WORCESTER, Mass., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — In 2011, Worcester residents were involved in more than 4,000 automobile accidents. That's more than a dozen a day. And Attorney Peter Ventura sees the results play out in life-long injuries or fatalities for many accident victims. "Our most dangerous roads and intersections are well known to insurance adjusters, police, and emergency service workers," said Peter. "But the information wasn't available to everyday drivers outside of higher insurance premiums for living in Worcester. By creating a detailed, interactive presentation, I hope to change that. Also, please don't get me started on the dangers presented by Kelley Square. As a native Worcester driver, even I try to avoid that intersection, despite it not being the most dangerous according to the frequency of accidents in 2011."
Peter Ventura created an interactive presentation that allows viewers to zoom in on the streets they actually travel; viewing data compiled from MassDOT's most recent accident reports is now available at www.peterventuralaw.com/vehicle-accidents/worcester-car-crash-data-2011.
"Some of the high-accident areas are obvious, such as Highland Street and Lancaster, which also had a large number of crashes in previous years. Other areas, like Mill Street and June, might not get as much attention."
By zooming in on the map provided, users can find the numbers for the roads they travel most often. This can be critical information as we move into the holiday season. Typically, accidents go up as daylight hours fall in the winter months, road conditions deteriorate with snow, while drinking and social events grow for the Holiday Season. From Halloween through Valentine's Day, auto accidents exceeded 400 a month, spiking at 506 in around the New Year in January.
The presentation also displays the most dangerous times in the day to be on our roads, the kinds of injuries suffered in an accident (including fatalities), and a breakdown of the types of vehicles involved in accidents.
Mr. Ventura explains the material can help shape safer driving habits. "By assembling and presenting the data in a user-friendly, interactive format, viewers, city planners, and law enforcement get a sense of the risks they take on our roads. An otherwise abstract topic becomes very real when you see what's been happening at intersections you travel every day."
Surprisingly, the majority of accidents happened when road conditions were dry (66.3%), and during daylight hours (57.3%). Drivers may be less cautious or more likely to speed in good weather, a serious mistake especially during the colder, icier holiday months in Greater Massachusetts.
Attorney Peter Ventura focuses entirely on injury law and represents clients in Worcester and central Massachusetts. Peter can be reached for comments or an interview through his office. Graphics from the interactive presentation will be provided to journalists on request.
Contact:
Peter Ventura, Attorney at Law
33 Waldo Street 4th Floor
Worcester, Massachusetts 01608
Phone: (508) 755-7535
Fax: 508-793-1505
www.peterventuralaw.com