Distracted Driving

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted Driving is when a person operates a motor vehicle while engaging in activities that divert attention from driving tasks, such as:

Talking on a cell phone
Using a navigation system
Texting or emailing
Eating
Adjusting hair or makeup
Using the audio system
Texting

What is Distracted Driving?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Distracted driving is any activity that…takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” Studies have shown that texting while driving significantly increases the likelihood of a crash or near-crash event. The detrimental effects of distracted driving can range from minor fender-benders to severe accidents resulting in life-altering injuries or fatalities.

Understanding the risks associated with distracted driving and adopting safe driving practices can help mitigate its adverse impacts on road safety and overall public safety.

More information about Distracted Driving

Parents Urged to Keep Laundry Pods Away from Children

Once again, manufacturers of a product intended for use by adults have packaged a product in a way that appeals to children, leading to injury. We previously reported on Buckyballs, an adult stress-relieving toy that is made of small magnets, that appeals to young children who swallow the magnets, requiring surgery. Now, ABC News reports that children are mistaking the new single-dose laundry detergent packets, such as Tide Pods, for candy.

An 18-month-old child had to be rushed to the emergency room with severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after he swallowed a pod believing it to be candy. Five months later, according to ABC News, nearly 1,200 children have been treated for swallowing laundry detergent, and eleven of them are critically ill on ventilators. The new laundry packets were first introduced in February.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) issued a warning on May 17 “urging the public, […]

Pennsylvania Drivers Urged to Read DOT’s Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving

Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys have continually stressed the dangers and the tragedy of distracted driving. Just last month we presented information about a young teen who is now serving jail time due to a distracted driving accident that resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man. For some, unfortunately, a serious jolt such as an accident is what it takes to wake them up to the dangers of distracted driving.

However, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who has been steadfast in his battle to end distracted driving in the United States, hopes to end accidents caused by distracted drivers. Now, under his direction, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has launched its Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.

The blueprint, according to LaHood’s blog, Fast Lane, “is putting critical safety information into the hands of those who can make the biggest difference. Parents, teens, driving instructors, […]

Pennsylvania Accident Victims Should Request a Copy of Their Vehicle Accident Report

Earlier this month our PA truck accident lawyers offered some information regarding vehicle accident investigations. However, we did not include information on the crash report and what happens with all the information that is compiled – and how you can access that information. Below we explain the importance of a Pennsylvania crash report.

The Pennsylvania State Police, along with the state’s nearly 1,300 local municipal police departments, have a duty to investigate each traffic accident that occurs on the Pennsylvania roadways. That is no easy task with over 120,000 miles of roads and highways in the state. According to the 2010 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics, in 2010, PA police investigated 121,312 traffic crashes. Of those accidents, 1,324 people died and 87,949 were injured.

When police come upon accidents the scene is often chaotic. The police must first make sure all of the accident victims are properly attended to and then they need to redirect traffic. […]

Facebook and Twitter to be Offered as Features in New Cars

Earlier this year U.S. automakers unveiled their latest features, including improved airbags and seatbelts, focused on saving lives and preventing serious injury in automobile accidents. These features were applauded by safety advocates for helping to keep car occupants safe on America’s highways. However, as carmakers unveil their latest Internet-based features, safety advocates fear automakers are contributing to the distracted driving epidemic.

According to the New York Times, automakers are planning on offering high-tech features in some of their 2013 models allowing drivers to stay ‘wired’ while in the car, without accessing their smartphones. Some of the apps that will be offered by Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Honda, Lexus, and Subaru, among other automakers, include GPS, Pandora streaming music, movie ticket ordering and even restaurant reviews from Yelp. However the carmakers aren’t stopping there. Some of the dealers will be offering access to social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. […]

Small magnets pose risk to children if ingested

We previously published an article warning parents of the health hazards posed to children by Buckyballs, a set of round, high-powered magnets that are meant to be used by adults as a stress-relieving desk toy. Now, the dangers of small magnets are in the headlines again after an article in the Lancet reports two cases of children being injured after swallowing the small magnets in the U.K.

The authors were particularly concerned of the swallowing incidences, one by an 18-month-old and the other by an 8-year-old, since they both happened within the last 18 months and no other cases had occurred in the UK. The 18-month old swallowed ten small, round magnets. The older child swallowed two 2-cm long magnetic strips. Both children had to have the magnets surgically removed, and both made a full recovery. Although the US and Canadian governments have both issued health warnings regarding small magnets, […]

Teen Sentenced to Prison in Distracted Driving Accident

Just this month one judge ruled in a first-of-its-kind case that someone sending a text message cannot be held liable for a distracted driving accident. Now, in the first ruling in Massachusetts history where someone has been convicted for causing a fatal accident while texting behind the wheel, a judge found a teen guilty of killing someone when distracted by his cellphone while driving.

In February 2011, the then 17-year-old killed a 55-year-old man and seriously injured the man’s 50-year-old girlfriend when he crossed the center line and crashed into the oncoming vehicle. After just four hours of deliberation the jury returned a verdict of guilty in the fatal accident, according to CBS News. The teen was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, with a year to serve and the remainder suspended. In addition, the teen lost his driver’s license for 15 years and owes an unspecified amount of restitution. […]

Pennsylvania State Police Announce Pursuit Statistics

The Pennsylvania State Police announced Monday that the number of pursuits across the state increased in 2011. Pennsylvania police were involved in 1,453 vehicle pursuits last year, a slight increase over the 1,413 pursuits reported in 2010.

A pursuit is initiated by police “when the driver of the vehicle is resisting the apprehension by maintaining or increasing his speed or by ignoring the police officer’s audible or visual signal to stop.”

According to the press release, thirteen pursuit-related deaths were reported in 2011. Twelve of those killed were fleeing from police; one death involved an uninvolved person. No Pennsylvania police officers were killed as the result of pursuits. However, in a case we reported in February, a West Virginia policeman died in the midst of a pursuit that crossed the PA line.

Many police chases result in serious car accidents. Last year, […]

Pennsylvania Student Athletes Offered Protection Under Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Bill

Earlier this month we reported on the safety ranking of Pennsylvania in respect to safety initiatives states take to prevent injuries and death among their residents. Pennsylvania was recognized for having a strong youth sports concussion safety law. Now, Governor Tom Corbett has signed a new law that will offer additional protection to young athletes – an act establishing standards for preventing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and death in student athletes.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, SCA is the abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function, and can cause death if not treated within minutes. SCA is attributed to more than 2,000 deaths in the United States each year. The New York Times reports that while sedentary youths are susceptible to SCA, the risk is nearly three times higher in competitive athletes. In addition, a high school student dies of cardiac arrest as often as every three days. […]

AAA Reports Summer Months Deadly for Teen Drivers

Teen drivers more likely to be in an accident in the summertime

Last week our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys asked parents to have open discussions with their teenage drivers to ensure they are fully aware of the dangers of distracted driving and to encourage safe driving behaviors. It is especially critical for parents to get this message out as summer starts, and, according to AAA, five of the 10 deadliest days of the year for teens loom.

The Reporter reports AAA identified that teens are more susceptible to deadly crashes in the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day than any other time period during the year – making it even more critical to educate your teens.

Sadly, AAA has dubbed the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day the “100 deadliest days of summer,” due to the high number of teen accident fatalities. […]

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. […]

PA ranked 30th in U.S. for injury deaths

Researchers set out to determine which U.S. states are the safest. In a study released last month, each state was ranked by 10 key indicators of steps states can take to prevent injuries, including those caused by accidents and violence, to their residents. Pennsylvania received a score of 5 out of 10, leaving the state plenty of room for improvement.

The study, entitled “The Facts Hurt: A State-By-State Injury Prevention Policy Report,” by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), looked at each state, ranking them on a 10 to 0 scale, with states receiving one point for each of 10 policies that could improve safety. Two states, California and New York, scored nine out of the possible 10 points, and had the best overall ratings. Montana and Ohio both scored the worst overall with just 2 points each. Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, […]

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 Receives Truck Safety Award from U.S. DOT

The Pennsylvania State Police announced this month they received the prestigious 2012 Safety Enforcement Improvement Award from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

The award, presented at the FMCSA’s annual leadership conference, is presented to the one state “that demonstrates the greatest improvement to its truck safety enforcement program in terms of cost efficiency and traffic enforcement.”

“This achievement is truly a great honor for the Pennsylvania State Police and our motor carrier enforcement partners,” said State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan when announcing receipt of the award.

More than 100,000 trucks were inspected in PA in 2011, representing a 35 percent increase over the number of inspections performed just three years ago, according to the press release.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports in 2010, the most current year of data, 164 people died in crashes involving a large truck in Pennsylvania. […]

CDC Lowers Amount of Lead Considered Toxic in Children

CDC lowers toxicity level of lead by 50 percent

Our Pennsylvania product liability attorneys have reported on numerous occasions about the dangers posed to children from every-day products – including batteries and magnets. While both of these pose swallowing hazards to children, some toys have been shown to contain lead which can lead to lead poisoning.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that excess lead exposure affects the nervous system and can cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. The EPA reports that children six years old and younger are most at risk. Some of the adverse affects from lead exposure include: damage to the brain and nervous system; behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity; slowed growth; hearing problems; headaches; anemia; and in rare cases of acute lead poisoning from ingestion of lead, seizures, coma and even death. […]

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. […]

PA Teen Drivers With Teen Passengers Are At a Higher Risk of an Automobile Accident

Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys have published a variety of articles stressing the importance of educating teen drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. Last week we presented information regarding Global Youth Traffic Safety Month that kicked off on May 8 to focus on keeping teens safe during the summer when the number of teen car accident fatalities rise.

While we are not “picking” on young drivers, we believe it is critical to pass on as much information to our readers as we can pertaining to teen driving hazards. Unfortunately, a distracted driving or impaired driving accident does not only physically ruin lives, it can also lead to legal and financial issues that can permanently alter a teen’s life.

According to an AP news article, a 16-year-old Connecticut teen is now facing charges, including negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and using a handheld telephone under age 18, […]

Parents Urged to Keep Button Batteries Out of Kids’ Reach

In March we published an article regarding the choking hazards posed to children that swallow “Buckyballs,” or small, round magnets from an adult stress-relieving desk toy. Now, health officials are targeting a new choking hazard for children – “button batteries.”

“Button batteries” are common, coin-sized batteries that are found throughout the house. These batteries are found in electronic games and toys, flashlights, calculators, remote controls, key fobs and even in electronic greeting cards. Unfortunately, children find the small, shiny objects appealing and are swallowing the batteries, holding them in their mouths, or inserting them in their ear canal or nasal cavity.

According to a study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy, an estimated 65,788 patients under 18-years-old have visited a hospital emergency room due to a battery-related exposure incident between 1990 and 2009. That equates to nearly 3,289 battery-related emergency room visits annually.

An article in Reuters Health reports that the batteries can become lodged in a child’s esophagus and push against its walls. […]

Global Youth Traffic Safety Month Begins

Just Friday we presented information from a study that shows that teenage drivers are in denial that they will be the cause of a distracted driving accident. That may not be the case for all teens, however, and the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) is hoping to rally teen safety advocates to help spread the word to other teens to drive safely.

NOYS announced Tuesday the start of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. With a focus on a safe summer, the campaign is “targeting young drivers to commit to the safest summer ever to put an end to motor vehicle crashes.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers aged 15- to 20-years old are especially vulnerable to death and injury on U.S. roadways. In fact, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America with approximately 5,000 teenagers killed every year. […]

Young Drivers In Denial That Distracted Driving Affects Them

Just last week we reported on a study from the University of Leeds that found drivers with just one hand on the wheel that are engaged in a “secondary task” are at increased risk of an accident. Now, researchers at Bridgestone Americas report that while teenage drivers realize distracted driving is dangerous, they don’t see everything that takes one hand off the wheel as a distraction.

The survey, that underscores the findings by those at the University of Leeds, found that even though many teenagers and young adults claim they understand distracted driving, they are in denial that it affects them. In fact, one-third of those surveyed admit to reading text messages while driving, and nearly 25% surveyed do not believe that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous.

The company surveyed 2000 drivers aged 15- to 21-years-old. Among the findings, the researchers found that the young drivers measure their level of safety as a driver by the fact that they haven’t been in an accident or ticketed. […]

Children Left in Parked Cars at Risk for Heatstroke

In anticipation of another hot summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has kicked off a campaign warning Americans of the dangers of leaving children unattended in a hot car. The NHTSA reminds adults that children left alone in a car, even in the most moderate temperatures, can be seriously injured or die from the heat in the vehicle.

To educate the public, the NHTSA announced its first-ever national campaign to prevent child heatstroke deaths in cars, urging parents and caregivers to think “Where’s baby? Look before you lock.”

The NHTSA reports that 33 children died due to hyperthermia (heatstroke) in 2011. Two children have died due to hyperthermia thus far this year. According to the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University, since 1998 there have been at least 529 vehicle-related hyperthermia deaths. More than half of the deaths occurred in children under 2 years of age, […]