General Blog

Distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes and traffic fatalities in Rhode Island. The use of cellphones while driving has become such a threat to public safety that several states (including Rhode Island) have passed laws banning them behind the wheel. Previous studies have shown that teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in distracted driving crashes than any other age group. The most common form, of distraction among drivers ages 18-20 is sending text messages or emails, reading text messages, and talking on the phone. States With Stricter Traffic Laws Have Fewer Fatal Car Accidents According to Forbes, laws that ban all cellphone use while driving have been effective at preventing distracted driving among teen drivers. The article cites a recent study conducted by Michael R.  Flaherty, a pediatric critical care physician at MassGeneral Hospital…Read More

There is no safe way to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sadly, some drivers believe that they can wing it, most likely because they have done it several times before without any consequences. Nobody who drives after using a substance that causes impairment ever thinks they will seriously injure or kill someone. Yet, more than 10,000 people were killed by drunk drivers in 2018 across the United States — 20 in Rhode Island. These statistics don't include the number of fatalities caused by drivers who were under the influence of recreational and prescription drugs. What Are The Dangers Of Driving While Impaired? Those who use drugs and alcohol lose the good judgment, alertness, coordination and control needed to safely drive a car. Crashes involving an impaired driver are often linked…Read More

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that establishes minimum standards for health insurance benefits provided by employers. The health insurance benefits governed under ERISA may be used to pay for medical expenses related to car accidents. When a car accident occurs, and an ERISA recipient is injured, a portion of the economic damages recovered through a personal injury claim would be used to compensate the recipient's health insurance provider. What If The Car Accident Wasn't Caused By Negligence? In rare cases, a car accident may be caused by a medical event, such as a heart attack, seizure or stroke. Someone who has pre-existing health conditions may be more likely than others to have medical events while driving. Crash-inducing medical events can be unpredictable, even in seemingly healthy people.…Read More

An injury or illness that leaves someone permanently disabled can happen unexpectedly. Not only can this cause physical and emotional anguish, getting the benefits you need can be painstaking. Workers who have become disabled have options available to them that they may not be aware of under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). This act provides workers with disability and retirement asset protection and transparency. In order to qualify for ERISA protection, your disability insurance benefits must be offered through your employer. Certain employers are exempt from the provisions of ERISA including state and municipal employers and church sponsored plans. What Does Erisa Offer For Disability? Private disability insurance plans offer compensation for disabled workers. Most often this is based on a percentage of their salaries. In many cases,…Read More

Road defects such as debris, potholes and large cracks can come as a surprise to Rhode Island drivers. Crashes involving road defects and debris often occur on high-speed roadways, interstates and on curvy rural roads. Some drivers may have enough time to avoid a crash, but others aren't so lucky. What Causes Roadway Defects? Roadway defects are often the result of: Unsecured cargo loads: Any cargo that is not properly secured in a car, pickup truck or large commercial truck could fly off or spill out onto the road. This can put car occupants at risk of being struck by debris. Swerve risks can also result in lane departure crashes or head-on collisions. Poor vehicle maintenance: Poor vehicle maintenance can result in detached vehicle parts. This is common with wheels. In…Read More

Good, responsible drivers don't pose any risk to Providence-area road users. In fact, they are generally less likely to be involved in crashes than distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or speeders. Unfortunately, responsible drivers are often still injured or killed in accidents caused by reckless drivers. Here's why. Distracted Driving Is Still A Leading Cause Of Crashes Distracted driving has become a growing public safety concern in Providence. Not only do we hear about the devastation distracted drivers cause, we often witness it on our roadways. We see drivers holding cellphones, eating and drinking, looking in the mirror, and doing everything except staying engaged in the task of driving. Rhode Island's hands-free law prohibits the use of cellphones while driving, unless they are connected through hands-free or BlueTooth devices. Drivers who violate this…Read More

A drowsy driver can turn into a deadly driver in an instant. According to the National Safety Council, about 100,000 car crashes each year are caused by drowsy drivers, and these accidents result in more than 1,550 deaths. Other studies conclude that the number of crashes and deaths linked to tired drivers may be even higher. New technology equipped in cars, however, may help save lives by alerting drivers when they are starting to fall asleep behind the wheel. According to CNN Business, the German company Bosch has developed a system to detect when the driver is drowsy. Starting in 2022, some new cars will include a camera and an artificial intelligence system that detects when a driver’s eyelids are getting heavy. The technology will also emit alerts to distracted drivers. How The…Read More

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), impaired driving caused more than 10,000 traffic fatalities in 2018 — accounting for nearly 30 deaths each day. The good news is: road deaths caused by impaired driving have been significantly reduced since 1982. The bad news: high-risk impaired drivers (HRIDs) continue to put lives in danger. In fact, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) said in a recent report, that: Drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of 0.15% or greater cause more than 60% of DUI-related fatalities each year Repeat DUI offenders cause about one-third of all DUI-related fatalities each year Over the past 10 years, there has been a 16 percent increase in road deaths caused by drivers who test positive for both alcohol and drugs A Call For "Individualized Justice" In the report entitled "High-Risk…Read More

The month of December is one of the most dangerous times of the year for Providence-area drivers. The snow and ice make for slippery road conditions. The shorter days result in limited visibility and increased drowsiness. What makes the holiday season particularly dangerous is the uptick in negligent driving habits. We all know that the holidays can be both cheerful and dreadful -- the pressure to plan celebrations, to complete shopping, and to drink can make drivers behave in ways they don't normally do. How Dangerous Is Driving During The Holiday Season? The National Safety Council estimates that during the Christmas period (which starts at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and runs through 11:59 p.m. Christmas Day), roughly 422 traffic fatalities may occur across the United States. During the New Year's period (which starts at…Read More

Road rage is a dangerous game some people play on Providence-area roads. What starts as a small mishap or careless mistake can quickly spiral out of control — resulting in someone's injury or death. That's what happened in a 2017 incident on Route 295 in Johnston, according to the Providence Journal. The incident started when the at-fault driver, traveling north, cut off a tow truck driver. After the tow truck driver honked his horn, the passenger car driver reportedly applied his brakes in a provocative manner. As the situation continued to escalate, the driver stopped abruptly in the middle of the road. This dangerous maneuver set off a chain reaction, causing the driver of a box truck to crash into the tow truck. The driver of the box truck was killed in the…Read More