Rhode Island Accident Lawyer Blog
A fatal bicycle accident in Newport last week left locals of the Rhode Island city in mourning, and also upset. Kayla Watson, a 34-year-old Middletown resident, was killed while riding an electric bike to work on Admiral Kalbfus Road. Watson was fatally injured after being struck by a bucket truck at an intersection on a stretch of road notoriously known for being dangerous. The intersection where Admiral Kalbus Road and Hillside Avenue meet has been the subject of a number of safety studies over the years which have shown a “general neglect for traffic safety laws”, including frequent speeding and running red lights. As Rhode Island personal injury lawyers, at Tapalian Law we all too often see first-hand the detrimental injuries and tragic fatalities that result when a bicyclist or pedestrian is hit by a car or truck. Losing a loved one in an accident is always devastating, particularly when the harm was caused by a careless driver and was unavoidable.
Intersection a Long-Time Traffic Hazard
Just this summer, a group of area residents voiced their concerns and requested safety improvements to the Newport City Council, RI Department of Transportation, and state and national officials in an 18-page letter. While the intersection has been a long-time traffic safety concern, residents’ uneasiness escalated when the RIDOT Pell Bridge ramp realignment project resulted in a big influx of commercial and construction vehicles being re-routed through the area. Considered part of Route 138, a larger state highway, Admiral Kalbus Road is also a residential area. Hillside Avenue is also a residential area and a main route to and from Newport’s Pell Elementary School which is of great concern to both parents and neighbors who frequently observe motorists driving with a disregard for speed limits and traffic signals.
An unfortunate series of pedestrian accidents in Providence and elsewhere in Rhode Island this year have brought to light the question of whether or not pedestrians are safe crossing the street in the state. Circumstances surrounding each incident are different, yet each had a tragic outcome. A driver in Westerly who hit and killed a pedestrian was accused of drunk driving. On North Main Street in Providence, a female motor vehicle operator hit a pedestrian and fled the scene; the man died and the driver was tracked down using local video footage. Near the state house, a well-known local, Superior Court Judge Richard Licht, was seriously injured by a car while walking across Smith Street. As a personal injury lawyer in Providence, RI for over 20 years, Attorney David Tapalian has helped a number of people hurt in 
It may go without saying, but when a motor vehicle collides with a pedestrian, in the majority of cases, the pedestrian is going to be the loser in this battle. When the vehicle involved in the collision is an SUV, the stakes are even higher and the risk and severity of the injuries suffered by the unprotected victim are typically much worse. As a Rhode Island personal injury attorney, David Tapalian has seen serious and often life-threatening injuries occur when a person on foot is hit by a moving vehicle. Frequently, the extent of the injuries the person suffers, and their risk of death, corelates to the size of the SUV or truck. A 
As a result of the Covid pandemic, countless Rhode Islander’s continue to work virtually from home, a number of schools are conducting learning online, and many families are choosing to forgo vacation and travel plans and stay close to home for the holidays. These factors have resulted in much less traffic on the roads and highways throughout Rhode Island, particularly during the early weeks and months of the pandemic. Despite drivers in Rhode Islander driving fewer miles, surprisingly the state has seen a 
At some point each day, most of us are a pedestrian, especially as we try to increase our time outdoors, and distance from others, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Some stroll or jog for exercise, walk to school, to work, or to pick up lunch. Others are walking the dog or pushing a stroller. Being a pedestrian is a typical part of our day, especially in walkable cities like Providence, where sidewalks and pedestrian bridges are easily accessible to those on foot. Unfortunately, however, the rate of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes is at its highest in almost 20 years. According to the most recent 
The great majority of us use a cell phone on a daily basis and most of us walk someplace too, whether to pick up a child at the bus stop, a lunch break to pick up a sandwich, or walking the dog. Often, this walking time is used to check email, peruse social media, or send a quick text. A good way to multi-task while getting some exercise? Perhaps. But lately it’s become riskier as a 
Motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians have been on a sharp rise over the past decade throughout the country. In fact, pedestrian fatalities have increased 35% since 2008, compared to a 6% decrease in all other motor vehicle crashes in the same period. A recent 
The City of Providence’s decision to remove a recently installed bike lane on Eaton Street has cyclists in Rhode Island up in arms. Providence’s first two-way bike lane, newly completed in early September of this year at a cost of over $63,000, will be 
Buying a new car today requires a lot of research, not just to review safety scores and dependability, but to choose from the myriad of safety options and technology that are available. A number of safety features now come standard when purchasing a new vehicle, such as back-up cameras required in all new vehicles effective May 2018, but other options will bump up the sticker price quite a bit. While some auto buyers won’t mind the price jump if they feel they are getting the most advanced safety and technology features out there, other buyers will be deterred by the costly options. We explained how a number of these features work in a two-part Tapalian Law Rhode Island Accident Lawyer blog, Driver Assistance Technologies- Sorting Through the Options