Snow and Frigid Temperatures Cause Dangerous Road Conditions in Pennsylvania

Snowy road conditions have already caused hundreds of accidents in Pennsylvania this winter, shutting down highways and resulting in deaths and many injuries. During a sudden heavy storm over the recent holidays, a chain reaction crash involving 35 vehicles closed down a section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Several tractor-trailers were mixed in the wreckage, which caused a 4-mile traffic jam. Ten people were taken to area hospitals.

According to a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer, those same wintry conditions existed when more than 40 vehicles piled up in multiple crashes on I-78, closing the interstate for a time, and resulting in more than 60 injuries. State Police also reported that sudden snow squalls causing numerous accidents resulted in the Northeast Extension of the turnpike being closed on Christmas Eve from Clarks Summit to Allentown. Numerous accidents have also been reported on smaller roadways throughout Pennsylvania.

Advice from Pennsylvania personal injury attorney Julia Munley on what to do if you are in an accident. […]

A Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer tells you what you should do right after a car accident

Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer: After you get into an accident, there are things that you can choose to DO and NOT DO right afterward that may affect your injury claim against the other driver’s insurance company.

A Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer will advise doing the following right after the accident takes place:

• Stay inside your vehicle unless it’s too dangerous to do so
• Turn on your hazard lights
• Call 911 even if the accident didn’t seem too bad
• Seek medical help for anyone involved in the accident if needed
• Don’t move any vehicles or alter the scene unless you have to
• Don’t leave the scene
• Write down the names, addresses and phone numbers of everybody involved in the accident, including witnesses
• Write down the names/badge numbers of police officers who come to investigate
• Take pictures of injures and damage
• DON’T admit fault
• Call your insurance company right away and let them know what happened
• DON’T talk about the accident with anyone except the police and your own insurance company. […]

How Much Will You Have to Pay an Injury Lawyer to Help Win Your Car Accident Case?

How much may you have to pay a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer to help you?

Here’s something that may make you feel better if you’re fretting about getting a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer involved in your case: Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers work on a contingency fee basis; this means that they don’t make any money unless they win your case. So you don’t have to worry at all about paying them out of pocket.

Another reason you shouldn’t worry about talking to a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer:

You can call a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys anytime, or come into our office and talk to us – all for free. We know you have questions, and we can answer as many as you’d like. We don’t bill by the hour, we’re not out to take money from you; as injury lawyers in Pennsylvania, our job is to deal with the insurance companies – […]

Car Runs Into House in Lancaster County

Driver falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into home

Not all car crashes in Pennsylvania involve one motor vehicle colliding with another. Some wrecks are the result of rollovers and other single-vehicle accidents. Other times, automobiles crash into fixed objects – like a house.

A case in point happened February 16 in Lancaster County, when a passenger car smashed through the wall of a private home in East Earl Township. A resident inside was knocked from the couch where he had been sleeping. He suffered minor injuries.

The accident occurred in the early morning hours. The driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel, and police are investigating whether alcohol was a contributing factor.

There were 121,312 traffic crashes in Pennsylvania in 2010, according to reports filed with the state Department of Transportation. These wrecks claimed the lives of 1,324 people and injured another 87,949 people. […]

Red Light Cameras Reduce Intersection Wrecks

Placing video cameras on stoplights cuts down on drivers running red lights by more than 80 percent, new research suggests. The result: fewer intersection crashes and auto accident deaths.

Those are the key findings from a just-released traffic safety study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

“This study provides fresh evidence that automated enforcement can get drivers to modify their behavior,” said Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at IIHS and the study’s lead author, in a news release.

Approximately 540 towns and cities nationwide have red light cameras. A growing string of studies have shown that the devices curb automobile accidents and improve road safety.

The most recent study involved filming traffic flow at four heavily-traveled intersections in Arlington, Virginia. One camera was installed at each intersection.

Motorists were given a 30-day warning period before enforcement began. […]

One in Four Moms Text While Driving With Babies

New mothers are talking and texting on cell phones – and even checking e-mail – while driving with their baby on board, according to a new survey.

Seventy-eight percent of mothers with children under two years old admitted talking on the phone while driving with their babies. And more than a quarter of them said they text and check e-mail.

The survey was conducted by the child-protection advocacy group Safe Kids Worldwide and American Baby magazine.

One scary conclusion: The driving habits of new moms are every bit as dangerous as that of teenage drivers.

Texting while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Following is from USA Today:

The survey of 2,396 mothers finds an attitude among new moms that is reflected in the general population: They tend to think they’re safe drivers but actually engage in risky habits. […]

Wrong-Way Interstate Crash Claims Two Lives

Two drivers were killed in a Dauphin County head-on wreck caused by a driver going the wrong way on I-283.

The deadly accident happened in the early morning hours of February 4 in Lower Swatara Township near the Turnpike interchange.

Motor vehicle crashes involving wrong-way drivers cause nearly 400 fatalities each year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. About 22 percent of wrong-way automobile crashes are fatal – compared with less than one percent of all other crashes.

This is from WGAL News 8:

Investigators said the driver of a silver Hyundai Accent was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes. The Hyundai hit a Volkswagen Jetta head-on.

Neither car had any passengers and the drivers died on impact, state police said. The driver the Volkswagen was a 59-year-old man from the Jonestown area. […]

10 Tips for PA Winter Driving Safety

A recent article in the New York Times Magazine has found that dangerous driving is once again a serious issue in America. According to the article, in September 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation released data that showed that 21 states had recorded climbing rates of fatal crashes in 2023 compared with the same period in 2022.

Not only is it dangerous for other drivers to be on the roads, but pedestrians as well — a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that SUVs or vans with a hood height that’s greater than 40 inches are 45 percent more likely to kill pedestrians than smaller cars.

Unfortunately, the winter weather does pose a significant threat to many Pennsylvanians each year. Snowy weather causes treacherous conditions on our roadways. Each winter, we hear stories of people injured and killed in auto accidents across Pennsylvania caused by drivers who don’t use proper care in hazardous conditions. […]

Nurse Killed Crossing Philadelphia Street

A woman dashing across a Philadelphia street January 11 was struck by a car – and then run over by at least one other vehicle.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

In 2011, pedestrian-related crashes represented 3.6 percent of all reported traffic crashes in Pennsylvania. That year, 149 pedestrians were killed.

Following is an account of the fatal pedestrian accident from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

A woman attempting to run across Penrose Avenue in South Philadelphia was hit by a car, then run over by at least one more vehicle, in light rain about 5:30 PM Friday, police said.

Maria Mercer, 42, of Olney, was a nurse at Catch Inc., a community mental health center. Police said she was scheduled to work through midnight and took a break to go to a cash machine at a nearby gas station. […]

EMS Driver Caught Driving Drunk

State police in Swiftwater arrested a woman for driving an EMS vehicle drunk on December 29.

The emergency service driver was stopped for speeding and following another vehicle too closely. Arresting officers determined she was too impaired to drive.

Each year automobile accidents in Pennsylvania claim the lives of more than 1,000 people and injure another 85,000 more. More than 70 percent of the state’s auto accidents in 2010 resulted in an injury or fatality.

Far too many of these wrecks were caused by a driver’s negligence or recklessness.

Following is from the Scranton Times-Tribune:

A Monroe County woman was arrested Saturday for driving an emergency medical services vehicle while under the influence.

State police at Swiftwater stopped Stacy M. Ems, 23, Paradise Twp., around 1 AM for speeding and following another vehicle too closely on Buttermilk Falls Road, […]

Disaster Averted With Wrong-Way Driver on I-81

Law enforcement had to form a moving road block to stop a confused Carbon County motorist who drove 18 miles the wrong way down Interstate 81.

Amazingly, nobody was hurt in the incident.

There are more than 100,000 motor vehicle crashes in Pennsylvania each year, according to the state Department of Transportation. These wrecks will claim the lives of 1,000 people and injure and disable many thousands more.

Here is one newspaper account of the wrong-way driver on I-81:

State police formed a rolling road block to stop a Carbon County woman who drove the wrong way on Interstate 81 for 18 miles starting near Dickson City.

State police at Dunmore received calls around 5:30 a.m. about a vehicle, driven by Paige Cicardo, 22, of Albrightsville, traveling south on I-81 north near the Main Avenue exit. […]

Pregnant Women Should Buckle Up, NHTSA Says

When you are carrying a child and as your abdomen grows, wearing a seatbelt (or anything else for that matter) can feel constricting and uncomfortable. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says this shouldn’t stop you from buckling up. By wearing your seatbelt, you are protecting not only yourself in the event of an accident, you are protecting your unborn child as well.

As reported by the NY Daily News, pregnant women involved in car accidents put their unborn children at risk for injury as well. The more severe your auto accident injuries are, the more serious the risk to your child is. In the most extreme cases, you could miscarry as a result of a bad accident.

Wearing a seatbelt protects both of you when an accident occurs. In an effort to encourage moms-to-be to buckle up, the NHTSA issued a safety bulletin with details on how to keep pregnant women safe in vehicles. […]

4 Pennsylvania School Bus Accidents In One Week

Week in early December 2012 yields high amount of school bus accidents

In less than a week, there were four separate school bus wrecks in Pennsylvania – with dozens of students being rushed to hospitals.

Contributing factors included inclement weather, hazardous road conditions, decreased visibility due to shorter days and increased holiday traffic.

There were 121,312 reportable traffic wrecks in Pennsylvania in 2010, according to the state Department of Transportation. A total of 1,324 people were killed in Pennsylvania automobile crashes that year, and 88,000 were injured.

Following are summaries of the four school bus wrecks, all of which occurred in early December:

• 20 York County students taken to the hospital. The school bus they were riding in was struck from behind by a sports utility vehicle just after 7 AM on December 14. The extent of the injuries was unknown, […]

Teen Killed In Bucks County Car Crash

A teenager was killed and another critically injured in a single-car collision in Bucks County on December 9.

Three other teens riding in the back seat climbed from the wreckage dazed and bleeding. All three were taken to the hospital.

The teen who died was in the front passenger seat. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

By law, individuals who are injured in a Pennsylvania motor vehicle crash, or the families of people killed through no fault of their own, have a right to compensation for their losses.

Here is a news report on the tragic Bucks County accident:

Cameron Smithwick, 19, was killed and LJ Tanner, 18, was left in critical condition. Three other teens in the car also had to go to the hospital.

Cameron’s family says the silver Monte Carlo hit a bump and flipped several times before crashing into a utility pole. […]

7 Tips for Safe Winter Driving in PA

Winter driving safety relies on Department of Transportation as well as drivers

In the coming months, state highway workers will be dumping nearly a half-million tons of salt to keep icy Pennsylvania roads safe.

And drivers are being urged to do their part as well.

This is the season of dangerous travel. In 2011, there were 1,994 vehicle crashes and 19 fatalities during the Christmas and New Year travel periods in Pennsylvania.

The state Department of Transportation – with 5,400 operators and 2,250 trucks on standby – has issued a winter travel safety alert:

“PennDOT’s primary goal during winter weather is keeping our nearly 40,000 miles of roadway passable, which means they won’t necessarily be free of ice and snow during storms,” [PennDOT Secretary Barry] Schoch said. “Getting through winter safely is a shared responsibility between us and our customers.”

Following are some safe winter motoring tips:

• Know the danger areas. […]

Text & Wreck Targets Young PA Drivers

Young drivers in Pennsylvania will soon be noticing a “Text and Wreck” button popping up on social media sites.

The logo is the winning entry in a national Distracted Driving Design Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Its creator was 14-year-old high school student Hah’mari Watson, who said the artwork was inspired after she and her family were in a car crash caused by a texting driver.

View or download her winning “Text & Wreck” icon here.

The Distracted Driving Design Challenge was held to create awareness among young motorists about the dangers of texting and cell phone use behind the wheel. The “Text & Wreck” image will be used on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

“The Department of Transportation is committed to helping young drivers get the message that texting and driving don’t mix,” said U.S. […]

Yellow Dots Save Lives in Pennsylvania Car Crashes

Two new motorist safety programs make sure Pennsylvania drivers never get behind the wheel without bringing important medical information along.

The Yellow Dot and Emergency Contact Information initiatives were announced November 9 by Governor Tom Corbett:

“Both of these programs speak for people when they can’t speak for themselves, so medical concerns can be addressed and contacts can be reached as quickly as possible,” Corbett said. “When someone is in a crash or they find themselves in an emergency situation, it’s critical that emergency responders quickly find out as much as they can about the victim.”

Participants in the Yellow Dot program fill out the program form with their emergency contact, medical contact and medical information, insert it in the program’s folder and then place it in their vehicle’s glove compartment. Participants then place a yellow dot sticker on their vehicle’s rear window. […]

Pennsylvania Celebrates International Walk to School Month

PennDOT is joining forces with other organizations across the United States, and the world, in supporting International Walk to School Month throughout October.  Using the motto “Get up, Get out, and Get Moving!” the organizers are focusing on demonstrating the role walking and bicycling to school can play in improving health, safety and community life.

According to iWalk, the official website of International Walk to School Month:

“International Walk to School Month gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of walking. Walkers from around the world walk to school together for various reasons — all hoping to create communities that are safe places to walk.”

“Every child should have the opportunity to walk to school safely,” said Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari. “Walk to School Day [held Oct. […]

CDC Statistics Show One Million Teens Drink and Drive

One million teens drink and drive, down 54 percent in 20 years

Just last week our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys reported that teens tend to mimic the unsafe driving behaviors of their parents.  Now, in a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers confirmed this behavior, specifically with drinking.  According to the report, “teen alcohol consumption and drinking and driving patterns are correlated with those of adults living in the same state.”

The CDC released its latest study on teen drinking, Vital Signs: Drinking and Driving Among High School Students Aged ≥16 Years — United States, 1991–2011. The report was compiled after analyzing data from the 1991–2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) to describe the trend in prevalence of drinking and driving (defined as driving one or more times when they had been drinking alcohol during the 30 days before the survey) among U.S. […]

Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer Joins Call to Ban Use of Hand-Held Cell Phones While Driving

Scranton, PA, September 27, 2012 — Pennsylvania car accident attorney Caroline Munley said today that she supports efforts to broaden the state’s distracted driving laws to include a ban on using hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel.

A law prohibiting texting while driving in Pennsylvania became effective earlier this year. However, because it is still legal to talk on a cell phone or search for contacts on a phone while behind the wheel, police say it is difficult to detect drivers engaged in text messaging and enforce the ban, according to a recent Scranton Times-Tribune report.

“If the goal of the law is to deter drivers from engaging in conduct that is dangerous and puts others at risk of distracted driving accidents, injury and death, then a full ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving a motor vehicle is an entirely appropriate, […]