General Blog

Traffic fatality rates across the nation have climbed over the last five years. Rhode Island has not been immune to this unfortunate reality. When comparing the first half of this year to the first half of last year, Rhode Island officials and safety advocates were stunned at the rise. The Statistics On Traffic Fatalities In The United States And Rhode Island The Washington Post reports that United States traffic fatalities hit an all-time low in 2011. This was a result of fewer vehicles being on the road after the economy started to spiral nearly a decade ago. Fewer vehicles were driven and fatalities rates declined between 2008 and 2011. Unfortunately, traffic fatalities have been steadily rising ever since. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 37,000 fatal injuries were sustained on…Read More

Simple acts of littering can have fatal consequences. Traffic accidents caused by road debris kill hundreds of victims every year. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that 500 victims were killed in accidents caused by road debris across the United States between 2011 and 2014. Littering and improperly secured cargo have very real consequences for Providence injury victims whose lives can be altered as a result of a car accident. Consult a Providence car accident attorney after any type of traffic collision in order to better understand and protect your legal rights. Rhode Island Drivers Have A Legal Obligation To Prevent Littering - Whether Intentional Or Not Section 31-25-10 of the Rhode Island General Laws prohibits drivers from operating any vehicle on any highway with any load, unless the load and any covering on…Read More

Older drivers are in the sympathetic situation of not always being able to identify the physical changes which impact their ability to drive. Nonetheless, accidents are dangerous for everyone on the road, and it is important that negligent drivers be held accountable for injuries they cause. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, an experienced Providence car accident attorney will help you secure the compensation to which you are entitled by Rhode Island law. The Connection Between Car Accidents And Slip And Fall Accidents There are many complications of age. Researchers have been working for decades to determine what, exactly, occurs to the human body and mind over time, and how these effects increase the risks of accidents and injuries. The Journal of the American…Read More

In recent years, the United States has experienced a public health crisis. Opioid abuse and overdoses have skyrocketed over the past decade, and they have created a significant problem on Rhode Island roads. Business Insider reports that the governors of Arizona, Florida and Maryland have all declared states of emergency, in order to grant them access to federal grant moneys through the Department of Health and Human Services. Unfortunately, the problem is not limited to the damage opiate users inflict upon themselves. Impaired drivers are responsible for thousands of traffic deaths every year. Injury victims are entitled to compensation for their injuries and losses under Rhode Island law. But it is also important to hold impaired drivers accountable for their dangerous - and often lethal - behavior. The Opioid Epidemic Hits…Read More

Driving is an exciting rite of passage for many teenagers. But it's an experience riddled with danger. According to AAA, new teen drivers who are 16 and 17 are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal traffic accident than adults. Back to school season can be a particularly perilous time for high school students, as high concentrations of young, inexperienced drivers increase the frequency of traffic accidents in and around school zones. The Graduated Driver’s License Program In Rhode Island Like many states, Rhode Island has introduced a graduated driver’s licensing system. This occurs in three phases. According to the Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles: A limited instruction permit may be issued to any Rhode Island resident between the ages of 16 and 18. Applicants must first complete a thirty-three…Read More

As technology improves and expands, Rhode Island drivers face an increasing number of distractions while driving. Smart phones, navigation systems, in-vehicle entertainment, and a host of other devices can have deadly consequences for a driver who allows them to divert his or her attention from the road. This increasingly pervasive problem demands answers to an important question: how can these devices be made safer for use in vehicles? The Rise Of Do Not Disturb Features Business Insider reports that Apple will release an expansive “Do Not Disturb While Driving” function for the iPhone with the iOS 11 operating system (due for release in late 2017). This comes after multiple wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against the tech giant. The New York Times reported on a lawsuit arising out of a fatal accident…Read More

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country, but it's nonetheless a popular tourist destination, with the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation reporting there were more than 24.1 million visitors in 2015, with tourism economy reaching $6 billion. One in every eight jobs in the state is sustained directly by the tourism industry. Many of those who visit are traveling by car, and summer is prime season - with July and August the busiest of the year. That means both locals and travelers need to use extra caution on the roads - particularly on the highways. The state has 70 highways zigzagging through it, though the main routes are I-95, U.S. 1 and I-84. Compensation For Providence Car Accidents If you are involved in a Providence car accident, our injury lawyers can help…Read More

Rhode Islanders have been rated among the most distracted drivers in the country, according to a new study described as the biggest ever on the issue. Zendrive, a traffic analytics start-up, recently took on the issue of distracted driving by tapping into data from 3.1 drivers with smartphones across the country between December 2016 and February 2017. What they discovered was that of 570 million trips that spanned 5.6 billion miles, drivers were using their cell phone on 88 percent of those trips. Some were on a voice call. Some were using various apps, like Facebook or FaceTime or Snapchat (Zendrive declined to call out the specific apps most frequently used). Some were using GPS data. But almost all of them were on their phones for an average of 3.5…Read More

According to the Washington Post, federal lawmakers will be mulling a series of legislative actions that could upend protections for plaintiffs in civil injury, malpractice and consumer rights claims. These proposals, which some legislators believe are necessary to stop frivolous lawsuits and drive down healthcare costs, could make it much more difficult for victims to effectively use the system designed to allow them to right wrongs and recover compensation for harm endured. The civil justice system is one of the only places wherein "the little guy" can enjoy a level playing field against deep-pocketed companies, doctors and others in positions of power and wealth. With the help of an experienced attorney, plaintiffs in injury and malpractice cases can hold wrongdoers accountable and attain fair compensation. The proposed reforms seek to undercut these…Read More

Accidents can happen for many different reasons. More often than not, driver negligence is the catalyst. Human error, often simple mistakes, are the cause of a significant number of motor vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, around half of all deadly accidents may be caused by something more sinister than just a simple mistake. Approximately 50 percent of all fatal collisions on U.S. roads occur due to at least one of the involved drivers engaging in a "potentially aggressive action," according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Drivers who engage in aggressive behavior behind the wheel must be held accountable for the consequences of their decision. If they violate the rules of the road with their aggression and a crash occurs as a result, this creates a presumption that the aggressive motorist is to…Read More