Truck crash on I-81 claims two lives

Yesterday, a tractor trailer crash on Interstate 81 killed two people and seriously injured two others.

A family from Canada was traveling on I-81 northbound in Scott Township near the Fleetville exit.  They were stopped in traffic when they were rear-ended by a tractor trailer operated by JVM Transport. The truck crash killed the 45-year-old father and 10-year-old son; the mother and daughter were taken to the hospital in Lackawanna County. The driver of another tractor trailer that had been stopped in traffic was also taken to the hospital.

Via WNEP: “According to investigators, the big rig did not stop in time and hit the car which was stopped in traffic from an earlier crash.” 

Dan Munley, former chair of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trucking Litigation Group, states that  “we have handled other cases in our area where a tractor trailer failed to stop in traffic and either killed or seriously injured another driver. […]

Truck driver shortage raises safety questions

Why is there a truck driver shortage?

The trucking industry is in need of truck drivers. The shortage of truck drivers in the past 15 years has been a burden on the trucking industry.  The shortage of drivers has seen delayed deliveries, and higher prices on goods all over the U.S.  According to the American Trucking Association, more than 70 percent of goods are moved by the trucking industry, and more than 900,000 new truckers are needed to pick up delivery demands.  The shortage of truckers has forced some major retailers to pay higher prices on shipments so that they may arrive on time.

This desperate time has lead the trucking industry to increase pay for truckers by 15 percent just to attract new entrants in the industry.  They are also offering sign-on bonuses to new truckers, and major pay raises.  Despite the enticing higher wages, […]

Family of Marine killed in truck crash receives $8M settlement

Representing the Stevens family has been one of the greatest honors of our careers. It has been our privilege to advocate on their behalf and bring this case to a just resolution.  Read more about the case below.

On Monday, the truck accident lawyers at Munley Law reached an $8 million settlement in a case stemming from a deadly truck accident in Susquehanna County. The crash claimed the life of 27-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Stevens.  Stevens was an active duty Marine and the father of two young boys. He served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was in town for his sister’s wedding. His wife Katherine Stevens was represented by Marion Munley, Robert W. Munley, III, and Caroline Munley. The case was scheduled for trial this week before the Honorable John Jones of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

“The family was devastated by the loss and we are pleased that we were able to bring some small measure of justice,” said Attorney Robert W. […]

Truck Accident Lawyers, Local Officials Say No to Bigger Trucks

Bigger Trucks Threaten Public Safety and Infrastructure

“Bigger Trucks: Bad For America’s Local Communities,” a letter written by over 1,000 local government leaders, was presented to Congressional Capitol Hill offices on February 22, 2018.  The letter, signed by mayors, local engineers and public works employees, argues that “Longer and heavier trucks would cause significantly more damage to our transportation infrastructure, costing us billions of dollars that local government budgets simply cannot afford, compromising the very routes that American motorists use every day.” Currently, federal limits are 80,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight.  Notably, some states allow heavier trucks on roads that are not a part of the interstate system.

According to the Washington Post, one 40 ton truck can do as much damage to a road as 9,600 cars.  And the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks cites a US Department of Transportation study stating that increasing truck weight to 91,000 pounds  “would negatively affect more than 4,800 bridges, […]

Bipartisan Underride Bill Could Prevent Deadly Crashes

Truck underride bill to require new safety standards

Lawmakers from both parties recently introduced a potentially life-saving bill to mandate that underride guards be installed on the front and sides of large trucks. The Stop Underrides Act of 2017 was introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D- N.Y.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as well as Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.).

Under the current federal law, underride guards are only required for the back of trucks. The proposed bill would also require an update of the outdated standards for underride guards on the rear of a truck. Guards would be required to be tested and would need to prevent a vehicle traveling at 35 mph from sliding under a tractor trailer. The standard would apply to single-unit trucks, semis and trailers weighing more than 10,000 lbs.

The goal of this new legislation is to prevent deadly truck underride crashes. […]

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 policy. 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.

Pennsylvania personal injury firms such as Munley Law are 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, […]

Truck Accident on I-81 in Wilkes-Barre

Tractor trailer crash on I-81 in Wilkes-Barre – a truck accident lawyer’s perspective

A truck accident near the Highland Park Boulevard exit in Wilkes-Barre, PA this morning shut down Interstate 81 when one tractor trailer rear-ended another at around 4 a.m. One driver was trapped inside his truck and was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries.

Truck accident lawyer and former chairman of the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group Dan Munley notes the significance of the time of the crash: “Leading indicators show that at the time of the crash, the truck driver would have been at an increased risk for a fatigue-related accident.” A complete investigation will determine whether fatigue played a role in this case.

The human body operates on a 24-hour cycle, during which we are programmed to need rest at certain times of day. […]

Feds abandon driver fatigue test, put “millions of lives at risk”

Feds drop another transportation safety rule, scrap sleep disorder testing

In the latest slash to federal regulations, many of which concern public safety, federal transportation agencies have dropped efforts to improve detection of sleep apnea, a breathing disorder linked to driver fatigue and deadly train and truck accidents.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have moved to leave testing to individual transport and rail companies.

New York’s  MTA and some private transportation companies made moves in the last year to test their drivers and engineers for sleep apnea, a sleep disorder linked to deadly crashes. Metro North in New York found that more than 11% of their drivers tested had sleep apnea.

What is sleep apnea? Why should drivers and engineers be tested?

Obstructive  sleep apnea is a disorder that causes the throat muscles to relax and close the wind pipe during sleep. […]

Families leading the fight for safer trucks

Who doesn’t want safer trucks? Weighing 80,000 lbs and driven by truckers too often pushed to their physical and mental limits, a tractor trailer barreling down the highway at 70+ mph can cause unimaginable damage in an accident. Still, potentially life-saving measures

Leading the fight for safer trucks are the people who know too well the devastation these vehicles can cause — the parents of children killed in tractor trailer collisions. Their mission has become to improve safety regulations that can save lives and prevent other families from experiencing the unnecessary loss that they have. However, even when the benefits are obvious and the costs minimal, truck safety regulations stall.

Underride Guards

Two mothers have devoted their lives to advocating for better underride guards after their children were killed in underride crashes. Marianne Karth and Lois Durso both lost their daughters in crashes involving tractor trailers. […]

Trucking companies to increase testing for deadly sleep apnea

Truck drivers face high risk for sleep apnea

Trucking companies may more frequently screen their drivers for sleep apnea in an effort to combat drowsy driving accidents.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder that causes breathing to start and stop during sleep, leading to less restful sleep and increased drowsiness. For drivers, especially truckers, bus drivers, or train engineers, drowsiness can become deadly.

Why test truck drivers for sleep apnea?

Truck drivers’ concern with sleep apnea is twofold. Their profession makes them both more likely to develop sleep apnea, and more at risk of death from its effects.

Driving a truck involves sitting for long periods of time, eating at truck stops along the road, and irregular sleeping schedules. Factors that can contribute to sleep apnea include obesity, smoking, bad diet, and poor sleep habits. […]