Truck Crashes Into Boston Building, Injuring 6

On April 1, a box truck crashed into a building in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. According to the Associated Press, the truck also hit several pedestrians. Four people were reportedly transported to the hospital, with two listed in critical condition. The Penske truck had apparently been rented to a commercial trucking company, which was not named. 

The incident is shocking because it’s so unexpected, and several people simply walking down the sidewalk were seriously injured. But in another way, it’s not nearly as shocking as it sounds. 

100 Vehicles/Day Crash Into Buildings

You’d probably like to think that a car or truck slamming into a home or business is a rare occurrence. Of course, it doesn’t happen nearly as often as many other types of auto accidents, such as rear-end collisions. However, data collected and analyzed by the Storefront Safety Council and reviewed by an arm of Lloyds of London revealed that there are 100+ incidents of vehicles crashing into storefronts every day. 

The most frequent locations for these crashes were: 

• Retail stores (23.5%)
• Restaurants (19.4%)
• Commercial buildings (11.2%)
• Office buildings (8.2%)
• Convenience stores (6.1%)
• Government buildings (3.1%)

According to American Family Insurance, the most common cause of these types of crashes is operator error. 41% of crashes into stores, restaurants and other commercial buildings are caused by driver error, and nearly half of those are caused by pedal errors. Pedal errors are most common among younger, newer drivers and senior citizens. 

Nearly all pedal errors happen in one of two ways. The most common is that the driver’s foot slips–either accidentally hitting the gas pedal or slipping off the brake. The other is that the driver hit the wrong pedal, accelerating when they intended to brake. 

Other common causes of building crashes include driving under the influence (DUI) and medical emergencies. 6% are burglaries and burglary attempts. About 25% of these accidents happen while the driver is attempting to park.

Who is Liable for Building Crash Injuries? 

In many car accident and truck accident cases, there are two or more vehicles–and two or more drivers–involved. When a vehicle crashes into a building, it’s typically a single vehicle accident, and rarely triggered by the actions of another driver. In other words, the driver of the vehicle that hits the building is typically to blame. Some reasons a driver may be found negligent after hitting a retail store or other building including:

• Distracted driving
• Driving while intoxicated
• Knowingly driving with a medical condition that makes it unsafe to operate a vehicle
• Failing to maintain the vehicle in safe condition

But, there may still be cases in which someone else is wholly or partly at fault. For example, the crash may be caused or partly caused by: 

• A defective vehicle or part, such as a faulty braking system
• Faulty design

One high-profile example of a case where design may play a role is 7-Eleven stores. A few years ago, it was reported that on average a vehicle hit a 7-Eleven store somewhere in the United States every single day. In 2023, the company paid out $91 million to a man who lost both legs in such a crash, after it was revealed that the company records showed well over 6,000 such accidents across a 15-year period, but had not installed bollards–posts between the parking area and storefront that would prevent this type of crash.

If you’ve been injured or your property has been damaged when a motor vehicle crashed into a home or business, your next step should be to speak to an attorney about your rights and options. Attorney Kevin P. Broderick offers free consultations to people who have been injured in Massachusetts or New Hampshire. To learn more, call 978-459-3905 right now.