Distracted driving continues to be a significant cause of car accidents in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reading is a city steeped in industrial heritage with a population of over 95,000 residents. Situated within Berks County and known for its local landmarks such as the Pagoda and the Reading Public Museum, Reading experiences an increased volume of both local and tourist traffic, which contributes to its distracted driving accidents.
There has been an alarming spike in these accidents, with mobile phone use, GPS navigation, and in-car entertainment systems being the main culprits. This issue is magnified by Reading’s busy urban layout, composed of one-way street systems, intersections, and evolving infrastructure. These factors together make Reading’s roads highly susceptible to distractions.
If you or your loved one were injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, contact the Reading distracted driving accident lawyers at Munley Law for a free consultation. Our attorneys will listen to your story and give you a reasonable assessment of your accident claim. Call today to get the process started to seek the fair compensation you deserve.
$32 Million Wrongful Death
$26 Million Truck Accident
$17.5 Million Car Accident
$12 Million Product Liability
$9 Million Truck Accident
$8 Million Truck Accident
$8 Million Truck Accident
$7.5 Million Auto Accident
$6.9 Million Garbage Truck Accident
$6.5 Million Traumatic Brain Injury
$5 Million Medical Malpractice
$5 Million Bus Accidents
Pennsylvania’s Distracted Driving Laws 
Distracted drivers have become a growing concern in Reading and throughout Pennsylvania. The state has been grappling with a substantial rise in accidents related to distracted driving. In fact, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were 80 fatalities from accidents caused by distracted driving in 2022 – up from 60 fatalities in 2021.
Pennsylvania has established several laws aimed at curbing distracted drivers. According to Pennsylvania law, it’s illegal for any driver to text while a vehicle is in motion. This includes reading, writing, or sending text messages. The violation carries a fine of $50, though, with court costs and other fees, the total can be over $100.
However, even with a ban on texting while driving, Pennsylvania has not prohibited handheld cell phone use for all drivers. The only drivers who have restrictions on using cell phones while operating a car are young drivers with a learner’s permit or junior license and school bus drivers.
What Causes Distracted Driving Accidents? 
There are three main types of distracted driving that can cause a motor vehicle accident. The three types are:
Visual distractions
This type of distraction involves anything that takes your eyes off the road. There are many examples of visual distractions. However, the primary culprit is cell phone use while driving. This includes:
- Texting and driving
- Making phone calls
- Reading emails
- Browsing social media.
- Trying to navigate the GPS on your phone
Manual distractions
These types of distractions occur when you take your hands off the wheel. Some of the most common examples of manual distractions include:
- Eating and drinking while driving
- Adjusting the radio
- Adjusting the temperature controls
- Typing or texting
Cognitive distractions
Cognitive distractions are anything that takes your mind off the task at hand – driving. These distractions include:
- Being lost in thought
- Daydreaming
- Having a heated conversation that causes emotional stress
- Using hands-free devices
When a driver’s eyes, hands, and mind are off the road it’s a recipe for disaster. A driver must be focused at all times, obey traffic laws, and drive cautiously in order to avoid a distracted driver accident.
What Are Common Injuries From Distracted Driving Accidents?
Distracted driver accidents can lead to a wide array of injuries, some of which can be severe and even life-altering. An auto accident victim’s injuries may include:
- Whiplash
- Chest and abdominal injuries
- Fractures and broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Amputation
- Cuts, bruising, and lacerations
- Emotional trauma
These injuries highlight the importance of drivers staying focused on the road to ensure safety for all. If you suffered an injury due to the negligence of another driver, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Call the Munley Law firm today for a free consultation today.
Our Reading Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys Can Help
As you navigate the aftermath of a distracted driving accident, hiring an expert legal team is vital to your personal injury claim. A Munley Law distracted driver accident lawyer will help ensure your rights are protected and help seek maximum compensation by:
- Gathering Evidence: We will gather various forms of evidence like traffic surveillance footage, photographs from the accident scene, the police reports, and witness testimonies.
- Cell Phone Records: If phone use was the suspected distraction, we can subpoena cell phone records to demonstrate that the driver was texting or on a call at the time of the accident.
- Expert Witnesses: We will enlist the help of experts such as accident reconstructionist who can recreate the incident using the available evidence and provide an informed opinion about the cause of the accident.
- Driver Admissions: Any statements the at-fault driver made admitting to being distracted can be powerful evidence.
- Demonstrating Negligence: A key part of our job is to establish the elements of negligence—that the driver had a duty of care, that they breached this duty by driving while distracted, that this breach caused the accident, and that the accident resulted in damages to the claimant.
By piecing together all this information, we will build a strong case showing that distracted driving led to the accident and the subsequent injuries or damages.
Damages
While there is no single estimate of how much you can recover in damages, our lawyers will make sure you secure the highest amount of compensation available. Damages for a distracted driving accident claim include:
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Property damage
- Costs for current and future medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
- Loss of consortium
Insurance company negotiations
Your distracted driving accident lawyer will also negotiate with the distracted driver’s insurance company. Many times we achieve settlements that reflect the severity of the suffered injuries. However, when insurance companies fail to do the right thing, a Munley Law distracted driving accident attorney has a proven track record of obtaining favorable verdicts in court.
Our dedicated approach ensures that distracted driving victims receive the comprehensive legal support they need to navigate this challenging time. Call today to speak with one of our Reading car accident lawyers who will fiercely pursue compensation for you and your family.
