Distracted Driving Causes Dramatic Crash

Via MattarMedia AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - Police believe a distracted driver triggered this dramatic crash that snarled rush hour traffic in Amherst Friday morning.

Crews on the scene say the driver, who was lost, was driving east bound on Main Street.

While looking at a map he crossed the center line, panicked and then lost control of his car.

Amherst Police Senior Investigator Scott Lawinda said, "He struck a telephone pole, sheared the telephone pole in half and flipped over several times."

Police say the driver, 39-year-old Daniel Melock, was taken to ECMC with chest injuries.

Police say a cat was in the car and is expected to be ok.

A portion of Main Street was closed in the West Bound direction as crews cleaned up the sagging phone lines.

It has since reopened.

Thruway lanes closed after tractor-trailer accident

Via MattarMedia NEWSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) - State police say one of the westbound lanes of the Thruway between Rochester and Buffalo has reopened after being shut down following a tractor-trailer jackknifed.

The state police Thruway detail says the truck was blocking both westbound lanes on Interstate 90 in the town of Newstead, 20 miles east of Buffalo. Officials say the accident occurred around 6 a.m. Tuesday between Exit 48A at Pembroke and Exit 49 at Cheektowaga.

Troopers initially expected both lanes to be reopened by 7 a.m.

Traffic was getting around the crash scene on the highway's shoulder but troopers say backups are expected for the start of the morning commute.

There are no reports of injuries.

All lanes now open following Thruway crash

Via MattarMedia ROTTERDAM - A westbound lane of the Thruway has been reopened a day after two tractor-trailers collided, spilling one of the rigs' cargo of boxed apples across the highway.

Troopers say the left westbound lane on Interstate 90 was reopened around 1 a.m. Friday, nearly 22 hours after the crash occurred in the town of Rotterdam.

The right lane reopened around 8:45 a.m. Thursday.

Police say a FedEx tandem tractor-trailer hit a concrete barrier along the right shoulder after the driver fell asleep. The rear trailer broke loose and rolled over in the lane, where it was hit by a truck hauling apples.

The second truck also rolled over, spilling its cargo. Troopers say the driver of the apple truck suffered minor injuries.

Two crashes on Thruway cause lane closures

Via MattarMedia CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. - Crews are on the scene right now of two crashes on both sides of the Thruway this morning. Right now, all lanes heading eastbound on I-90 between exit 27 and 26 are closed after a trailer broke loose from a truck and hit another car.

Also, only one lane is open right now heading westbound between 26 and 27 because of another crash nearby.

We'll keep you posted as we learn new details.

Government: Nearly 6,000 deaths from driver distraction

Via MattarMedia WASHINGTON - The government says nearly 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured last year in vehicle crashes connected to driver distraction.

The report comes as the Obama administration holds a two-day meeting on driver distraction that could lead to new restrictions on using mobile devices while driving.

The Transportation Department says 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured in 2008 in crashes where at least one form of driver distraction was reported.

Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 and was prevalent among drivers under 20 years old.

A group of experts is meeting to discuss ways of addressing the roadway hazards. The government may recommend new restrictions to address driver distraction.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Sites offer tips after survey suggests teens with own cars more likely to crash

Via MattarMedia - A new Web site is offering parents tips on how to keep their teen drivers safe, after recent studies suggested young drivers who have their own cars are much more likely to get into crashes than those who share a car.

Among the tips: clearly communicate your safety concerns and expectations, be a good role model by practicing the safety you preach and explain the reasoning behind the rules.

The Web site comes in part from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, whose researchers conducted surveys of 5,500 teens in 2006. They say 25 percent of teens who have their own car or feel they have free use of one have been involved in crashes, compared to 10 percent of teens who have shared driving access.

The study's lead author says the lower crash rate doesn't reflect less driving time, but is more likely due to having to ask for the car keys which helps parents monitor their kids' driving.

The study was funded by State Farm Insurance and released last week by the journal of Pediatrics.

One-in-five U.S. drivers admit to texting: survey

Via Mattar Media WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Nearly one-in-five U.S. drivers surveyed have read or sent a text message while behind the wheel even though nearly all of the respondents in an AAA survey released on Friday considered it unacceptable.
"The new technologies that help us multitask in our everyday lives and increasingly popular social media sites present a hard-to-resist challenge to the typically safe driver," AAA chief executive Robert Darbelnet said in a statement accompanying the survey commissioned by the AAA Foundation.
"Enacting texting bans for drivers in all 50 states can halt the spread of this dangerous practice among motorists nationwide, and is a key legislative priority for AAA in state capitals," Darbelnet said. The group, which provides emergency road services to its members and lobbies on automobile issues, formerly was known as the American Automobile Association.
The random telephone survey questioned 2,500 U.S. residents 16 and older in April and May.
Although nearly all respondents considered the practice unacceptable, 18 percent said they had sent a text message while driving within a month of being surveyed.
Most data available on texting and driving is anecdotal but the U.S. Transportation Department is seeking more information as pressure grows to ban the practice. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a two-day conference on distracted drivers next week in Washington.
Separately on Friday, 93 percent of 1,000 licensed drivers responding to a survey commissioned by Ford Motor Co supported a nationwide ban on texting while behind the wheel. AAA says surveys of its members also favor a ban, a step that is supported by Ford and other major automakers.
About a dozen states have imposed prohibitions and proposals for a national ban have been introduced in Congress.
The wireless industry -- including cellphone manufacturers, carriers, and some Internet companies represented by the CTIA-Wireless Association -- support state and local efforts to ban texting while driving.

Accident ties up traffic on Route 840

via MattarMedia UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Utica Police and State Troopers were still at the scene of an accident around 5 p.m. on Route 840 Wednesday afternoon.

A number of cars were involved in the crash tying up traffic in that area. It did not appear that there were any serious injuries, as many of the drivers were on the side of the road speaking with officers about what had happened.

The crash happened right before Route 840 turns into Route 8 heading south. No more information was available Wednesday evening.