breakstone’s clients. He was traveling without headlights and hit the family’s car at a high-speed, but never stopped.
They were treated at a local hospital. Police found his vehicle abandoned nearby, after his on-board navigation company reported the driver stated he had hit a deer. Spikes, who had just returned to the New England Patriots a month earlier, was released by the team shortly later.
Yesterday in Wrentham District Court, Spikes was found responsible for speeding and a marked lanes violation as well. He also admitted prosecutors had sufficient facts to convict him on charges of negligent operation and driving an uninsured vehicle. Those charges were continued without a finding for one year and Spikes could avoid conviction if he stays out of trouble.
Breakstone told The Boston Herald his clients are, “very lucky not to have been killed. They’re still traumatized by this incident. This guy, hopefully, learned a lesson that will change his behavior going forward.”
Driving without auto insurance is against the law in Massachusetts and punishable by a fine or up to one year in a house of correction.
“This is a trifecta of irresponsibility; no insurance, reckless driving, leaving the scene in a cowardly fashion,” Breakstone told Fox 25 TV.
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
Coverage: The Boston Herald, The Boston Globe, WCVB, Fox 25 TV Boston and WHDH.
Our Project KidSafe Campaign Continues in Arlington, Cambridge and Ashland
Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign recently donated bicycle helmets in Arlington, Cambridge and Ashland. This has been our busiest year yet and we have been enjoying working with our friends, old and new.
Windsor Street Health Center in Cambridge. We recently gained a new partner, the medical students at the Windsor Street Health Center in Cambridge. The helmets will be donated to children who visit the center and need one. Many families served by the health center will not or cannot purchase bicycle helmets on their own, even after doctors explain the risk of a head injury, said Jonathan Blake Watson, a fourth-year Harvard Medical student who works at the clinic.
“It is a wonderful feeling knowing that we will be able to send our young patients home with something that will keep them safe,” Watson said.
Pierce School in Arlington. The elementary school’s students were focused on being active this year, with monthly “Walk to School Days.” Many students participated. When the school set up a bicycle rack, many also started biking. For National Bike Month, the students received a bike safety lesson and guidelines for following the rules of the road. Project KidSafe helmets were distributed to children who needed one and participated in a raffle.
Ashland Farmers Market. We returned to the Ashland Farmers Market for a second year and fitted bicycle helmets for 60 young children. We attended on Sustainability Day and were joined local farmers and other vendors, such as the Massachusetts Sierra Club and community members updating the public on the Upper Charles Rail Trail, a bike path which will pass through Ashland when complete.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck and Project KidSafe
Breakstone, White & Gluck launched Project KidSafe in 2013, with a goal of providing bicycle helmets to children who need one. Since then, we have donated more than 5,000 bicycle helmets and worked with organizations such as Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward, CYCLE Kids, Bikes Not Bombs and Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools.
Wearing a bicycle helmet is the most effective way for cyclists to prevent head injuries and young children are the most vulnerable. Visit our Bike Safety page and watch the video on how to properly fit a bicycle helmet.
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone Responds After State Police Announce Former Patriots Player Brandon Spikes Will Be Charged With Leaving Scene of Personal Injury Crash
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone spoke to Fox 25 News Boston after State Police issued a citation charging former New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes in the hit-and-run accident that injured a family of three. Breakstone is representing the family.
“It’s surprising to them that Mr. Spikes would drive so recklessly and then just leave the scene,” Breakstone told the news station. “It will affect them for a long time. This could have been a story with a tragic ending.”
Spikes will be charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, operating a motor vehicle negligently to endanger, speeding and failure to stay within marked lanes. He was cut by the New England Patriots after State Police opened the investigation.
Attorney Marc Breakstone Speaks for Clients in Hit and Run Accident With Possible Link to Former Patriot Player’s Mercedes
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
As State Police investigate a weekend hit-and-run car crash in Foxborough, attorney Marc L. Breakstone spoke on behalf of his clients who were injured. Breakstone told The Boston Globe there is “overwhelming evidence” that his clients’ vehicle was struck by the Mercedes-Benz Mabach registered to ex-New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes.
Breakstone, a personal injury attorney at Breakstone, White & Gluck in Boston, is representing the Billerica family who was struck in the early Sunday morning crash. The parents and child were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after their Nissan Murano was struck suddenly.
Breakstone said the car that struck his clients was likely traveling at least 80 to 85 miles per hour and that his clients never saw any headlights.
“It is an extraordinary act of negligence for one vehicle to strike another vehicle that’s traveling 60 miles an hour on the highway,” Breakstone told the Globe. “I suspect that whatever that driver was under the influence of is the reason that the driver left the scene.”
Around the same time, State Police were notified the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Maybach registered to Spikes had been abandoned nearby in the median strip of Interstate 495 in Foxborough. A Mercedes roadside assistance service operator contacted State Police, telling them the driver of the vehicle reported hitting a deer.
State Police say the investigation is ongoing and they have not established who was driving the Mercedes-Benz Maybach or whether the Maybach hit the other car.
Spikes was released by the Patriots on Monday. He played for the Patriots from 2010 through 2013, then joined the Buffalo Bills for the 2014 season. He had recently returned to the Patriots on a one-year deal which would have been worth up to $2 million.
Breakstone told the Globe his clients are working to move past the hit-and-run accident.
“They want their normal lives back,” he said. “They want their good health and their comfortable state of mind. … They’re alarmed, first, that they could have been killed. They’re alarmed that it may have been an NFL player behind the wheel, and they would just [prefer to] not be in the spotlight and just have a return to normalcy.”
Related Coverage:
Accident Blindsided Family, Lawyer Says, The Boston Herald.
Patriots release Brandon Spikes amid crash investigation, WCVB.
Police probing whether ex-Patriots linebacker Spikes’ car hit Billerica family’s, The Lowell Sun.
Three Bike Helmet Donation Events from Our Project KidSafe Campaign
Wearing a bicycle helmet is the most effective way to prevent a serious head injury on a bicycle. It is most important for young children who are still in development and building their strength.
Breakstone, White & Gluck is continuing its commitment to bicycle safety by donating children’s bicycle helmets through our Project KidSafe campaign. Here are a few recent and upcoming events:
Kiwanis Club of Somerville. For the third year, we partnered with the Kiwanis Club of Somerville at Bike Safety Day on May 16th. Each year, the Kiwanis holds the event in a different neighborhood; this year’s event was held at the Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park. There was a great turnout and the Kiwanis and Attorney David W. White donated nearly 120 bicycle helmets. Children were also offered free bike inspections, reflectors, safety information and the chance to test out their skills on bicycle obstacle courses. Read more about the Kiwanis Club of Somerville.
Worcester Earn-a-Bike. This community bicycle shop teaches local residents the basics of bicycle maintenance while letting them work to earn a free bicycle. If you are under 17 years old, you must volunteer for 5 hours to receive a free bicycle and anyone over age 17 must volunteer for 10 hours.
Worcester Earn-a-Bike is also known for its popular annual Kids Bike Sale. This year’s event will be held on June 6th. This is a fun event because every child’s bicycle is on sale for just $5. Breakstone, White & Gluck participates by donating free bicycle helmets to children who need one. This is the second year we have partnered up with Worcester Earn-a-Bike. Read more about Worcester Earn-a-Bike.
Friends of Lexington Bikeways. The Friends of Lexington Bikeways donated bicycle helmets from Project KidSafe to children at Discovery Day on May 23. The group showed children how to properly fit the helmets and spoke about safety with parents and children. This is the second year we have partnered up with the Friends of the Lexington Bikeways, which is active in promoting and supporting safe cycling and development of bike routes. Read more about the Friends of Lexington Bikeways.
Photo: A volunteer helps a child adjust a bicycle helmet at Discovery Day in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Participates in Bike Friday
Today was Bike Friday, sponsored by Boston Bikes, the city office which promotes safe cycling. Bike Friday is one of the last events of Bay State Bike Week. It included a number of organized rides and a gathering at Boston City Hall. Breakstone, White & Gluck was there to share information about our Project KidSafe campaign.
Attorney David W. White and Attorney Marc L. Breakstone of Breakstone, White & Gluck participated in Bike Friday at Boston City Hall Plaza. The two attorneys were there to support the cyclists as they rode in and to share information about the firm’s Project KidSafe campaign.
Boston Bikes organizes Bike Fridays to celebrate those who ride their bikes to work and to encourage others. More than two dozen organizations and vendors signed up for today’s event. While 200 cyclists registered for the event, organizers estimated up to 350 cyclists actually pedaled in and enjoyed a free breakfast, courtesy of Boloco.
Breakstone, White & Gluck participated for the first time and set up our Project KidSafe tent to show support for the cyclists. Attorneys David W. White and Marc L. Breakstone were among the crowd waiting for the cyclist convoys, which came in from Lexington, Newton, Somerville and many other communities.
Other organizations which participated included MassBike, Boston Cyclists Union, Livable Streets Alliance, Hubway and Landry’s Bicycles.
Marc and David spoke to a number of cyclists about our Project KidSafe initiative, through which we donate bicycle helmets to children who need one in the Boston and Worcester areas. We have donated more than 4,000 bicycle helmets since 2013, through partner organizations such as CYCLE Kids of Cambridge, Somerville and Cambridge public schools, Bikes Not Bombs, Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools, the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. We have also worked with Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward program, which refurbishes used bicycles and donates them to city residents who may not otherwise have access to a bicycle.
After the event, Marc said, “It is rewarding for us to be able to give back to the community in a way that promotes safety for children. We look forward to continuing our Project KidSafe program, and to expanding it in the years to come.”
The next Bike Friday events are scheduled for June 26th, July 24th and August 28th. Read more about the event.
The cyclists came in in convoys this morning, traveling in from Lexington, Arlington and other communities. While 200 cyclists registered in advance, organizers estimate 350 actually rolled in.
A Day of Donating Bicycle Helmets in Westborough
We had a great day in Westborough last weekend: Two fun community events, great weather and we handed out 160 free bicycle helmets to children. For this, we partnered up with the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the bicycle helmets as part of our Project KidSafe outreach. Attorney David W. White helped distribute the free helmets at Westborough’s Spring Festival, an event featuring just about everything which is hosted by the Rotary Club of Westborough. In addition to bicycle helmets, there was an amateur dog show, children’s carnival, road race, food vendors and the list goes on.
Attorney White and Bruce Tretter, chairman of the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, then went to hand out helmets at the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central, which is nearby in Westborough.
“We had a lot of fun, though at times it was a little hectic because so many people were anxious to get helmets for their kids,” attorney David White said. He added, “Wearing a bicycle helmet is the most important step you can take to protect yourself as a cyclist and I hope the children and families left with new helmets and a new commitment to wear them every time they ride.”
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated these bike helmets through our Project KidSafe initiative. We have donated over 3,500 helmets to children in Massachusetts since 2013. By year’s end, we expect to have donated 6,000 helmets. Read more about our Project KidSafe outreach or our bicycle safety tips.
Photo: Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck helping a child at the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts in Westborough.
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Photo: From left in back: Bruce Tretter, Chairman of the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; Betsy Moquin, Director of Marketing & Advancement of the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts; and Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck.
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Photo: Bruce Tretter, Chairman of the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, helps a child find a helmet.
Free Bike Helmets for the Children at Framingham Earth Day Festival Last Weekend
Photo left to right: Bill Hanson, chair of the Framingham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, volunteer Maura Kelly, Framingham police officers and Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck.
Breakstone, White & Gluck, the Framingham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the Framingham Police Department teamed up and gave away 120 bicycle helmets to children last weekend at the 5th Annual Framingham Earth Day Festival.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the helmets through our Project KidSafe initiative and attorney David W. White participated in the event, along with advisory committee members, including Bill Hanson, chair of the advisory committee, member Joseph Repoli, volunteer Maura Kelly and Framingham police officers.
Framingham Earth Day is held on the Framingham Centre Common and each year the event grows. It began in 2011 with 55 vendors encouraging residents to make eco-friendly choices. This year, nearly 100 vendors turned out. Breakstone, White & Gluck first participated in the festival last year.
Through our Project KidSafe initiative, Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated over 3,500 bicycle helmets to children in the Boston and Worcester areas. We expect to have donated more than 6,000 bicycle helmets by year’s end. Our goal is to encourage children to wear a bicycle helmet every time they ride.
Cyclists of all ages should wear bicycle helmets to protect themselves from a serious head injury. But bicycle helmets are especially important for children, and they are required to wear them by law in Massachusetts.
Children suffer more than half of all bicycle-related injuries and deaths which require emergency department care each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some 26,000 of these bicycle-related injuries to children and teenagers are traumatic brain injuries treated in emergency rooms.
Watch this video on how to properly fit a bicycle helmet or visit our bike safety web page.
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iCan Shine Bike Camp Teaches Bicycle Safety to Children and Teenagers with Disabilities
The iCan Shine bike camp is back in Arlington this week, teaching local children and teenagers with disabilities how to ride bicycles. iCan Shine is a national charitable nonprofit which provides cycling training for children and teenagers with autism, Down Syndrome and other disabilities. Breakstone, White & Gluck donated bicycle helmets to the camp for the second year and attorney Ronald Gluck visited with them this week.
Photo: Attorney Ronald Gluck with the volunteers at the iCan Shine bike camp in Arlington, where Breakstone, White & Gluck donated bicycle helmets to the children and teenagers with disabilities who are learning to ride a bicycle this week. A few staffers from the national iCan Shine organization travel in to teach while local volunteers organize and fund-raise for the camp. Many volunteers also attend, giving their time to guide, steer and support the riders through each lesson.
Local communities throughout the U.S. coordinate these one-week camps and the national organization sends instructors with specialized training. The Pennsylvania organization, which was founded in 2007, serves nearly 3,000 people with disabilities each year. By the end of each five-day program, 80 percent of the bicyclists who attend an iCan Shine bike program are able to ride a two-wheel bicycle independently.
Arlington resident Nina Fischer brought the iCan Shine camp to Massachusetts in 2013, so her own daughter could learn how to ride a bicycle. She continues organizing and fund-raising for it each year. Other Massachusetts camps are now offered in Scituate, Groton and Upton. The Arlington camp was held this week at Ottoson Middle School on Acton Street, with help from volunteers. Each rider requires several volunteers to help steer, guide and direct. Volunteers included students who were on school vacation, longtime cyclists who wanted to help and town board members.
Attorney Ronald Gluck visited on “Tandem Tuesday,” when the students learn to ride on a tandem bicycle, with a trained instructor guiding them on back. This allows them to build strength and become more comfortable with riding.
“Seeing the smiling faces of these new bike riders as they rode around the gym was something to behold,” Attorney Gluck said. “It was a pleasure to visit.”
Breakstone, White & Gluck will donate more than 2,500 bicycle helmets to youth in Massachusetts this year through its Project KidSafe initiative. Our goal is to help educate children and families on the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet and how to properly wear one. This is the third year of our program and by year’s end, we will have donated more than 5,000 helmets to children to help them ride safely. To learn more, visit our Project KidSafe page or our bike safety page.
Instructor from the national iCan Shine organization riding on a tandem bicycle with a student at the Arlington iCan Shine bike camp.
