Munley Law Blog

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, […]

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. […]

The Most Common Medical Errors

What are the most common medical errors?

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, after cancer and heart disease. According to a Johns Hopkins study, medical mistakes kill more than 250,000 people every year. These numbers are scary for patients who quite literally place their lives in the hands of medical professionals every day.

Even in the best hospitals in the country, mistakes can happen. But, that doesn’t mean you should avoid getting necessary medical treatment for fear of something going wrong. Instead, equip yourself with knowledge. Be aware of the most common types of preventable medical errors:

1. Misdiagnosis

Error in diagnosis is a common medical error. Incorrect diagnosis can result in unnecessary or harmful treatment. A wrong diagnosis also means that the patient’s true illness won’t be treated right away, […]

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. […]

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. […]