Subway Accident

June 10, 2012

MBTA Accidents: Boston Seeing Increased Ridership?

Throughout the month of April, ridership totalled nearly 1.5 million per weekday. That’s the third month in a row in which the ridership has been more than 1.3 million and the 15th month in a row in which we saw increased ridership, according to the Boston Globe.

As the number of riders continues to increase, so do the risks for MBTA accidents in Boston and the surrounding areas. Although many residents use the MBTA ride each and every day, sometimes riders can become complacent and forget to practice safe traveling habits.

From April of 2011 to April of 2012, we saw a near 5 percent increase in ridership across the entire Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system. During this time, weekday bus ridership reached more than 400,000 as well. This is the first time we’ve ever see bus ridership go beyond 400,000 for two consecutive months.

Our MBTA accident lawyers understand that one of the main reasons for the increase in ridership may be because of the availability of real-time MBTA arrival information for MBTA buses. Through this technology, riders can access apps and websites regarding the T and where their rides are in the palm of their hand, through their smartphones. These new apps were built by independent developers and help to alert riders about the location of their bus or train and when exactly it will arrive. These apps help to alleviate a lot of the confusion and the rush throughout our MBTA system. Informed travelers are prepared travelers.

“With help from a lot of innovative developers, we continue to build on the previous achievements of our trail-blazing open data initiative,” said MBTA General Manager Richard Davey.

With all these riders, it’s no secret that the T is a popular way for both residents and visitors to get around town. Again, we’re asking riders to be cautious when riding the MBTA’s buses, trains and subways. While they’re awfully convenient, they can be awfully dangerous, if you’re not careful that is.

“More than a hundred thousand smart phone users have downloaded apps that provide arrival time information for more than 180 MBTA bus routes,” said Jonathan Davis, MBTA General Manager.

Increase in Ridership:

-More than an 8 percent increase on the Green Line.

-Nearly 4 percent on the Blue, Orange and Red Lines.

-Ridership on commuter boats was up nearly 12 percent.

During the month of April, officials with the MBTA also voted 4-1 to raise most of our subway fares by about 30 cents. Bus fares were voted to be raised by 25 cents as well as a hike in commuter rails by about $1.25 starting in July. This is the first fare increase by the T in the last 5 years.
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June 7, 2012

Stuffed Bunny Saved From Catastrophic MBTA Accident in Boston

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

You could call employees with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) lifesavers. Well, maybe more like bunny savers.

According to CBS Boston, workers stepped in just in time to save a little girl’s best friend who had accidentally fallen onto the tracks. It all happened when Casey and Michelle Carey-Brown’s 3-year-old said that her little bunny friend was nervous about their family trip on the T. The family and their bunny friend were heading from Stony Brook to Green Street on the Orange Line when the accident happened. As they exited the train, their furry friend fell out of the little girl’s stroller and onto the tracks below. There it sat, in between the train and the loading platform, serving as a sitting duck for a potentially fatal bunny accident in Boston.

The little girl, without hesitation, screamed and reached out for her friend. Her parents scurried to find an MBTA employee for assistance in saving their furry family member. They located a T worker who was able to call ahead to the conductor of the train. The cars were stopped during the middle of rush hour so that the conductor could get out, grab the bunny and toss it back to the little girl, safe in her arms.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand that it can be difficult to travel with children. When riding the T, there are a lot of passengers to keep an eye on, fast-moving trains and dangerous tracks below. It’s important to travel with a plan and to keep safety as a number one priority, especially for your children. To help you to better travel with your young ones, we’re here to offer you some subway safety tips for children.

Subway Safety:

-Travel slowly. Most accidents in the subway result from slips, trips and falls on boarding docks and on stairs. Be sure that children never play on a boarding platform. It’s a lot easier than you think to fall from the platform and onto the tracks.

-This is not a time to live life on the edge. When waiting for the subway to arrive, make sure that you and your family are waiting behind the warning strips and away from the edge.

-Be careful with strollers. These items should never be used on the stairs. Make sure that you fold them up and carry infants before walking up or down stairs. When you have a stroller on the boarding platform keep the stroller away from the edge and keep your hand on the brake.

Parents are asked to keep an eye on their young travelers. You know how busy our subway systems can get. Keep an eye on your little ones and make sure to keep your family together and safe. Responsible traveling habits help prevent potentially fatal accidents.
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April 12, 2012

Risks for MBTA Accidents in Boston Up with Ridership Increase

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The MBTA may have recently announced potential double-digit fare increases, but the popular transportation system was also able to announce a significant increase in ridership for the 13th month in a row.

According to the Boston Globe, this last February marked a record high for that month’s figures for the MBTA. Currently, the T provides transportation for nearly 1.5 million passenger trips on commuter rails, subways, buses and The Ride each and every weekday. Just in February, there was a more than 8 percent increase in ridership. This increase made that the highest February in the MBTA’s history.

Typically, February is the slowest month of the year for ridership. With the beautiful, warm weather we’ve had lately, with the rising gas prices and with the improvements the T has made, transportation officials believe that the T is becoming more of an everyday option for residents.

Unfortunately, an increase in ridership means and increase in the number of trips and the number of loads that these trains, subways and buses have to carry. With more wear and tear come more risks for accidents. Be cautious when riding on our transportation system as MBTA accidents in Boston and elsewhere are likely when safety precautions are not met.

Our Boston MBTA accident attorneys understand that there was a near 20 percent increase in the ridership on weekday bus rides alone. The Green Line’s ridership rose by more than 12 percent. Ridership on the Blue, Orange and Red Lines increased by about 5 percent and the ridership on the harbor ferry service jumped by nearly 13 percent. That’s a lot more riders and a lot more trips than the previous year. It’s important for transportation officials to keep equipment up to date and in the proper condition to meet such high demands.

Recently, the Boston Globe also reported that the cost of a subway trip could run riders about 30 cents more. The news source also reported an expected 25 cent jump in busing fees and even some tickets for the commuter rails could soon exceed $10 for the first time ever. This was all discussed through a recent budget-balancing meeting. If all of these plans are approved, the fare hikes could take place as early as July 1.

With more trips and more riders, the MBTA needs more money. Keeping all of these trains, buses and subways in good-working order for the public is a costly project. One of the most effective ways to fund these projects is to raise fare costs. It may seem unfair to the community, but when you think about it you’re helping to fund your own safety and you’re still saving cash at the gas pump.

If you remember, this isn’t the first hike we’ve talked about. We recently told you about the increases in the 2011 transportation ridership. Well, the trend is continuing on. We can only expect more in the future.
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August 5, 2011

Train Accident Shuts Down AmTrack Trips between Boston and New York

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A large truck was the cause of canceled train trips after the driver ran his vehicle into an overhead power system near New Haven, Connecticut. The collision caused Amtrak to suspend all trains traveling between Boston and New York for more than three hours last week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trains between New York and Boston were the only ones affected in the accident.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers urge all residents and visitors to take advantage of the convenient public transportation options that are offered throughout our state. We would also like to take this time to raise awareness about the importance of passenger safety on these rides. This goes out to those traveling near these modes of mass transit as well. Transportation companies are responsible for providing safe transportation for residents and visitors of our city. A number of injuries that occur within mass transit accidents can be easily prevented by taking a few precautionary steps.

As we recently reported on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, the MBTA witnesses nearly 2,500 accidents each year that are caused by motor-vehicle drivers. The MBTA believes that roughly 500 of these accidents could be prevented.

New Haven police are investigating the AmTrak accident from earlier this week. No train passengers were hurt in the accident, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

Amtrak crews have already made repairs to the damaged tracks and to the overhead power system. Service between New York and Boston has been restored.

There are more than 600 railroads in the United States. About 200,000 miles of track help these trains navigate throughout the country. There have been about 12,000 train accidents annually since 2002. Unfortunately, these accidents took the lives of about 1,000 people. Train accidents can be caused by a number of factors, including the negligence of the train operator, lack of safety provisions by train companies, locomotives, trolleys and even motor-vehicle operators.

These companies are required by law to effectively protect all passengers and operators of their vehicles. These accidents can occur in any number of places, including at railroad crossings where light is dim and where signals fail to notify passenger vehicle occupants that a train is approaching.

Trains are also able to derail. This can happen because of mechanical failures or improper track and equipment maintenance. Speedy or fatigued drivers also contribute to these accidents. Oftentimes cargo can become loose or unsecured in the event of an accident, resulting in spills of hazardous waste or other dangerous objects.

Determining the cause and the fault of a train accident, or any other mass transit accident, can be a complicated and lengthy process. You are urged to seek an attorney if you’ve been involved in one of these accidents as they can help you determine fault and proper compensation.
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November 11, 2010

Report on Boston MBTA accident due soon; text-messaging driver believed responsible

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Transit workers had no warning of a Boston trolley accident allegedly caused by a text-messaging driver, the Boston Herald reported.

As our Boston personal injury attorneys have reported, the accident injured dozens of passengers and led to a new rule forbidding transit drivers from using cell phones. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority accident has been blamed on the driver’s inattentiveness. This week, the National Transportation Safety Board released dozens of documents related to its investigation of the May 2009 Boston train accident. Its final report isn’t expected for several months.

The 24-year-old operator was reportedly text messaging when he ran through yellow and red warning lights and into the two car train ahead of him at the Government Center and Park Street stations. He was fired and charged with felony grossly negligent operation.

The crash led to a strict policy against cell phone use on the job. Violations result in a 30-day suspension and a recommendation that the employee be fired. At least 22 drivers have been disciplined since the new policy went into effect.
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September 7, 2010

MBTA accidents can involve premise liability, negligent security

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In late August, a passenger on the MBTA Green Line D-line train was reported to have briefly come aboard with a snake around his neck, causing a nine-minute stoppage in service. Less than a week later, a 16-year-old Roxbury teen was arrested after his probation office identified him as the suspect in a stabbing on the MBTA Route 23 bus, the Boston Herald reports.

Boston injury attorneys with Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, LLC, bring more than 18 years experience in Massachusetts personal injury matters. We understand that providing a safe environment for guests and employees is a primary concern for any business owner. Our team knows that in cases where security is questionably sufficient, a negligent security claim may be filed against a property or business owner when a victim is injured by a third party in a preventable situation.

A fire and an escalator accident were also recently reported on MBTA property, leading to renewed questions about the system’s security.

The alleged suspect in the Route 23 incident was captured in several frames by MBTA cameras. He is accused of stabbing a 47-year-old fellow rider multiple times in the arm, leg and abdomen as the bus left Ruggles Station after the pair exchanged words. After the incident, the victim was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Meanwhile, authorities turned to the social networking website, Twitter, to enlist the public’s help while searching for the juvenile.
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August 27, 2010

“Legitimate” hand-held radios still increase risk of MBTA bus and subway accidents in Boston

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has resorted to using bright reflective logos on approve handsets to distinguish between employees using a radio for legitimate work purposes and those violating the T’s ban on cell phone use by drivers, the Boston Herald reported.

Officials hope the move will further reduce the risk of a Boston subway accident or bus accident caused by a distracted driver. With or without the law, a mass transit driver’s obligation is to the safety of passengers. When an accident is caused by speeding, distracted driving or other negligence, serious and fatal injuries frequently result. Such cases usually involve multiple accident victims and should always be handled by an experienced Massachusetts injury lawyer.

Some confusion has reportedly arisen when riders spot bus drivers and subway operators using the black hand-held radios utilized by the transit system. By putting the bright stickers on the radios, they apparently hope to ease the minds of commuters.

The MBTA banned employees from carrying cell phones after a trolley accident in May 2009. The crash was blamed on an operator texting his girlfriend. Since enacting the rule, about a dozen employees have been fired and 10 others have been disciplined.

We question how using “approved” handsets can be safer. Certainly, employees will not be making personal calls on company time. But whether they are personal or business calls, the use of a hand-held device still constitutes a significant driver distraction. I guess accident victims can take heart in the fact that the next crash was caused by an operator using an approved radio as part of his job!

The stickers were put into use after nearly 150 commuter tips of operators violating the cell phone policy; officials contend most of those cases involved workers who were using “legitimate radios.”
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April 30, 2010

At least 20 injured in Boston subway after electrical fire reported

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

At least 20 people have been injured in a Boston subway after an electrical fire late Thursday, MSNBC reported.

An electrical fire forced the removal of passengers from trains and shut down several subway lines; at least 20 people suffered from smoke inhalation. The fire started after 10 p.m. Thursday just north of the Downtown Crossing Station in a Red Line tunnel. The congested area contains several crossing tracks at an underground intersection.

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority reports that the fire was contained to that tunnel but that heavy, thick smoke spread into several nearby stations and onto platforms.

Power to the Orange and Green lines was shut off as a precaution and Silver Line buses were kept above ground near South Station. Witnesses reported the heavy smell of an electrical fire. Passengers reported smoke too thick to see through, trouble finding their way out of stations and severe hacking and coughing. One passenger said he was doubled over with severe pain upon exiting the station.

Delays continued Friday with the MBTA reporting that the fire had caused signal problems in the downtown area. Crews worked through the night to clear the tracks and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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