The 4th of July Ranks #1 for Deadly Crashes – Travel Safely!

July 4th statistics show a drastic increase in fatal car accident probability

No matter what your 4th of July plans include, take extra care over the holiday weekend!

The 4th of July ranks #1 in an IIHS study of deadly crashes per day between 2010-2014 (see below for the list of the top 10 deadliest days). Millions of travelers on the road increase the risk for a car accident, especially because many of those travelers will be navigating unfamiliar areas. This year, AAA forecasts that a record number of Americans will travel by car over the holiday.

And, it’s not just drivers who face a higher risk on the road – Independence Day is the deadliest day of the year for motorcyclists as well. The chance of a motorcycle crash doubles on July 4, […]

Summer Car Care Tips

Just as in winter, driving in the summer has its own set of potential problems. Summer heat, long road trips, and stop-and-go traffic can be tough on your car or truck.

To help avoid getting into a car accident or getting stranded in the heat, follow these easy summer car care tips.

1. Check your fluids, including oil, coolant, and windshield washer fluid. Coolant (or antifreeze) is especially important to be aware of during the summer months, as overheating is one of the top causes of summer breakdowns. Because many people do more traveling during the summer, it may be necessary to get your oil and filter changed more often. A good rule of thumb is every 3,000 miles. If your fluids aren’t checked and filled regularly, you could end up broken down on the highway in the heat.

2. […]

The 100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers Have Begun

Memorial Day marks the start of the 100 most dangerous for teen drivers

The 100 deadliest days for teen drivers have begun.

Beginning on Memorial Day, the summer months mark the “100 deadliest days” for teen drivers in the U.S. According to AAA: The average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers ages 16-19 increased by 16 percent per day compared to other days of the year.

Several factors combine to create these dangerous conditions. When school is out, teenagers have more free time and drive more often. It is also a celebratory time, as prom and high school graduation tend to see an increase in fatal car crashes involving teenagers. These celebrations will often include underage drinking, drug use, and late-night driving – all factors tied to fatal accidents. Texting and use of social media behind the wheel is another disturbing and unnecessary trend contributing to fatal crashes at an unprecedented rate. […]

Teen in jail, Snapchat speed filter blamed for 107 MPH crash

A 19-year-old girl is in jail after allegedly causing a 107 MPH car crash outside of Atlanta, GA, while using Snapchat to record her speed.

Snapchat has a filter that allows users to record how fast they’re traveling when they take photos or videos with the app.

As personal injury lawyers who handle car accidents on a daily basis, we can’t help but see the Snapchat speed filter as inherently dangerous, and as an accident waiting to happen. In a society already marred by distracted driving, this filter seems to contradict every effort to deter cell phone use behind the wheel. While representatives of the app claim that the speed filter includes a warning not to use it while driving, that seems contradictory to its very function and offers little comfort to the families of those who have been hurt in other accidents involving a speeding, […]

Fatal Hit and Run Accidents on the Rise in Philadelphia

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, hit and run accidents in the city have reached almost epidemic levels in recent months.

Nonfatal hit and run incidents have increased by 30%, while fatal hit and runs have gone up 55% compared to this time last year.

The most recent fatal hit and run in Philadelphia took the life of 18-year-old Kevin Maldonado, who was struck by a woman driving a stolen white Toyota Prius. After hitting Maldonado, the woman abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.

Incidents like this one leave many people wondering how someone can run from the scene of an accident and leave a person to die. In 2014, Pennsylvania law was amended to ensure that the minimum legal penalty for fleeing the scene of an accident would be the same as the minimum sentence for DUI, […]

Don’t Call it a Car “Accident”

Safety advocates are trying to change the way we talk about motor vehicle crashes.

Mark Rosekind, head of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said that the term car “accident” implies that it was no one’s fault, it could not have been prevented or foreseen.

In reality, more than 90% of collisions are caused by driver error – drinking, distracted driving, speeding, and other risky behavior. Relatively few are true “accidents,” caused by uncontrollable situations like a mechanical malfunction, icy roads, or other factors.

So what difference does it make? Why does it matter what word we use to describe these incidents? Road fatalities are on the rise. Safety officials, lawmakers, and aggrieved families feel strongly that language reflects our attitudes, which affect policy. When the language we use implies that nothing could have been done to prevent a tragic “accident,” […]

“Textalyzer” Could Help Reduce Distracted Driving

Distracted driving, perhaps the biggest road safety scourge of the decade, is getting worse nationwide.

In Pennsylvania, for instance, distracted driving citations increased by 43% from 2014 to 2015; in our home of Lackawanna County, the number of distracted driving citations skyrocketed from 32 to 115, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.

Last week, our own Dan Munley was quoted about a recent case in which a Lawrence County judge ruled that a person texting a distracted driver who then got into a crash could potentially be held accountable.

In order to combat this growing problem, some safety advocates have suggested that we begin viewing distracted driving the same way we view drunk driving.  While distracted driving does not involve the consumption of an intoxicating substance, distraction can impair your driving ability just as much as alcohol, and it is just as dangerous. […]

Distracted Driving with Pets

There are lots of pet owners among us here at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, so we know that dogs can be the best of companions. But, driving with pets in tow can lead to distracted driving accidents.

Over half of all pet owners report bringing their pet for a car ride at least once a month, and one-third of pet owners do so at least once a week. When bringing your furry friend along for the ride, it’s important to keep safety in mind in order to protect you, your passengers, other motorists, and your pet, too.

According to AAA, some common distracted driving behaviors that pet owners are guilty of include: petting their dog, using hands or arms to restrict dog’s movement or hold dog in place when putting on brakes, using hands/arms to keep dog from climbing from the backseat to the front seat,  […]

The hashtag #whiledriving shows a disturbing trend

One of the more idiotic and dangerous trends to develop recently is the hashtag #whiledriving.

Erie Insurance, a Pennsylvania insurance company,  published a study of social media data showing a surge in the use of the hashtag, reflecting a growing number of drivers who pull out their phones, take a picture, and post it to Twitter and Instagram – all while driving. Most of the posts were photos of nature, clouds, a sunset, traffic, and selfies.

The top U.S. states with the most posts using #whiledriving were:

1. California
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. South Carolina
5. New York
6. Illinois
7. Massachusetts
8. Oregon
9. Colorado
10. Nevada

No selfie or picture of the sunset is worth putting your life or someone else’s life in danger. […]

Your Winter Car Care Checklist

Winter can be rough on drivers. Winter weather can create hazardous driving conditions, and the cold can wreak havoc on your vehicle, even making it dangerous to drive. Fortunately, there are some measures you can take to keep your car running and prevent a winter weather accident. This is your winter car care checklist:

1. Your Battery

When the temperature dips below freezing, it can take twice as much power to start your car than in warmer weather. If your battery is more than three years old, or if you notice your engine is slow to start, consider replacing your battery. If you’re not sure of the condition your battery is in, make a trip to a local mechanic or auto parts store and have it tested. Breaking down on the side of the road or being stranded because of a dead battery in the winter is not only extremely unpleasant, […]

2016 Top Safety Picks Announced with Toughest Criteria Ever

More car models awarded top safety pick despite most rigorous requirements yet

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released their 2016 Top Safety Picks. The results spell good news for prospective car buyers: for the second year in a row, more vehicles earned Top Safety Pick Plus ratings, even as the institute raised their standards and requirements.

More than 20 winners of the last year’s Top Safety Pick award don’t qualify under the 2016 criteria. But, even with the tougher standards, more vehicles earned the top rankings – 48 models were named Top Safety Pick Plus, up from 33 models last year.

Honda, Toyota, VW/Audi, and Subaru Dominate the Top Rankings

See the complete list of 2016 winners here. Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen/Audi, and Subaru are the automakers with the most Top Safety Picks in this year’s list.

Raising the Bar

The new criteria for earning a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick Plus rating include small overlap crash test performance (designed to see how vehicles handle a front-end diagonal impact), […]

Avoiding a Thanksgiving Travel Nightmare

Tips to stay safe during your Thanksgiving road trip

If you’re one of the millions of people expected to be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, here are some tips to make it a less stressful experience.

Thanksgiving is a notoriously busy travel time, with approximately one in seven Americans traveling more than 50 miles, and 90% of them going by car. With no major storms poised to hit our area and gas prices at their lowest in years, the roads are bound to be busy for PA drivers. Holiday travel can be stressful, and can, therefore, be a dangerous time to be on the roads. Our car accident lawyers want to share some safe travel tips:

Planning ahead can make a big difference. If possible, leave before Wednesday, and consider making your return trip on a day other than Sunday. […]

Hands-free tech safer than texting while driving?

Think hands-free, voice-activated tech eliminates driver distraction? Not so much.

It is universally known that driving while texting, using a cell phone, a GPS, or any other activity that takes your hands from the wheel and your eyes from the road is dangerous and can be fatal. Hands-free technology has been pitched to consumers as a safer alternative, allowing the user to complete tasks via voice commands while still keeping his/her hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. These types of voice-activated systems are available on most iOS, Android, and Microsoft smartphones and in many new car models.

But, a recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a non profit safety research group, found that use of a hands free system could be just as distracting as the use of a handheld device. In fact, they found that a driver’s attention can be partially diverted for up to 27 seconds AFTER interacting with a hands-free system. […]

Teen Drivers and Car Accidents: 5 Deadly Mistakes

It’s a statistic that hasn’t changed – mile for mile, teenagers get into more car accidents than any other age group. And, car crashes are THE leading cause of death for 15-20-year-olds. The numbers are scary, and as parents, we want to do whatever we can to help prevent our children from ending up in a car accident. But, a surprising few parents surveyed say they have had serious talks with their kids about safe driving.  Professional driving lessons or a driver’s ed course can be very helpful, but your teen’s driving instruction shouldn’t stop there.

Teen Driver Safety Week is October 18-October 24, so we’re sharing the best ways to encourage your teen to drive safely.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has started a campaign called “5 to Drive,” highlighting the five things teenage drivers need to remember when they get behind the wheel. […]

Back to School Safety 101

Traveling safely back to school

It’s that time of year again! School is starting for students all over the United States. Thirteen percent of those students walk or ride a bike to school, and more than half of school students ride the school bus.

Whether you have children heading back to school or not, here are some quick lessons on how to avoid a tragedy this fall.

Watch where you’re going: Child pedestrians are in especial danger because they are small, difficult to see, and may not understand proper traffic safety. For instance, they’re more likely than adults to walk across the street without checking to see if a car is coming. That’s why it’s important for all drivers, especially during peak pick-up and drop-off hours and in school zones to pay attention. […]

Attention Labor Day travelers: 3 reasons fatal car accidents are up

Distracted driving proves to be largest cause of fatal car accident increases

As Labor Day approaches, holiday travelers are warned that fatal car accidents  are on the rise this year, according to the National Safety Council. Traffic fatalities are up by 14% and injuries are up by 33%.

About 19,000 people have been killed so far this year, and that’s not including July and August, historically two of the deadliest months of the year for drivers. At this rate, deadly car accidents threaten to reach over 40,000, the highest  since 2007. Why is this happening?

It seems surprising. Cars today are equipped with ever-evolving safety technology designed to make them more crash-worthy. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety continues to improve their safety rating system, developing more tests that cars must pass and higher standards they must meet in order to earn a “good” […]

This Year Will See the Most 4th of July Travelers Since 2007

This Independence Day, Americans will be traveling in record numbers. About 41.9 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more  over the holiday weekend, according to AAA. That’s the highest number of 4th of July travelers since 2007. Most of them will be driving. At least one reason for the surge in holiday travel is the fact that  the average gas prices this weekend will the the lowest in the last five years. Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.78, 88 cents less than the average price on Independence Day last year.

As with any busy travel day, the chances of a car accident this Independence Day will be especially high. If you’re one of the millions traveling this holiday weekend, keep in mind these tips for a safe trip:

1. Be prepared and plan your route ahead of time. […]

100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers Start Now

As the school year winds down, so begins the 100 deadliest days of the year for teen drivers. The days surrounding prom and graduation see spikes in teenage driver deaths.

If you’re 18 years old, right now might be the most exciting time of the year. If you’re a parent, it might be one of the most nerve-wracking.

Prom and graduation season is supposed to be a joyous, memorable time. It’s a celebration of lives about to truly begin. Too often, however, this is when teenagers’ lives come to a sudden end.  Prom, graduation and the following summer months see a higher number of fatal teen auto accidents than any other time of the year. Teens drive more during the summer months after the school year has ended, and events like prom and graduation are often accompanied by underage drinking.

Drunk driving is a major cause of teen driving accidents, […]

Watch where you’re going: Distracted walking lands 1,500 people in the hospital

You’re walking down the street and almost collide with someone too engrossed in their phone screen to notice where they’re going. That same person attempts to cross the street while typing a text, and doesn’t notice a car coming around the corner.

What’s more dangerous – driving while texting, or walking while texting?

We all know that distracted driving is one of the chief dangers on the road today.  While it might feel safer to text when you’re out from behind the wheel, pedestrians distracted by smartphones or listening to music through headphones account for thousands of pedestrian accidents and hospital visits each year. One study, conducted by the State University of New York at Buffalo indicates that there are more injuries per mile involving distracted pedestrians than distracted drivers.

Smartphone use has skyrocketed in the last ten years. […]

Life-saving motorcycle helmets required in less than half of U.S. states

“Click it or ticket,” is the familiar slogan reminding us that, across much of the country, the law requires drivers to buckle up. It’s a law that makes sense, as seat belts are perhaps the most important factor in determining whether a driver will survive a car crash. So, why don’t we apply the same kind of logic when it comes to motorists 30 times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash?

Traveling at high speeds and almost entirely exposed, motorcycle riders are among the most vulnerable motorists on the road.  Motorcycles are also less stable and harder to see, compared with other large vehicles on the road. When accidents happen, the injuries are often serious or even deadly – this is why the NHTSA identifies motorcycles as the most dangerous form of motor vehicle transportation.  Wearing a helmet is one of the most important ways motorcyclists can increase their chances of surviving a crash. […]