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Mississippi Ranks as Most Dangerous State for Drivers, Wyoming Second in Fatal Crash Rates

Mississippi Ranks as Most Dangerous State for Drivers, Wyoming Second in Fatal Crash Rates

A new analysis of federal data by online tire retailer Priority Tire reveals that Mississippi is the most dangerous state for drivers, based on its rate of fatal crashes per 100,000 residents in 2023. Mississippi recorded 24.9 fatal crashes per 100,000 people, more than double the national average of 9.6, with a total of 732 fatal crashes, a 4% increase from 2022. Wyoming ranked second with 24.7 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents, totaling 144 fatal crashes, a 7% increase from the previous year. New Mexico followed in third place with a rate of 20.7. Conversely, Massachusetts was identified as the safest state for drivers, with the lowest fatal crash rate at 4.9 per 100,000 residents. The study utilized National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2023, comparing fatal crash numbers against state populations to determine per capita rates.

Box Truck Crash on I-93 Near Braintree Split Spills Produce, Snarls Morning Traffic

Box Truck Crash on I-93 Near Braintree Split Spills Produce, Snarls Morning Traffic

A box truck crashed on Interstate 93 near the Braintree Split in Quincy, Massachusetts, on Friday morning, leading to significant traffic disruptions. The incident occurred on the northbound side of the highway, close to the entrance of the HOV lane, shortly before 4 a.m. The impact caused the truck to split in two, with its cargo of produce scattering across the road. Massachusetts State Police reported that the truck driver was trapped in the wreckage and subsequently transported to a local hospital; their current condition has not been released. Emergency responders blocked off the left two travel lanes to manage the scene, and several heavy tow vehicles have been called to remove the damaged truck and clear the debris. The crash has severely impacted morning traffic in the area.

Two Massachusetts Men Die in Head-On Crash on I-295 in Cumberland, Rhode Island

Two Massachusetts Men Die in Head-On Crash on I-295 in Cumberland, Rhode Island

On Thursday afternoon, a severe head-on collision on Interstate 295 in Cumberland, Rhode Island, resulted in the deaths of two Massachusetts men. Joel Costa, 29, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, who was driving a Hyundai Ionic, was pronounced dead at the scene. Jonathan Welch, 44, of Norton, Massachusetts, the driver of a Dodge Ram 1500, later died at Rhode Island Hospital. According to Rhode Island State Police, Costa's vehicle was traveling southbound, reportedly speeding and passing other cars recklessly, before it lost control, crossed the median, and collided with Welch's northbound vehicle. Neither driver was wearing a seatbelt. The crash caused significant disruptions to the evening commute, leading to the closure of northbound lanes on I-295. State Police are continuing their investigation, with initial findings indicating that excessive speed and loss of control were major contributing factors.

Chelmsford Woman Seriously Injured in Westford Crash After Erratic Driving

Chelmsford Woman Seriously Injured in Westford Crash After Erratic Driving

A 74-year-old Chelmsford woman sustained serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Westford, Massachusetts, on Wednesday afternoon. Multiple 911 callers reported seeing the vehicle driving erratically, striking two other vehicles at the intersection of Littleton Road and South Chelmsford Road before veering off South Chelmsford Road and crashing into a tree near 55 S. Chelmsford Road. Westford Police and firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 1:10 p.m. Due to the severity of her injuries, the woman was transported by medical helicopter for treatment. The impact of the crash was significant enough to knock down the tree. South Chelmsford Road was closed for approximately 90 minutes while emergency services investigated the incident and cleared the scene.

Lindsay Clancy’s defense rests at trial over whether postpartum psychosis drove her to kill her kids

Lindsay Clancy’s defense rests at trial over whether postpartum psychosis drove her to kill her kids

The defense has rested its case in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial after eliciting more testimony about her mental state before she strangled her three young children in 2023

Two Massachusetts Drivers Die in Head-On Rollover Crash on Rhode Island Highway

Two Massachusetts Drivers Die in Head-On Rollover Crash on Rhode Island Highway

An investigation is underway following a fatal head-on rollover crash on Route 295 in Cumberland, Rhode Island, which resulted in the deaths of two Massachusetts drivers. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon, with Rhode Island State Police responding to reports of a wreck involving a Dodge Ram 1500, a Hyundai Ionic, and an Acura ADX. The drivers of the Dodge and Hyundai, identified as 29-year-old Joel Costa of Hyde Park and 44-year-old Jonathan Welch of Norton, were trapped in their vehicles. Costa was pronounced dead at the scene, while Welch later died at Rhode Island Hospital. Initial information from state police indicates that speed and loss of control by the Hyundai operator, Costa, were the primary causes of the crash. Witnesses reported Costa driving recklessly, speeding, and overtaking vehicles in the grassy median before striking a guardrail, veering into oncoming traffic, and colliding head-on with Welch's Dodge. The impact caused Welch's truck to roll over and sideswipe the Acura. Invest...

Lenox Seeks Wireless Carrier Proposals for Public Safety Complex Communication Tower to Address Poor Cell Service

Lenox Seeks Wireless Carrier Proposals for Public Safety Complex Communication Tower to Address Poor Cell Service

The town of Lenox is actively soliciting proposals from major wireless carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, to install antennas on a 150-foot communication tower located behind its newly constructed Public Safety Complex. This initiative aims to significantly improve the town's long-standing issue of poor cell service, particularly in areas identified as 'dead spots' such as the Route 7/20 bypass and central Lenox. The Select Board recently voted to issue a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) after a presentation by Town Manager Jay Green. This move follows previous unsuccessful attempts to address wireless signal gaps, with the current effort leveraging a town bylaw approved in 2023 that permits co-location of antennas on existing towers under federal rules. Land Use Director and Town Planner Eammon Coughlin highlighted the critical need for enhanced coverage, stating that any improvement would be a substantial gain for the community.

Mississippi Ranks Highest in Fatal Crash Rates for 2023, Massachusetts Lowest

Mississippi Ranks Highest in Fatal Crash Rates for 2023, Massachusetts Lowest

A new analysis of federal data by online tire retailer Priority Tire reveals that Mississippi had the highest rate of fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2023, with 24.9 per 100,000 residents. This figure is more than double the national average of 9.6 fatal crashes per 100,000 people. The state recorded 732 fatal crashes, a 4% increase from 2022. Following Mississippi, Wyoming ranked second with 24.7 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents (144 total crashes, a 7% increase), and New Mexico was third at 20.7. In contrast, Massachusetts was identified as the safest state for drivers, reporting the lowest fatal crash rate at 4.9 per 100,000 residents, a 21% decrease from the previous year. New York followed with 5.7, while Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Hawaii each had a rate of 6.5. The study, based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, compared the number of fatal crashes to each state's population.

Five Vehicles Involved in Median-Crossing Crash on I-95 in Hermon, Maine

Five Vehicles Involved in Median-Crossing Crash on I-95 in Hermon, Maine

A multi-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 95 in Hermon, Maine, involving five vehicles. The incident, reported shortly before 4 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon, began when a pickup truck hauling a trailer failed to yield while merging onto the interstate from Coldbrook Road, striking a utility truck. This initial collision forced the utility truck into a tractor-trailer in the passing lane. The utility truck and tractor-trailer became entangled, crossed the median, and entered the southbound lanes of the highway. The utility truck driver managed to separate from the tractor-trailer and backed into the median to avoid oncoming southbound traffic. However, the tractor-trailer subsequently struck two additional vehicles traveling in the southbound lanes. Maine State Police confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the crash, but traffic in the area was significantly slowed while the involved vehicles were removed.

MBTA Commuter Rail Train Collides with Car in Concord, One Hospitalized

MBTA Commuter Rail Train Collides with Car in Concord, One Hospitalized

An MBTA Commuter Rail train collided with a car in Concord, Massachusetts, on Monday, resulting in one person being hospitalized. The incident occurred at the railway crossing at the intersection of Sudbury Road and Thoreau Street. Following the collision, Sudbury Road was closed between Grant Street and Thoreau Street, with police urging the public to avoid the area. The Concord Fire Department shared images of the severely damaged vehicle. As a consequence of the crash, at least one Fitchburg Line train, Train 438 (6:15 PM from Wachusett), was canceled, and passengers were advised to consider alternative services like Train 442 (7:30 PM from Wachusett). The condition of the hospitalized individual was not immediately detailed, but they were expected to survive.

Massachusetts Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crash in Wareham

Massachusetts Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crash in Wareham

A 23-year-old man, Cristian Hagopian, a resident of Wareham, Massachusetts, was killed in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Monday evening. The incident occurred near Charge Pond Road, and Wareham police responded to reports of a serious motorcycle crash at approximately 6:50 p.m. Hagopian was pronounced dead at an area hospital after being transported there. According to witnesses interviewed by Wareham police and Massachusetts State Police, Hagopian was riding with a group of motorcyclists when he crashed in a wooded area. No other vehicles were involved in the immediate vicinity of the crash, indicating it was a single-vehicle incident. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is ongoing, with authorities gathering more details from witnesses and the scene.

Massachusetts Implements New Predictable Fee for Residential Solar Panel Interconnections

Massachusetts Implements New Predictable Fee for Residential Solar Panel Interconnections

Massachusetts has introduced a new rule establishing a predictable $225 fee for homeowners and businesses installing solar panels to connect to the grid. This change, finalized by the state's Department of Public Utilities, aims to replace the previous system where a small percentage of solar customers faced unexpected and potentially high 'interconnection fees' for grid upgrades. Previously, if a solar project was the one that maxed out the local grid's capacity, the customer could be solely responsible for thousands of dollars in infrastructure upgrade costs, such as for a new transformer. The new 'Common System Modification' fee will spread these upgrade costs across all solar customers, making the financial implications of going solar more transparent and predictable. This fee applies to solar and battery storage projects up to 25 kilowatts, which covers most residential installations.