Posts Tagged ‘“Boston bicycle accident lawyers”’
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates 150 Bike Helmets for Children in Westwood
Westwood families received free bike helmets for their children and learned about cycling and pedestrian safety at Westwood Town Day on September 27th.
The Westwood Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee hosted an informational table at the town celebration which was held at the Westwood High School. Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 150 bike helmets which were distributed to children age 16 and younger. The helmets went quickly at the annual event, which offers a fireworks display, music, food and road races for adults and children over the course of two days. Committee members fit children for the bike helmets and explained the importance of always wearing them. Attorney David White, a Westwood resident and committee member, helped fit the helmets.
In Massachusetts, children age 16 and younger are required by law to wear bike helmets. Cyclists of all ages should wear helmets to protect themselves and reduce the risk of head and brain injuries. Many cyclists neglect to do this. In fact, less than half of all cyclists actually wear helmets, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the helmets as part of Project KidSafe, our community service project to help prevent injuries among children. Our firm’s specialty is handling personal injury cases for those who have been injured, so we know firsthand the importance of injury prevention. We are devoted to keeping children safe. This is the second year we have donated bicycle helmets to organizations around the state. So far, we have donated over 2,000 helmets.
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Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Features Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Bike Helmet Donations
Breakstone, White & Gluck was recently mentioned in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for our bike helmet donations to children and for attorney David White’s “Volunteer of the Year” award from Boston Bikes, a program of the City of Boston.
Photo credit: LivableStreets/www.livablestreets.info. Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck and Nicole Freedman, Director of Boston Bikes, during the 6th Annual Boston Bike Update at Faneuil Hall.
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MassBike Video Answers Safety Questions for Cyclists and Drivers
MassBike recently released a new training video which answers many common questions about the laws for cyclists and drivers. The video is very well-done and offers some good re-enactments. We encourage you to watch it.
The 11-minute video is called Shifting Gears: Bicycles & Public Safety and was developed by MassBike in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Boston Police Department and Boston Police Academy. The video was developed to train police officers on how to enforce the law.
The video explains M.G.L. c. 85, § 11B and M.G.L. c. 90, § 14, the laws regarding a bicyclist’s rights on the road and the obligations of motorists. A few topics covered: where a bicyclist is allowed to ride, the illegal practice of dooring a bicyclist, and how drivers must yield to cyclists. It also touches on sidewalk riding, red lights and stop signs (cyclists have to stop too) and other areas of the law.
Attorney David White Receives Volunteer of the Year Award from Boston Bikes
Attorney David White was recognized for his contributions to Boston’s cycling community at last night’s 6th Annual Boston Bike Update, which was held in the historic Faneuil Hall in Boston.
White, an attorney at Breakstone, White & Gluck, received the Volunteer of the Year award from Boston Bikes, the city office which oversees the growth of safety infrastructure, the Hubway bike share facilities, and programs for youth and low-income residents. White was honored alongside Bikes Not Bombs of Jamaica Plain, which received the Organization of the Year award. Jon Ramos was named Rookie Advocate of the Year and Vineet Gupta was Unsung Hero of the Year.
Photo credit: LivableStreets/www.livablestreets.info. Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck and Nicole Freedman, Director of Boston Bikes, during the 6th Annual Boston Bike Update at Faneuil Hall.
Jenny Duquette, Community Cycling Program Manager, introduced White:
“Our Volunteer of the Year is a former president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and a trial lawyer at Breakstone, White, & Gluck, which donated 160 helmets to Roll It Forward in 2013.”
“Like any superstar volunteer, he wanted to have an impact, so last year he volunteered at several bike giveaways as our helmet station guru – getting the kids excited about their new helmets, while making sure they got a helmet that actually fit! This year, his firm is donating helmets, locks, and light sets.”
Boston Bikes and Roll It Forward
Roll It Forward collects, repairs and distributes bikes to low-income Boston residents who might not otherwise have access to one. The program’s goal is to promote a healthier lifestyle with increased physical activity and fewer trips by car. As of January 2014, the program had distributed 2,728 bicycles. It plans to donate 850 more in 2014. In one very busy two-year period, the city’s youth cycling program gave safety classes to over 7,770 youth.
Former Mayor Thomas Menino established Boston Bikes in 2007 by hiring transportation planner and former Olympic cyclist Nicole Freedman. At that time, Boston only had 60 yards of bike lanes and was frequently cited as the worst city in the country for cyclists.
Today, the city has 60 miles of bike lanes. Boston Bikes is working to expand the network by adding a variety of new bike lanes, including new cycletracks, which will put a barrier between bike lanes and cars. The Hubway program, which launched in July 2011, continues to grow with more bike stations in Boston as well as Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline. And the program strongly encourages use of helmets, by asking riders to agree to wear helmets in the Hubway contracts, partnering with businesses to offer subsidized helmets and opening the first-in-the-nation helmet vending machine in Back Bay.
Related:
Watch the Boston Bike Update.
Read more about Boston Bikes.
View Facebook photos of the 6th Annual Boston Bike Update.
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Bicycle Helmet Vending Machines Coming to Boston
Safety is about to get more convenient for Boston cyclists. The City of Boston is bringing bike helmet vending machines here later this month.
Boston is the first U.S. city to offer this service and the goal is aimed largely at helping riders of the Hubway bike share program. The city, in partnership with Alta Bicycle Share, launched Hubway in 2011. Today, there are more than 1,000 rental bikes in Boston and also Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline.
The first bike helmet vending machine will open Aug. 26 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. It will be attached to a Hubway bike station. Other vending machines will be installed in additional areas.
How Will It Work?
Cyclists will be able to purchase or rent the bike helmets. Cyclists can either buy a helmet or pay $2 to rent a helmet for up to 24 hours (pricing is still being finalized). After that, their credit card will be charged to buy the helmet for about $20 (pricing is still being finalized there too). When helmets are returned, they will be taken to a warehouse for inspection and cleaned before going back into the machines. The helmets were designed by HelmetHub, formed by a group of MIT students as a class project.
Next Step a Boston Bike Helmet Law?
Massachusetts only requires cyclists who are 16 years old or younger to wear bike helmets. But in many areas, they are encouraged for all riders as protection against head injury.
One study reported 80 percent of bike share riders in Boston are not wearing helmets. The study by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center researchers reported the same figure for Washington D.C. Riders who owned their own bikes wore helmets about half the time.
The City of Boston has worked to encourage bike helmet use by subsidizing helmets for $7.99 and making them available at stores throughout the city. City officials announced a few months ago that their long-term goal is to pass a bike helmet law for Boston, which would require cyclists of all ages to wear helmets in the city.
Our Bike Helmet Donations for Children
The Boston bicycle accident lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck have over 90 years combined experience representing injured cyclists. We are proud supporters of the Boston cycling community. In 2013, we donated 1,000 bike helmets to children through programs such as Mayor Menino’s Boston Bikes Roll It Forward, CYCLE Kids of Cambridge, the Somerville Kiwanis Club and Winter Hill Community School and the Dedham Bike Rodeo.
If you have been injured in a cycling accident, it is important to learn your rights. For a free legal consultation, contact us at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates 750 Bike Helmets to Youth Programs in Boston
BOSTON, MA – May 16, 2013 – Breakstone, White & Gluck, P.C., announced today that it will donate 750 bicycle helmets to youth in the Boston area, through programs in Boston, Somerville, Cambridge and Dedham.
Attorney David W. White, a member of the firm, said, “We are always looking for ways to give back to the community. This spring we are focusing on preventing head injuries in children by donating helmets where they are needed.”
The firm will donate helmets this spring and summer through these programs: Mayor Menino’s Boston Bikes Roll It Forward program; CYCLE Kids of Cambridge; the Winter Hill Community School in Somerville; the Dedham Bike Rodeo and Bikes Not Bombs of Jamaica Plain.
White said, “This is the first year of our project, and we look forward to expanding it significantly in years to come. Awareness of head injury prevention is critical for the health of our children. We hope that our helmet distribution will help increase safety awareness and prevent injuries.”
Read more about the bicycle safety programs our law firm will support this year.
Cambridge Leads Massachusetts in Bike Accidents
Cambridge and Somerville are known as bike-friendly communities, but new state figures show they are also among the most dangerous places for cyclists in Massachusetts.
Cambridge saw 400 bicycle accidents involving cars from 2002 to 2009, according to The 2009 Top Crash Locations Report, which was recently released by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Over the past decade, the city had more bike-and-car crashes than any other community in Massachusetts, a recent Boston Herald review found.
Eight of the top 10 areas for bike crashes were in Cambridge. The state’s most dangerous bicycling intersection was Inman Square in Cambridge and Somerville. From 2002 to 2009, there were 106 bike accidents around Hampshire and Cambridge streets.
Other Cambridge areas included several sections of Massachusetts Avenue, including through Alewife Brook Parkway on the Arlington border. Porter Square – at Massachusetts and Somerville avenues – had the third highest number of bike crashes.
The state’s bicycling population is growing as infrastructure improvements continue and new bike share programs begin. Boston and Salem began bike share programs this summer, while Somerville is expected to launch its program next year.
With this growth and changes in Massachusetts bicycling laws in recent years, it is important for both drivers and cyclists to understand the law and follow it. Here the Boston bicycle accident lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck share some basic tips:
- Motorists are required to report accidents with bicyclists resulting in more than $1,000 in property damage or personal injury. It is a good practice to report all accidents in case pain and injuries arise later.
- Leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury is a crime in Massachusetts punishable by up to two years in jail.
- Motorists are required to identify themselves and the owner of the vehicle to the cyclist, even when bike accidents are not reported to police.
- Bicyclists are required to report all accidents they are involved with that cause personal injury or $100 or more in damage.
- When a bicyclist is injured in a car accident, the driver’s auto insurance provides up to $8,000 in Personal Injury Protection benefits (also known as no fault benefits). These benefits cover medical expenses and lost wages, even if the driver was not negligent
- If you are a cyclist, you can protect yourself by purchasing coverage for accidents. Coverage can be purchased through your car insurance policy.
Additional Bicycle Resources
Facts About Cycling in Massachusetts
What Every Massachusetts Bicyclist Needs to Know About Car Insurance
What to Do When Car and Bike Collide. Boston Globe. Sept. 25, 2011.
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Motorists, Please Help Prevent Accidents: Look Closer for Bicycles and Motorcycles
It is Bay State Bike Week in Massachusetts, a time to focus on safety for cyclists. During this week, cyclists are hard to miss as they gather at large events in Boston, Cambridge and across the state.
But the daily reality is many Massachusetts cyclists are far less visible to drivers, spending the majority of their time riding alone or in small groups. And when drivers get behind the wheel, they usually pay attention to other motor vehicles and pedestrians at crosswalks. But bicyclists and motorcyclists tend to get lost in the scenery, which can lead to bicycle accidents and motorcycle accidents.
We do not make this observation alone. We join many others, including the Transport for London (TPL), which manages a complex transportation network that includes buses, railway, underground trams and more than 900 miles in roads. It also manages a popular cycle hire service, which allows visitors and residents to rent bicycles 24 hours a day from docking stations around the city.
TPL has gained an Internet following in recent years with its “Think!” campaigns, asking members of the public to test their awareness of what they are viewing. We encourage you to watch one eye-opening video below. Others can be found at http://www.awarenesstest.co.uk/.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47LCLoidJh4
We suggest that you watch for changes or unique placements on the screen. But even with this warning, many people have to be told how the scene changes. The message: we should all take a closer look as we travel among others in our daily lives.
Motorists should take a closer look on the roadways to make sure they see bicyclists and motorcyclists. Doing so will prevent motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents and save lives.
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