Judge Rules Person Who Sent Text Resulting in Motorcycle Accident Not Liable

At the end of May we reported on the distracted driving lawsuit brought by a couple who both lost their left legs when the motorcycle they were riding was struck by a driver who was texting.  The couple claimed that not only should the teen driver of the vehicle that hit them be held liable for their motorcycle accident, but so should the driver’s girlfriend, who sent him a text message just seconds before the crash.

The judge ruled last week in the first case of its kind to hit the dockets in the U.S.  He dismissed the claims against the woman in the lawsuit ruling that the person sending the text to which the driver was responding “cannot be held liable.”

The ruling sends the message that it is not the responsibility of the texter to monitor where the recipient of a text message is when responding to a message.  […]

Summer starts increase of teen driver car accidents

Teens statistically more likely to be in an accident during the summertime

Scranton, PA, June 01, 2012 — Pennsylvania car accident lawyer J. Christopher Munley said today that a recent PennDOT statement about distracted driving among young drivers is a good starting point for an important conversation with their children about traffic safety and car accidents as the summer begins.

“As statistics show, the summer can be the deadliest time of year for teenage drivers,” said Munley, managing partner of the Pennsylvania personal injury firm of Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C. “Now is a good time for parents to talk to young, inexperienced drivers about safe driving and the seriousness of their responsibility as drivers.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers. In the months of June through August, […]

Pennsylvania Residents Asked to Remember the Meaning of Memorial Day and To Drive Safely After Enjoying the Festivities

Memorial Day signifies the start of summer for many people across the United States, and as we pointed out last week, AAA estimates nearly 35 million Americans will take to the roads for their favorite vacation destination.  However, our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys ask that you not forget the meaning of Memorial Day and take the time to honor our fallen soldiers.

“On Memorial Day we need to stop and pay with sincere conviction our respects for those who died protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy, for we owe those honored dead more than we can ever repay.”  This quote is posted on MemorialDay.org to remind U.S. citizens of the sacrifices made for our freedom.

Many cities and towns celebrate our soldiers with parades and ceremonies, including the 145th annual Memorial Day ceremony at Scranton’s Nay Aug Park.  And family and friends get together for backyard barbecues to enjoy the day.   […]

Text message sender is sued in distracted driving accident

Victims in distracted driving accident claim sender of text message enabled driver to be distracted

The victims of a distracted driving accident are making history in the lawsuit they have filed for damages.  A man and his wife who both lost their left legs when the motorcycle they were riding was struck by a driver who was texting are suing the sender of the text message as well as the driver.

The driver of the car that struck the New Jersey couple in Sept. 2009 pled guilty to using a hand-held cellphone while driving, careless driving, and failure to maintain a lane.  The man was sentenced to $775 in fines and was ordered to speak about the dangers of texting and driving at local high schools, according to the article in the New York Daily News.

The couple is seeking damage for medical costs related to their injuries.  […]

Click It or Ticket Campaign Aims to Save Lives over Holiday

The Pennsylvania State Police announced it will partner with PennDOT and local police in support of the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  The campaign, which runs from May 21 through June 10, will focus on seat belt enforcement as well as public outreach to boost awareness of seat-belt safety and laws.

According to the press release, 509 people died last year in Pennsylvania in unbelted crashes, a decrease from 524 such fatalities in 2010. However, the total number of crashes in which people were not wearing seat belts rose last year to 16,298, compared to 15,442 in 2010.

The NHTSA reports that in 2010, safety belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide.  In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that wearing a seatbelt is the most effective way to prevent death and serious injury in a crash. […]