Articles Tagged with car accident lawyer in Bangor

A 17-year-old from Bucksport entered the equivalent of a guilty plea in juvenile court to a manslaughter charge after her engagement in a drag race resulted in a crash that killed her 15-year-old friend. The vehicle veered out of control and struck a tree.

The victim, a popular student and cheerleader at Bucksport High School, was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital. The incident occurred last October, just minutes after the friends left a dinner hosted for student cheerleaders and football players. The driver, then 16, was seriously injured, but survived.

Our Bangor car accident attorneys know this crash, as horrific as it was, has the potential to serve as a stark reminder of the dangers teens face behind the wheel – an especially timely message as we enter the school year. Many students are entrusted for the first time with regular use of a vehicle to go back-and-forth to classes and various after-school functions. It’s imperative that parents remain involved, and ensure teens are following their own rules, as well as the law.

Noting dire consequences when motorists fail to focus behind the wheel, Gov. Paul LePage has vowed legislation and a series of other awareness initiatives intended to put the brakes on distracted driving.  He noted fines are an ineffective solution, and vowed to introduce a measure that would result in license suspension instead.

While he works on introducing a bill in that vein, the Maine State Police have teamed up with trucking firms to launch a public education campaign. The sides of big rigs will be emblazoned with messages such as, “One text or call could wreck it all.” Meanwhile, state troopers will be upping enforcement against distracted driving on the highways.

Our Bangor car accident lawyers know Maine is not among the 12 states with a prohibition on cell phone use, which is unfortunate because numerous studies have indicated that talking on one’s phone – even using a hands-free device – is extremely dangerous. Dialing, texting, reaching for the phone and talking sharply raise the risk of a crash or near-miss – especially for younger drivers. State lawmakers do forbid novice drivers from using cell phones, so that is a start. So too is the ban on text messaging, which is considered a primary offense for which officers can stop a vehicle. However, many say those efforts don’t go far enough.

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