Car accidents common over holiday weekend

The 4th of July may be known for fireworks, picnics and outdoor fun, but things can quickly turn tragic on the 4th of July as well, as it is one of the most deadly holidays of the year on U.S. roadways.

AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates that nearly 1.5 million Pennsylvania residents will be traveling by vehicle over the three day 4th of July holiday weekend. This is 35% more travelers than during Memorial Day weekend.

According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an average of 150 people die in traffic accidents on July 4, more than any other day of the year. July 3 follows with nearly as many traffic fatalities.

According to a study from the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), during the 4th of July holiday period over the five years from 2008 to 2012, […]

The Dangers of Driving Drowsy

Driving impaired doesn’t have to mean driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It can also mean driving while drowsy—a practice that leads to more than 100,000 crashes each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of this total, 40,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths are reported. In fact, a study showed that driving while being awake for 18 hours was the same as driving with a blood alcohol level of .05. Driving after being awake for 24 hours was equal to a blood alcohol level of .10—a level of .08 is legally drunk.

As with drunk driving, sleep-deprived driving also inhibits a person’s reaction time, judgment, and vision; causes problems with information processing and short-term memory; decreases awareness, and increases aggressiveness.

Unfortunately, in the commercial truck driving culture, getting behind the wheel, despite a lack of sleep, happens all too often as drivers push to make their deliveries on time, […]

Cost of car crashes shows importance of safety measures

According to a new study released by the U.S. Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the price tag of car crashes comes at a heavy burden for Americans at $871 billion in economic loss and societal harm. This includes $277 billion in economic costs, nearly $900 for each person living in the U.S., and $594 billion in harm from loss of life and the pain and decreased quality of life due to injuries.

The study was based on 2010 statistics, which included a staggering 32,999 motor vehicle crash fatalities, 3.9 million non-fatal injuries, and 24 million damaged vehicles. We all know that no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one or the pain and suffering when you are critically injured in a car crash. These figures show us the importance of a greater investment in vehicle safety, driver education and awareness, […]

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer warns beware of drunk drivers

The summer months are filled with graduation parties, reunions, picnics and other celebrations and travels. This time of year also brings an increase in drunk drivers.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, every 2-hours, three people are killed in this country in alcohol-related highway crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 33,561 crash fatalities in 2012, of those 31% or 10,322 involved a drunk driver. This was a 4.6% increase from the previous year.

In 2012, 239 children age 14 and younger were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Of those, 124 were in the vehicle with a drunk driver. The NHTSA reported that the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers in fatal crashes in 2012 was nearly 4 times higher at night than during the day. 15% of al drivers involved in fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-impaired, […]

The hazards of summer driving

Summer may bring bright skies and sunny weather, but motorists still need to be cautious when driving on our nation’s highways. The clear conditions may cause some to throw caution to the wind and act carelessly, speeding or simply not paying attention. Pennsylvania State Police also report an increase in traffic and motorist assists throughout the summer.

In addition to normal daily traffic this time of year, the roads are filled with travelers heading to their summer vacation destinations. Following are some driving hazards to watch for this summer. With a little planning, many can be avoided.

• Summer Breakdowns – High temperature can aggravate existing tire damage and cause blowouts and flats. Overheating is another frequent issue for drivers in the summer. The high temperatures and increased use of the car’s air conditioner can cause cooling system problems. Low coolant levels, leaks, and broken electric cooling fans can all result in overheating and damage. […]

PA personal injury lawyer: more people are buckling up

Seat belt use in 2013 reached 87%, up just slightly from 86% in 2012. The results came from National Occupant Protection Use Survey done annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The survey found that seat belt use for occupants in the Northeast rose at an even higher rate, from 80% in 2012, to 84% in 2013. Seat belt use was higher for occupants when travelling on expressways and in heavier traffic than on surface streets and in when traffic was lighter. The study also found that occupants in a pickup truck were less likely to use a seatbelt than those in a car, van or SUV.

The National Safety Council refers to seat belts are the single most effective traffic safety device for preventing death and injury. Although the NHTSA reports that seat belts can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50%, […]

Memorial Day starts the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers

Nothing kills more teens in Pennsylvania than car crashes and no other group on the road has a higher risk of crash. The National Safety Council (NSC) warns parents that Memorial Day kicks off the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers, as many teens are out of school and on the road more frequently during the summer months.

Some of the key contributors to crashes involving teens include driver inexperience, driver distractions, speeding and driving carelessly. Summer driving also tends to be more recreational for teens, and they may be carrying more passengers than at other times of the year. Passengers increase the risk of a fatal crash involving a teen by at least 44%. Pennsylvania laws restrict the number of passengers in cars with drivers holding a junior driver’s license. A driver is not permitted to have more than one passenger under age 18 who is not an immediate family member unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. […]

PA personal injury lawyer warns drivers this Memorial Day

Time magazine reports that there are 13% more traffic deaths over Memorial Day weekend compared to a typical non-holiday weekend, making it the second most dangerous holiday in America, after the Fourth of July.

The traditional summer-kick-off, Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest weekends of the year for road travel. According to AAA, 36.1 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the weekend, and 88% will drive. Frustrated drivers eager to get away for the long weekend may be speeding and driving more aggressively. According to a study by the National Coalition for Safer Roads, the number of drivers who ran a red light on Memorial Day weekend last year is 27% higher than compared to the average holiday weekend.

The National Safety Council estimates there will be 382 traffic fatalities during Memorial day weekend this year and 40,900 medically consulted injuries that occur from motor vehicle collisions. […]

Graduation time dangerous for teen drivers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) graduation time is one of the most dangerous times for teens on the road. Texting, underage drinking, and other distractions lead to tragedies that can be avoided through communication and education.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in our country and about a third of those are alcohol related, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Interestingly, more than one-third of the year’s alcohol-related teen car fatalities occur around prom and graduation time.

In addition to an increase in teen drinking around these events, there is also an increase in nerves and excitement. It has been determined that the crash rate for teens goes up with additional passengers in the car, as this causes added distractions. A 2012 study by AAA concluded that the risk increases by almost half when a 16- or 17-year-old driver has one teenage passenger, […]

NC Woman Dies in Car Accident While Posting to Facebook

The National Safety Council Cell Phone Crash Estimate Model reports that there have been an estimated 333,300 crashes so far this year in the U.S. involving drivers using cell phones and texting, or about one every 30 seconds. A North Carolina woman died behind the wheel of her car last week just moments after posting a Facebook message and hitting a truck head on.

According to police, the woman posted to Facebook and one minute later, a call came in about the crash. The 32-year old woman died after drifting across a grass median and slamming into a truck. An investigation of her online activity also found that she had been posting selfies as she drove. This is a tragedy we see all too often.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), stated that mobile communications are linked to a significant increase in distracted driving, resulting in injury and loss of life. […]

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer talks about proposed new safety measures for children traveling in passenger vehicles

Accidental injury is the leading cause of child death in the United States, according to Matthew R. Maltese, head of biomechanics research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States.

In 2011, more than 650 children ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes and more than 148,000 were injured. Of the children who died in a crash in 2011, 33% were not bucked up. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Pennsylvania 2012 Child Death Review Annual Report, motor vehicle and other transport deaths accounted for 12% of total child deaths in Pennsylvania in 2011.

Many of these deaths could have been prevented. An NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Research Study found that 72% of nearly 3,500 observed car and booster seats were misused in a way that could be expected to increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash. […]

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer Notes Wrong-Way Highway Accidents Are Often Deadly

Eleven people died last week in two highway collisions, one in Florida and one in California, caused by drivers going the wrong way. Driving the wrong way on highways has been a traffic safety problem since the interstate highway system was first developed. Despite decades of sign improvements at interchanges, the problem persists.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), hundreds of people are killed each a year when drivers turn the wrong-way into the face of oncoming traffic, causing head-on collisions on high-speed highways, and a majority of the crashes involves drivers with blood alcohol levels more than twice the legal limit. A Ford Expedition SUV traveling south on northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida, collided head-on with a Hyundai Sonata just after 2 a.m. on Sunday, killing the SUV driver and all four people in the other car according to the Florida Highway Patrol. […]

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer Says Distracted Driving Kills

In a statement released on January 28, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the rise in mobile device usage while driving has caused an increase in auto accidents. The National Safety Council reports that in the U.S. texting while driving causes 1.6 million accidents annually. Researchers fear that this trend will continue. Drivers who read or write text messages while operating vehicles are 23 times more likely to be in a crash than non-distracted drivers, according to researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

As a result, states have passed distracted driving laws. 41 states plus D.C. have banned text messaging behind the wheel. The report also revealed that 12 states plus D.C. have implemented laws prohibiting all drivers from using handheld devices while operating a vehicle. Additionally, all 50 states have implemented police reports that include sections for distracted driving information in the event of an auto accident. […]

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer Reports on the Hazardous Combination of Drinking and Driving

Every day we read and watch more news reports of drunk driving accidents, many involving children in the vehicle, and a high percentage resulting in fatalities. Any crash involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher is considered to be an alcohol-impaired driving crash. According to a recently released report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Impaired, there were 10,322 fatalities in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2012. 28 people die every day in America as a result of these crashes. NHTSA also reported that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about a quarter involve an underage drinker.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), reported that an estimated 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian. Alcohol affects attentiveness and one’s ability to make quick decisions on the road, […]

Dan Munley, Scranton Injury Lawyer, Explains Why The Roads Can Be Dangerous the Day After Bad Weather

During the winter months in Pennsylvania everyone knows that bad weather can create hazardous road conditions, which lead to car accidents.

But snow and ice can even create dangerous conditions for motorists long after the snow has been cleared from the roads. After the streets have been plowed and the walkways shoveled, ice and snow may still be present on the rooftops of vehicles. This build-up of snow and ice may dislodge while the car is being driven, and cause serious injury to others. This danger is increased when the vehicle is a tractor trailer that can hurl ice from its roof at dangerously high speeds while driving on the highway.

As a personal injury lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys of Scranton, Pennsylvania, I have handled cases where tractor trailer drivers and other motorists forget to remove snow and ice from their vehicles before taking to the road, […]

The REAL WAY Most Bus Accident Cases Are Settled by Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania

Not all Bus Accident Cases are settled in Pennsylvania – what are some factors that lead to a case being settled? Personal injury lawyer explains:

• What percentage of bus accident cases do Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers manage to settle?
• What are some factors that lead to a case settling?
• What kind of money will Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania charge to represent you in a bus accident case? 

WATCH VIDEO: PENNSYLVANIA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS WHO WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR FREE:

What percentage of bus accident cases do Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers settle?

Some bus accident cases are settled by Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers before trial, some are settled at trial, and some are never settled. Your settlement amount and the chances of the case settling at all are determined by a huge amount of factors. […]

Most People Will Be Surprised to Hear How Much Money Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers Can Get For a Bus Crash Settlement

Bus Accident Cases are complicated in Pennsylvania – there are many damages you could potentially sue for. Personal injury lawyer explains:

• What damages could you sue for?
• What percentage of bus accident cases do   Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers settle?
• What kinds of fees do Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania charge and when are these fees imposed? 

WATCH VIDEO: THE PENNSYLVANIA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS AT MUNLEY LAW:

What kinds of damages can Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers recover after your bus crash?

After you or a loved one gets into an accident with a bus or while riding on one, you may be wondering what kinds of damages you could get reimbursed for if your Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers are able to settle your lawsuit for you.

In a Pennslyvania Bus Accident case, […]

Who Can Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers Sue After a Bus Crash? The Answer May Surprise You

After a Pennsylvania Bus Accident, there are more possible parties that could be sued than you may think. Personal injury lawyer explains:

• What parties could be responsible?
• How does the number of parties involved in a lawsuit affect how much settlement money your Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers could get for you?
• Do Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania charge you any initial fees? 

Who can Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers sue after your bus crash?

After you or a loved one gets into an accident with a bus, or while riding in one, there are a number of possible parties that could be held responsible in your lawsuit.

Here’s a list of possible parties that Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers could sue:

• The Owner of the Bus: Potential owners of the bus that Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers could pursue in your lawsuit include; […]

What Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers Will Tell You About Insurance Policies That Big Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know About

Pennsylvania Law gives you two options for car accident insurance coverage: your insurance company won’t like one of them. A Personal injury lawyer from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys explains:

• What’s the difference between a full tort and limited tort policy?
• How much do personal injury lawyers in Pennsylvania charge you to handle your car accident case?
• Do Personal Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania charge up-front fees? 

WATCH VIDEO: PENNSYLVANIA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS TALK ABOUT CAR ACCIDENTS:

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers will advise you to choose “full tort” on your policy

When trying to get money after you get hurt in a car accident, Pennsylvania law provides two options:

Full Tort

or

Limited Tort

If you choose “Limited Tort” […]

Teens and Distracted Driving Could Require a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer

As an experienced injury lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Marion Munley has seen many teens start out as careful, cautious drivers, but it only takes a few months behind the wheel before teens feel over-confident in their driving skills and get involved in a car accident. Dialing cell phones, texting, eating, and talking to passengers are all examples of things that teens may do while driving. Multitasking distracts teens and all drivers from the road, a skill that still requires their full attention.

This topic was recently published in the Jan. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine from a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. The data reveals that, compared to experienced drivers, new drivers engaged in secondary tasks less frequently during the first six months. Between months 7 and 15, […]