Luzerne County, PA – Woman Dies After Head-On Crash on the PA Turnpike

LUZERNE COUNTY (December 5, 2024) – A 65-year-old woman died after a wrong-way car crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Luzerne County on November 29. According to state police, the woman had succumbed to her injuries after the Nissan she was riding in was hit head-on by another vehicle that entered the Turnpike in the wrong direction.

News reports state the driver traveling northbound had merged onto the Turnpike at the interchange’s southbound ramp and hit the Nissan a short distance up the ramp. The other driver was cited for driving in the wrong direction.

The driver of the Nissan was also injured and hospitalized.

Wrong Way Car Accidents in NEPA

Wrong-way driving accidents are among the most dangerous types of crashes. According to the Federal Highway Administration, on average, about 350 people are killed each year in wrong-way car crashes. […]

Man Dies After Colliding With a Garbage Truck in Lycoming County, PA

A fatal crash occurred in the morning hours of November 29 when a vehicle collided with a garbage truck on U.S. Highway 15 in Clinton Township, Lycoming County. According to news reports, the incident took place around 5:30 a.m. just south of the McNett Road intersection, as the garbage truck was attempting to perform a U-turn on the southbound lanes.

James Haddix, the driver who struck the garbage truck, was killed in the collision. State police investigators later determined that Haddix was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The two occupants of the garbage truck escaped without injury.

The accident forced authorities to close Route 15 for approximately three and a half hours. With a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour in that section, the highway was reopened to traffic at 9 a.m. after police completed their initial investigation and cleared the scene. […]

Luzerne County, PA – Fatal Pedestrian Accident Claims Life on Route 309

LUZERNE COUNTY, PA (November 27, 2024) – A tragic incident occurred on November 26 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, when a pedestrian lost his life after being struck by a vehicle on Route 309. The accident occurred shortly before 7 pm near a busy commercial area where the highway intersects with the Home Depot entrance ramp.

According to Wilkes-Barre City Police Department officials, the man attempted to cross the highway toward Norm’s Pizza when a northbound vehicle struck the pedestrian. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where medical personnel pronounced him deceased shortly after arrival.

Law enforcement officials are withholding the deceased’s identity while they work to notify his family members, following standard protocol in such cases. This section of Route 309, known for its retail establishments and moderate to heavy traffic flow, has been the site of previous safety concerns due to pedestrian crossing patterns in the area. […]

One Man Dead Following a Car Crash in Bradford County

A single-vehicle crash in Towanda Township, Bradford County, claimed the life of a 42-year-old man on November 23. According to news reports, the incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Old Plank Road in Towanda when the driver’s vehicle left the roadway, struck several objects, and ended in a ditch. Investigators noted he was not wearing a seat belt at the time.

Seat Belt Use and Traffic Fatalities

Lack of seat belt use remains one of the leading contributors to traffic fatalities. In rollover crashes, unbelted occupants are often ejected from the vehicle, dramatically increasing their risk of fatal injury. Even in non-rollover crashes, unbelted occupants can suffer severe trauma from impact with the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, or other vehicle components.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, seat belts have proven effective in reducing the severity of injuries in a car crash. […]

Pocono Summit Man Dies After Crashing Into a Box Truck

A fatal car crash occurred in the early morning hours of November 22 on State Route 611 near Tobyhanna, Monroe County, claiming the life of a 36-year-old man from Pocono Summit. According to news reports, the incident happened just before 4 a.m. when the driver lost control of his vehicle on snow-covered roads, spinning into oncoming traffic and colliding with a box truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Pocono Mountain Regional Police are investigating the accident.

Driving in Poor Weather Conditions

As the weather turns colder and snowier, Pennsylvania drivers need to be more cautious when driving on snowy and icy roads. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were 3,058 car accidents in the Commonwealth in 2023 that were caused by wintery weather conditions such as snow, ice, and freezing rain. Wet roads account for almost 18% of the car crashes in 2023, […]