The Importance of Traffic Cameras in Establishing the Truth: A Video Speaks a Thousand Words

Attorney Ronald E. Gluck of Boston

Attorney Ronald E. Gluck recently wrote an article touching on the importance of traffic cameras in his investigation for his client, a cyclist who was seriously injured by a truck. We invite you to read the article, “The Importance of Traffic Cameras in Establishing the Truth: A Video Speaks a Thousand Words,” which is published on the Charles River Wheelers’ website.

You can read more of Ron’s articles by signing up for WheelPeople – The Charles River Wheelers’ newsletter – or by visiting Breakstone, White & Gluck’s website.

 

Breakstone, White & Gluck and Project KidSafe Campaign Recognized for Bicycle Helmet Donations and Commitment to Safety at Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Awards Event

Massachusetts Safe Routes to School, the statewide program which teaches children how to walk and bike to school safely, honored 14 communities with awards at the State House this morning. Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign were also recognized for donating children’s bicycle helmets to the program.

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Attorney David White of Breakstone, White & Gluck attended the 2016 Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Awards and is shown here with Jana Linhart, a school outreach coordinator with Massachusetts Safe Routes.


Lt. Governor Karyn Polito was the keynote speaker at the 2016 Safe Routes to School Awards ceremony, which was held in the Grand Staircase Hall. Other speakers included: Scott Bosworth, the chief strategy officer for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT); Michael Cahill, mayor of the City of Beverly and Diane Hanson, program director for Massachusetts Safe Routes to School.

Breakstone, White & Gluck has partnered with Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (Massachusetts Safe Routes) for the past two years, by donating bicycle helmets to children who need one and participate in the organization’s bicycle safety programs. In 2016, we donated 400 new bicycle helmets for children.

“We have already given away a third of the helmets this year. We are so thankful for their support,” said Nikki Tishler, of Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), while addressing the event. MassDOT manages the Safe Routes to School program.

Breakstone, White & Gluck has made these bicycle helmet donations as part of our Project KidSafe campaign, which we launched in 2013 with a goal of keeping children and families safe. We have since donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children across Massachusetts, with help from organizations such as Massachusetts Safe Routes, Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward, Bikes Not Bombs, CYCLE Kids and many local bicycle committees, schools and police departments.

Our law firm wants to help promote bicycle safety in Massachusetts. Wearing a bicycle helmet is the most effective way for cyclists to protect themselves from a head injury and is especially important for children in case of a bicycle accident or fall. Still, many children and families do not wear one and we want to help make a difference.

Massachusetts Safe Routes has been making a difference and protecting children for 10 years. It was one of the first Safe Routes programs in the country and today, its programming reaches over 333,000 students. It works with 51 percent of schools in Massachusetts, has 740 partner schools and is active in 199 communities. In addition to educating students, it works with school resource police officers and organizes fun events such as bike rodeos. It has also started developing programs to help children walk and bike to school safely in the winter.

If you are a parent, you may be familiar with Safe Routes programming. If not, visit the website for a list of important safety tips: http://www.commute.com/safe-routes-to-school/resources.

The 2016 Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools awards list:

Exemplary Program North Region
Lincoln Elementary School, Winchester

Exemplary Program South Region
Joseph H. Gibbons Elementary School, Stoughton

Exemplary Program Central Region
Burbank Elementary School, Belmont

Exemplary Program West Region
Rebecca M. Johnson Elementary School, Springfield

Community Collaboration
Milton Transportation & Traffic Sub-Committee

Measurable Impact
New Bedford Public Schools

Biking All-Star
Leroy Wood School, Fairhaven

Walking All-Star
Letourneau Elementary School, Fall River

Winter Walking and Biking
Marcella R. Kelly Full Service Community School, Holyoke

Regional Superheros of the Year
Mass in Motion Coordinators, Lynn
The Supervisor of Health Services, Stoughton Public Schools
Newton Safe Routes to School Task Force Founder, Newton
Mass in Motion Coordinator, North Adams

 

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Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Over 300 Children’s Bicycle Helmets in Westborough, Lexington and Dorchester

These are the days when children just want to be outdoors, riding their bikes. We want them to enjoy the experience and always, always wear a bicycle helmet.

Breakstone, White & Gluck recently made bicycle helmet donations in Westborough, Lexington and Dorchester as part of our Project KidSafe campaign. We are committed to protecting young cyclists and are now in the fourth year of our campaign. Along the way, we have donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children who need one, with support from community groups, bicycle safety organizations, police departments and schools which organize bike helmet giveaways.

Wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet is the best way for cyclists to protect themselves against head injuries from falls and bicycle accidents. Under the law, anyone who is 16 years of age or younger in Massachusetts is required to wear one while riding.

Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

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Attorney David White and Bruce Tretter, Westborough Selectman and Chair of the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, with fellow committee members Ellen Gugel and Glenn McLeod, at Spring Festival in Westborough on May 7, 2016.

We recently partnered with the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for a third year and distributed nearly 200 bicycle helmets over two weekends.

On April 30th, 120 children’s bicycle helmets were distributed to families at the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts. The giveaway was part of Healthy Kids Day. On May 7th, Attorney David White joined committee members and together distributed about 80 helmets at the Spring Festival, a three-day event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Westborough.

Discovery Day in Lexington
Over Memorial Day, Lexington held its 37th Annual Discovery Day, a chance for residents to enjoy music, food and learn about local businesses and town government. Families also had the opportunity to learn about bicycle safety at the Lexington Police Department tent. Police officers gave away 100 of our Project KidSafe bicycle helmets to children, while also showing them and their parents how to properly fit the helmets.

This was the third year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated children’s bicycle helmets in the Lexington community. The donations have been arranged by the Friends of the Lexington Bikeways.

UP Academy Dorchester

Bicycle helmet donated to UP Academy by Breakstone, White & Gluck and its Project KidSafe campaign.

The UP Academy Dorchester wanted to start a conversation with middle school students about bicycle safety. To help, Breakstone, White & Gluck recently donated bicycle helmets and provided safety literature. The UP Education Network is a non-profit management organization which works to turnaround low-performing schools. It operates three tuition-free schools in Boston and two in Lawrence, serving 2,600 of the state’s historically underserved students. A new academy will open in Springfield next Fall.

The UP Education Network was founded in 2010, the year Massachusetts passed education reform to re-start low performing schools. Once a school district, city or state identifies a school needs a restart, the UP Education Network can take on full management for the school. The academies operate inside – not independent of – school districts.

About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!

 

 

 

Breakstone, White & Gluck and Cambridge Police Team Up for Children’s Bike Helmet Giveaway During National Bike Safety Month

Attorney Ronald Gluck and Attorney David White of Breakstone, White & Gluck with Cambridge police officers and children who received bicycle helmets donated by the Boston personal injury law firm.

With a donation from Breakstone, White & Gluck, the Cambridge Police Department will distribute bicycle helmets to children who need one during National Bike Safety Month.

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Photo: Attorney Ronald Gluck and David White of Breakstone, White & Gluck gather with children at the Cambridgeport School, Assistant Principal Audrey M. Sturgis and Cambridge police officers Che Santos and Anthony Santiago. Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate children’s bicycle helmets to the Cambridge Police Department for National Bike Safety Month in May 2016. 

Cambridge Police has announced its first “helmet voucher” program as part of its National Bike Safety Month initiatives in May. Police officers will specifically be looking for children who are riding bicycles without a helmet throughout May and hand them a “helmet voucher,” which can be redeemed for a free bicycle helmet at the Cambridge Police Department.

Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 140 bicycle helmets to the Cambridge Police in hopes of keeping children safe and preventing traumatic brain injuries from bicycle accidents. The donation was part of our Project KidSafe campaign, which has donated more than 10,000 bicycle helmets to children since 2013.

Massachusetts law requires any person 16 years old or younger riding a bicycle to wear a helmet. By wearing a helmet, cyclists can reduce their chance for head injury by 50 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

This is a special donation and Attorney Ron Gluck and Attorney David White joined Cambridge Police at the Cambridgeport School for an unofficial kick off last week. Here are some photos:

Attorney Ron Gluck and Attorney David White join children at the Cambridgeport School along with Audrey M. Sturgis, assistant principal, and Cambridge police officers Che Santos and Anthony Santiago, to kick off the bike helmet giveaway during National Bike Safety Month.

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Attorney David White helps a child fit a bicycle helmet.

_MG_8387.jpgAttorney Ron Gluck finishes fitting a helmet.

cambridge-police-480.jpgCambridge police officers will distribute the bicycle helmets – and also show children how to properly fit them.

helmet-voucher-480.jpgCambridge Police will distribute these vouchers to children who are not wearing bicycle helmets during May.

For more information on how to properly fit a bicycle helmet, visit our Project KidSafe webpage.

About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!

Law Firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bike Lights for Boston Bikes’ #BeBrilliant Campaign

Breakstone, White & Gluck recently donated bike lights for the Boston Bikes’ #BeBrilliant campaign. Boston Bikes surprised cyclists during their evening commutes and gave them free bike lights, at various giveaways over several days.

A total of 250 light sets were distributed in giveaways in Allston, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale and South Boston. Community-based bike shops also distributed lights.

In Massachusetts, cyclists are required to equip their bikes with a white front light and a red rear reflector so they are visible to drivers in the dark.

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This is the second year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated bike lights for the campaign as part of our bike safety outreach. The campaign started after Daylight Savings Time.

Boston Bikes, an office of the City of Boston, worked with a number of city cycling clubs, stores and organizations to distribute the lights, including:

  • Bicyclecentro
  • Bikes Not Bombs
  • Bowdoin Bike
  • Commonwheels
  • Bicycle Co-Op
  • Dot Bike
  • JP Bikes
  • Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vigorous Youth
  • Southie Bikes

More photos of the cyclists: http://tinyurl.com/pd4y89t

About Breakstone, White & Gluck
The Boston law firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck promotes bike safety through our Project KidSafe campaign. Since 2013, we have donated nearly 8,000 bike helmets in Massachusetts. To learn more about our firm and attorneys, visit this page: https://www.bwglaw.com/our-attorneys/.

Attorney David White to Speak at Boston Cycling and Health Expo about Insurance for Cyclists

Attorney David White at Boston Bikes Event

Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck will speak this weekend about how cyclists can purchase accident coverage to protect themselves from injuries and lost wages. White will speak at the Boston Cycling and Health Expo at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Westin Boston Waterfront. His talk is free and open to the public.

Cyclists often ride around with small amounts of coverage because they are unaware of how easy and relatively affordable it is to purchase extra coverage through their Massachusetts auto insurance policies. Drivers in Massachusetts are required to carry auto insurance, but they often carry very little and in some cases, none at all. If a cyclist is hit by a driver with inadequate insurance, he or she may be left without the compensation that is needed to fully recover and pay for medical expenses, bills, and the physical injuries.

White will talk about two ways cyclists can protect themselves by:

  • Purchasing adequate amounts of Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist coverage
  • Purchasing adequate Medical Payments coverage

Want to learn more before the event? Read our article, What Every Massachusetts Bicyclist Needs to Know About Car Insurance.

White will review the key parts of a Massachusetts auto insurance policy and explain the different options for cyclists to obtain compensation for injuries, including their own health insurance and no fault benefits. He will also discuss medical liens that health insurance companies may place on a personal injury case.

Cyclists who do not own cars may still be able to benefit from coverage if they live in a household with a car.

About Attorney David W. White
White is a Boston personal injury lawyer who has specialized in bicycle accident cases for over 25 years. He is a past president of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs and other events.

About the Boston Cycling and Health Expo and MassBike Bike Night
The Boston Cycling and Health Expo begins Friday and will host vendors from throughout New England who offer cycling, sports equipment and services aimed at healthy living. It starts at 2 p.m. Friday at the Westin Boston Waterfront at 425 Summer Street. It is also open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Two notable events: MassBike will host its Bike Night and Fashion Show on Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, the expo will start with a group bike ride around the City of Boston.

Breakstone, White & Gluck Booth
Breakstone, White & Gluck will have a booth and we invite you to stop by. Our lawyers and staff will be demonstrating how to use the firm’s new Boston cycling app. The smart phone app provides users with safety tips from our lawyers, an easy way to store your health insurance information and tools to gather information at the scene if you are in an accident. We will also be sharing pictures from our work donating youth bike helmets to Boston Bikes, Cycle Kids, Bikes Not Bombs and other organizations this spring. Learn more.