Pennsylvania Politician Critically Injured in Head-On Crash

Pennsylvania’s Republican candidate for the 112th District is in critical condition after a collision Monday morning. Raymond Nearhood swerved to avoid a pickup truck that had run out of gas and was stopped on the highway in front of him, according to the Times-Tribune. His car swerved into oncoming traffic crashing head-on into another vehicle.  Nearhood and all three occupants from the other vehicle were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

The vehicles were traveling on Casey Highway near Scranton, PA when Nearhood’s Toyota Camry slammed into an oncoming Cadillac CTS carrying an 8-year-old girl and two women.  The driver and the front-seat passenger of the Cadillac both had to be cut out of the vehicle.  The girl was in the back seat of the car and was safely pulled from the vehicle by other motorists.  Police report that Nearhood was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Stay Alert for Stopped Vehicles

In these tough economic times, more drivers are running out of gas than ever before.  As gas prices rise, some drivers may wait too long to fill their gas tank. Last year at this time, AAA reported an 18% increase in the number of people running out of gas over the previous months.  Unfortunately, trying to eke out a few more miles from your gas tank when you are running low can lead to a serious accident.

AAA suggests if your vehicle shuts down for any reason and is inoperable while on the highway, to make your car as visible as possible — and as quickly as possible. Your safety should be your priority, and making your vehicle fully visible to other motorists is critical to you, your passengers and to other vehicles on the highway. Turn on your flashers and once it is safe to exit your car, place a cone or emergency triangles nearby.  Consider raising your hood and tying a brightly colored garment to it or hanging one out the window.  Make sure to call a friend, a roadside service, or a local gas station for immediate assistance.

An accident such as this reminds us all that it is important for all drivers to be aware for stopped vehicles on Pennsylvania highways.  Our truck accident attorneys encourage all drivers to keep a properly maintained vehicle and to ensure you have enough gas to get to your destination.  It is just as important to stay alert for obstacles or other drivers when traveling our roadways.

About Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Munley Law is a Pennsylvania accident and injury law firm that represents car accident victims and their families throughout the state of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, including those injured in accidents that involve speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, fatigued driving, aggressive driving and careless driving in hazardous weather conditions. The Pennsylvania personal injury law firm’s additional practice areas include trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, toxic chemicals, workplace injuries, nursing home litigation and other serious accidents. To contact the law firm, use the firm’s online contact form.