Hartford Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

Mistrial Declared in Bus Driver's Wrongful Death Civil Trial

Margaret Embry — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:43:59 GMT

In October, 2006, a school bus driver driving in West Hartford struck and killed a 65 year-old male drug counselor while he was in the crosswalk, as reported by School Transportation News in December of 2006. The bus driver was charged with negligent homicide and failure to exercise care to avoid a pedestrian and served five days in jail. The bus driver

later tested positive for cocaine, and it was discovered he had a previous conviction that the DMV failed to flag during a background check.

Last month the wrongful death civil trail against the former bus driver began, but a mistrial has been declared by the judge. A juror read information on the Internet against the defendant that had been excluded from the civil trial (there was no mention during the trial of the driver’s previous conviction or testing positive for cocaine around the time of the accident). A new trial has been ordered and jury selection will begin on December 1^st, according to The Hartford Courant.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Connecticut DMV Setting Safe Driving Program For Teens

James Sabatini — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:00:25 GMT

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is setting up a safe driving program for teenagers in response to several fatal car accidents in Connecticut over the past year.
The center will promote tougher driving laws, coordinate enforcement campaigns for those laws, collect data on teen driver violations and recommend policy changes. The state House of Representatives has approved a bill that would increase restrictions on passengers teen drivers may have in their cars and move up the teen driver curfew to 11 p.m. from midnight. The proposal would also increase the number of hours of on-the-road training for teens from 20 hours to 40 hours and impose a reckless driving charge if a teen drives 20 mph or more over the speed limit. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Connecticut Proposing Tougher Laws On Teen Drivers

James Sabatini — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:34:56 GMT

The Connecticut legislature is considering tougher penalties on teen drivers that violate the law. The proposed bill aims to place tougher penalties on teen drivers who break the law. Under the bill, if a teen driver is convicted of driving while under the influence of liquor, they would lose their license until they are 21 years old. In addition, if a teen driver gets a speeding ticket, there would be an automatic license suspension. The first ticket would result in losing his or her license for 45 days. The bill also calls for more training hours and parental supervision of teenage drivers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Avoiding Car Accidents In Bad Winter Weather

James Sabatini — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:09:32 GMT

Bad winter weather is all too common for drivers in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. Obviously, the best safety tip in avoiding a car accident in bad winter weather is to stay off the roads. But, this is not always a viable option. Many of us need to get to work or reach an important destination such as a pharmacy or hospital, so if you are out driving in winter weather keep these practical safety tips in mind.

1. Watch out for shaded areas on the road. Due to the lack of sun exposure, these shaded areas typically will have snow and ice where the rest of the sunlight roadway is clear of snow and ice.
2. For older cars, check your battery, cable connections, alternator and drive belts. Check your cooling system to make sure that you have the right mix of fresh antifreeze and water. Check hoses for cracks or leaky connections. These checks can prevent an engine from dying on the roadway leaving you stranded in bad weather.
3. Make sure the tires on the car are winter tires or all-season tires. Furthermore, make sure the tires still have good tread. Worn tires will not grip the roadway causing the car to slip and slide.
4. Keep a half a tank of gas in the tank. If you get caught in traffic or in a snowbank, you want sufficient gas to keep the car running and heated.
5. Keep a safety kit in your car that includes a bottle of water, candy bar, flashlight, gloves, jumper cables, and flares.
6. Keep a bag of sand and shovel in the trunk. If you get stuck in snow, you can use the shovel for the snow and then lay down the sand to give your tires traction when getting out of the snow.
Following these safety tips will hopefully prevent a car accident or car breakdown during bad winter weather, but if a car accident does happen, these tips will make the accident a lot more manageable.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Truck Rolls Over Car In Chesire

James Sabatini — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:13:55 GMT

Route 70 in Cheshire was closed Wednesday afternoon after a dump truck rolled over on top of a car.
The dump truck rolled over on top of a car underneath the Interstate 84 overpass. The roadway was closed around 3:30 p.m. The exit ramp from exit 26 was also closed around 4 p.m. Injuries have been reported.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Truck Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Fatal Connecticut Truck Accident Shuts Down I-95

James Sabatini — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 10:35:56 GMT

On Friday morning, a tanker truck collided into oncoming traffic on Interstate 95 -- killing three people, seriously injuring three others and shutting down the highway for the rest of the day.

Witnesses described seeing the tanker driving somewhat aggressively before barreling through the median into oncoming traffic. More than seven hours after the crash, the tanker remained on the highway, straddling the median.

State police shut down Interstate 95 in both directions near exit 75 and the East Lyme-Waterford line just after 10:15 a.m. on Friday, when the tanker struck a tractor-trailer and at least four cars and overturned. The truck was owned by a Connecticut company. Further details on why the truck went out of control should be forthcoming

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Tractor-Trailer Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

1 Killed, 3 Injured In Tractor Trailer Crash

James Sabatini — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:43:57 GMT

A 47-year-old woman from Manchester was killed in an accident Monday afternoon on Route 2 that involved a tractor trailer and three cars. Cindy S. Cornish was killed when a tractor trailer crashed into her vehicle on Route 2 west near exit 16 in Marlborough. She had been slowing down for a construction site when the truck crashed into the rear end of her car. Three other people involved in the accident, including the driver of the tractor trailer, suffered minor injuries and were taken to Hartford Hospital and a clinic in Marlborough, state police said.
The accident, which occurred about three miles west of Exit 16, shut down westbound traffic after 3 p.m. The road was reopened shortly after 8 p.m. Read more about this fatal truck accident.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Tractor-trailer Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Crash Alley Changes Proposed

James Sabatini — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:24:38 GMT

A perpetually congested stretch of Interstate 95 -- known by locals as "crash alley" -- could face some changes. Backups along I-95 between Old Lyme and New London near exit 74 are common. The state Department of Transportation described the 12.3-mile stretch as a funnel because three lanes merge to two. This funneling has led to multiple car accidents over the years. Proposals including the widening of the highway are now being made to alleviate the problem.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Teen Drunk Driver Charged In Fatal Car Crash

James Sabatini — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:47:41 GMT

Police have charged 19-year-old Clinton resident Dennis Knapp with the death of a young Madison woman who was killed in a violent car crash early Saturday morning. Knapp, 19, of North High St., is charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. He faces up to 10 years in prison on the manslaughter charge.
The police have not disclosed, and it is unknown if the police know, where and how the minor got the alcohol that he drank.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

CT Woman Remains Critical After Car Accident

James Sabatini — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:49:35 GMT

A woman, who was struck by a car on Monday, is in critical condition at Yale-New Haven Hospital this morning.
Christina Whitfield, 27, was struck Monday morning by Stephen Urban, 28, who was driving westbound on Route 34. Whitfield was treated at the scene before being transferred to the hospital.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini