PA passes Kevin’s Law, increases penalty for hit and run

State legislators passed a bill yesterday to strengthen Pennsylvania’s hit-and-run law. Kevin’s Law was named in honor of Kevin Miller from Dallas, PA, a 5-year-old boy killed by a hit and run driver as he crossed the street with his family in Wilkes-Barre four days before Christmas in 2012. Kevin Miller’s family, along with more than 60 local residents, traveled to the state capital yesterday to show support for passage of the law.

The original law carried only a mandatory minimum one-year in jail. Under the law change, the penalty for those who flee fatal crashes will be increased to a mandatory minimum of three years in prison. Kevin’s Law, amended into Senate Bill 1312, makes the penalty for fleeing the scene of a vehicular homicide the same as homicide by vehicle when drunk.

Alcohol is often a factor in these crashes, and pedestrians are often the victims, […]

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Teenage Traffic Fatalities Increase Dramatically During Prom-Graduation Season

Prom and graduation season is here again, and although it is a time for celebration, it is also the most dangerous time for teens in regards to traffic fatalities. The biggest danger teens face on prom or graduation night is auto accidents, either because the driver has been drinking, is tired, or is simply distracted by a carload of friends.

How Likely is a Teen Driver to Get into a Fatal Car Accident?

In the United States, although teenagers drive less than their parents, the number of crash deaths involving teens is disproportionately high. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, in the U.S., the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19-year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over. The fatal crash rate per mile drove is nearly twice as high for 16-17-year-olds as it is for 18-19-year-olds. […]

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Going on a Labor Day Road Trip?

Considered the season’s last hurrah before autumn sets in, the Labor Day long weekend is almost here.  It’s the perfect time to get one last taste of summer.  Americans will be hitting the road in great numbers.  Now, that some of the COVID-19 restrictions have eased in our area, people are looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends they haven’t seen in a while.   According to Travel Agent Central,  72 percent of traveling Americans prefer to to drive this year.

Labor Day is the 5th Deadliest Holiday

Unfortunately holidays also see an uptick in car crashes resulting in serious injury and death.  Almost 400 people died last year in car accidents during the Labor Day holiday period.  The car has the highest fatality rate per passenger of any major form of transportation. There are over 45,000 injuries that require medical attention from car crashes during the holiday period.   […]

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Pennsylvania’s new DUI law goes into effect

A new DUI law, Act 153, went into effect in Pennsylvania on December 23, 2018, introducing tougher penalties for repeat offenders.

What’s new about this law?

Under the new DUI law, individuals convicted of a third DUI with a BAC of .16 or higher, or those convicted of four (or more) DUI’s can be charged with a felony. Under the previous law, Pennsylvania was one of only a few states in which a third DUI was treated as a misdemeanor.

The new law also increases penalties for offenders who cause the death of another person while driving under the influence. Increased penalties include potential felony charges for repeat offenders, and an additional five years of prison time for someone who commits homicide by vehicle while driving without a license or with a suspended license.

Additionally, […]

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Pennsylvania’s New DUI Law Goes Into Effect

What is the new DUI law in PA?

A new DUI law goes into effect in Pennsylvania this week, placing different restrictions on first-time DUI drivers.

Under the new law, first-time offenders will have to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles. Previously, ignition interlocks were only required after two or more offenses; first-time offenders would instead face a license suspension of one year.

What is an ignition interlock device?

An ignition interlock device is essentially a breathalizer that will prevent a car’s engine from starting until the driver blows into a tube to indicate that they are not under the influence. If the device detects alcohol, the vehicle will not start.

Those in favor of the new law say that the ignition interlock will be more effective in preventing drunk driving accidents and deaths, […]

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