Fatal Accidents Pose Questions for Regulators of Self-Driving Tech

Pedestrian Killed by Self-Driving Uber

On March 18, a pedestrian was struck and killed by an autonomous car operated by Uber as she was crossing the street. The Uber, a Volvo XC90, hit and killed the 49-year-old woman despite the car’s being equipped with a variety of sensors, including Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) which is designed to create 3D, 360-degree images of the car’s surroundings and radar that can see objects in the light or dark.  In addition, there was a human safety driver at the wheel, although a video of the accident shows that the driver was not paying attention. Furthermore, the driver was not holding his hands above the steering wheel, as most backup drivers are taught.  However, he had no signs of impairment.  Nor did weather appear to play a role.  The vehicle was moving at 40 mph in a 45 mph zone at the time of the Uber accident.  […]

Fatal PA Turnpike accident shows danger of poorly maintained roads

Badly maintained roads pose car crash risk

Last week, a 70-year-old man was killed driving through the Lehigh Tunnel on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. According to news reports, he was killed when an electrical conduit (a pipe-like tube holding power cables) fell from the ceiling of the tunnel and crashed through the windshield of his truck.

According to reports in The Morning Call  the southbound Lehigh Tunnel is the newest of five tunnels on the turnpike’s system and it is the only one with a conduit located directly above traffic. Federal regulations require that tunnels be inspected every two years. The most recent inspection of the Lehigh Tunnel was in September 2016.

Poor tunnel maintenance can be fatal for drivers

In 2016 alone, American roads carried people and goods over three trillion miles. If roads, tunnels and bridges are not properly maintained they can contribute to auto accidents and result in serious injury or fatality. […]

Could Your Prescription Medicine Affect Your Driving?

Prescription Drugs and Driving Can Be a Fatal Mix

You know that alcohol and illegal drugs can impair driving ability and cause dangerous accidents. But what about your prescription medication? Many people don’t realize that even medicine that is prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed can affect your driving.

It is an issue that concerns our car accident lawyers, as well as many lawmakers. The penalty for driving under the influence of medication carries the same penalty as a DUI in certain states. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reported that drugs were present in 43% of fatally injured drivers in 2017, more frequently than alcohol was present. This applies to some legal prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as illegal drugs.

Drugged driving is more complex than driving under the influence of alcohol for several reasons. […]

Are you a distracted driver?

Distracted driving  leads to crashes

Statistics show that traffic fatalities are on the rise. Distracted driving is a contributing factor in many car and truck accidents. In 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 injured in vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers, according to the Department of Transportation. A driver who texts or uses another device while driving is making a dangerous, possibly deadly choice.

Are you a distracted driver?

If you don’t text and drive, that’s great! That one simple choice can help make the roads safer for everyone and keep you out of harm’s way. But, what about other distractions?

Distracted driving is considered any activity that takes attention away from driving. This not only includes texting or talking on your phone but using other devices as well, such as programming your GPS while driving or browsing through radio stations. […]

The race for driverless truck and car technology

Driverless vehicles are being tested on roads right now. The LA Times published that in a race to embrace driverless vehicles, Washington has cleared away regulatory hurdles for automakers and brushed aside consumer warnings about the risk of crashes and hacking. The NHTSA earlier this year published a voluntary policy on automated driving systems and said it is working on more policies. Basically, the industry is left to regulate itself.

Tesla’s new electric semi-truck unveiled

Last week Tesla introduced a fully electric semi-truck. The truck is equipped with Enhanced Autopilot, the second generation of Tesla’s semi-autonomous technology. It’s equipped with automatic braking, lane-keeping, and lane departure warnings.

Our Scranton truck accident lawyer is concerned that enough testing is done on autonomous semi-trucks before they are introduced onto public roadways. While the electric truck business is still in the early stages and won’t be prevalent for years, […]