Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

Philly.com reports that the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) will be participating in the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. In addition to increasing patrols and implementing regulatory checkpoints, the PSP will also be offering free child seat safety inspections across the state.

In Pennsylvania, drivers and front seat passengers over the age of 18, as well as kids from ages eight to 17 in any seat, are required to wear a seat belt. However, it is considered to be a secondary offense, which means police aren’t able to pull a driver over only for not wearing their seat belt. The fine is $10. Children between the ages of four and eight are required to be in a booster seat, and the fine is also $10 for a violation. Pennsylvania police are able to stop a car on suspicion of having a child from birth to age four who is not in a car seat, the penalty for which is $100.

During the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, the PSP will set up extra regulatory checkpoints where drivers will have to show police their license and registration. If police issue a ticket for a primary violation, they will also be able to issue one for a seat belt violation, if applicable. It is estimated that about one in 12 drivers in Pennsylvania do not use their seat belt regularly.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), it is estimated that over 400 deaths and another 39,000 injuries will result from traffic accidents over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The NCS also estimates that over 300 people potentially may survive the weekend if they wear their seat belts, and over 100 other lives could be saved if everyone wore their seat belt. Over the past six years, there has been an increase of 12 percent in traffic accident fatalities over the Memorial Day holiday weekend as compared to other non-holiday periods.

The Pennsylvania car accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have dedicated their practice to helping those who have been injured as the result of the negligence of another. If you have been injured in a car crash in Pennsylvania that was caused by a negligent motorist, call 1-866-735-2792 to find out more about your legal rights.

WGAL reports that a four-vehicle accident occurred in Fawn Township, York County, on Tuesday, May 17, injuring all four motorists involved as well as two vehicle occupants. Police believe that alcohol or drugs may have been a contributing factor in the crash.

According to the article, the Pennsylvania car accident occurred on State Road 851 in front of Kennard-Dale High School at about 4:20 p.m. A 23-year-old woman was driving east in a 2003 Ford Focus when she crossed into the westbound lanes of traffic. A 56-year-old man driving west in a 2004 Ford Explorer swerved to avoid hitting the woman, and crossed into the eastbound lanes of traffic, where the vehicle was struck head-on by a 2005 Ford Edge driven by a 50-year-old woman. The collision caused the man’s Explorer to flip onto its side. The woman in the first Ford vehicle continued driving until she hit a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country driven by a 33-year-old woman head-on.

All four drivers were taken to a local hospital for treatment. The woman driving the Ford Focus suffered the most severe injuries, sustaining a broken collar bone, possible vertebrae fracture, multiple facial fractures, and other injuries. The man driving the Ford Explorer sustained a shoulder injury, and also reported back pain. His 18-year-old passenger sustained abrasions to his head and a shoulder injury. The woman driving the Ford Edge sustained a broken ankle and her 9-year-old passenger reported a sore neck. The woman driving the Chrysler Town and Country suffered chest, back, and shoulder pain.

Authorities report that all injuries suffered in the collisions are non-life threatening. In a news release, police stated it is believed drugs and/or alcohol were factors in the York County injury accident. The crash is currently under investigation and no charges had been filed at the time the article was written.

If you have suffered injuries as the result of a car crash caused by an impaired or otherwise negligent driver in Pennsylvania, contact the Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Anapol Schwartz. Call 1-866-735-2792 to schedule your free consultation to learn how we can help you obtain the compensation you need and deserve.

Recently, a new rule was announced by the U.S. Department of Treasury that individuals who receive certain federal benefits will be given payment electronically rather than by paper check. The new rule applies to people who are currently given benefits under Veterans Affairs, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security, Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor (Black Lung), and they will have to switch to direct deposit by March 1, 2013. Anyone who applied for benefits on or after May 1, 2011, automatically will begin to receive their benefits electronically. For those who currently receive payment via paper check, they will be required to switch to electronic Social Security disability payment by March 1, 2013.

Millions of Americans depend on these benefits to make ends meet. The new paperless payment system gives benefit recipients a safer and more reliable way of receiving the benefits they need. Receivers of these benefits will not need to wait for their check to arrive via the mail and will instead be immediately paid on their specific payment date. The system also gives benefit recipients peace of mind that their check will not be lost or stolen.

The new paperless Social Security payment system will also save taxpayers in America millions of dollars per year. Previously, paper checks cost taxpayers $120 million per year, and it is expected the new system will save $1 billion over the next 10 years. Electronic payment to benefit recipients will also help the environment by saving 12 million pounds of paper in just the first five years of the implementation of the new system.

The Treasury also offers benefit recipients the option of transferring payment to a DirectExpress Debit MasterCard instead of direct deposit. These cards do not require a bank account, and also does not charge fees for sign-up, having a monthly account, or overdrafts, and are similar to ATM cards. The money is also insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

WNEP-TV reports that a school bus caught on fire in Carroll Township without anyone onboard suffering injuries on Sunday morning, May 15. According to the article, the bus was on its way towards Gettysburg with 45 students and adults from the Jim Thorpe area school district in Carbon County when the incident occurred.

At about 10:19 a.m., the bus began to smoke and lose power. The driver pulled off to the side of the road on Route 15 near Dillsburg, south of Harrisburg, and was able to evacuate all of the occupants of the bus before it caught fire. No injuries were reported. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the bus was fully engulfed in flames. All of the students’ belongings onboard the bus were destroyed. The bus is owned by Kuhn Transportation in Schuylkill County, and the owner of the company says the fire chief told him a faulty fuel pump was the reason for the fire.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports that about 2,210 bus or school bus fires were reported, on average, every year between 1999 and 2003 (the most recent years statistics are available). These fires caused an estimated yearly average of three fatalities and 30 people injured. Overall, during this time period, bus or school fires accounted for about one percent of the total reported vehicle fires, one percent of vehicle fire fatalities, and two percent of vehicle fire injuries. On average, every day six bus or school bus fires were reported during this time period.

Any time a bus fire results in passengers suffering injury or death, an investigation should be launched to determine the cause of the fire. If it is determined the fire resulted from a defective auto part or poor vehicle maintenance, the manufacturer and/or the bus company may be held liable. At Anapol Schwartz, our Philadelphia product liability attorneys have helped many victims receive compensation after they are injured by another person’s negligence. Call 1-866-735-2792 to learn more today.

Philly.com reports that two bills that would increase the restrictions placed on young drivers are going to the Pennsylvania Senate after getting approved by the House on Tuesday, May 10. Both bills aim to reduce distracted driving, particularly among young drivers.

According to the article, the first bill restricts the number of passengers a junior driver is permitted to have in their vehicle. A junior driver is a motorist ages 16- and 17-years-old. These drivers would not be allowed to have more than one teen passenger in their vehicle at a time, in hopes to reduce talking and other distractions. However, younger siblings would be an exception, and having more than one younger sibling as a passenger would be allowed.

Additionally, the bill would increase the number of hours of practice a teen driver must have in order to receive their driver’s license from 50 to 65 hours. Many of the hours would also be required to be at night and in inclement weather. The bill would also require junior drivers to wear their seat belt or they may be stopped by police. In Pennsylvania, it is a secondary offense for drivers 18-years-old or older to fail to wear a seat belt, which means a police officer needs to have another reason to stop a motorist in order to cite them.

The second bill aims to reduce distracted or careless driving, such as using a cell phone or eating and drinking while behind the wheel, in an effort to decrease the number of Pennsylvania cell phone car crashes. However, careless driving, like seat belt violations, would be considered a secondary offense.

The Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have successfully aided many victims who have suffered an injury due to a distracted or otherwise negligent motorist in Pennsylvania. To schedule a free consultation to learn how our lawyers can help you, call 1-866-735-2792.

Philly.com reports that a man from North Philadelphia was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Roosevelt Boulevard in the Olney section of town on Monday, May 9. According to police, the 22-year-old-man was walking across the southbound outer lanes of the road shortly before 2 a.m. when he was hit by a motorist.

Accident investigators have stated they are looking for a dark, older-model Ford Taurus or a Mercury Sable. It is believed the vehicle suffered extensive damage in the fatal Philadelphia pedestrian accident, including a broken windshield and possibly a missing windshield wiper. Anyone with information is asked to all the Accident Investigation Division of the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-685-3180 or -3181.

The article notes that 49 people have been killed on Roosevelt Boulevard in the last five years. When someone is killed in an accident on a road that is considered to be hazardous, their family may be able to hold the government entity that oversees and maintains the roadway liable for the death and other accident-related losses. The following are examples of a dangerous roadway in Pennsylvania for which a city or state government can be held accountable for:

• A road is poorly designed, with dangerous curves, little visibility, narrow shoulders, missing guardrails, or diverts traffic ineffectively
• A road has not been adequately or regularly maintained, such as having potholes or uneven pavement
• A road with traffic signs that are not easily seen
• A road that is not adequately lit
• A road that has ongoing road construction, and does not have sufficient warning signs notifying motorist of the project

When a hazardous roadway accident occurs, in order for the governing body to be held responsible, it will need to be proven that the roadway was a contributing factor in a fatal accident and that the governing body was aware of the dangerous conditions but did not repair the road. The Philadelphia wrongful death attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have the knowledge and skill needed to hold negligent parties accountable for a death caused by wrongdoing or inaction. Call 1-866-735-2792 to learn how our lawyers can help your family during this difficult time.

On May 5, Ray LaHood, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, announced new measures the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is implementing to help guarantee that bus passengers are traveling as safely as possible.

Now, the DOT will require more rigorous testing standards for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), as well as create new rules to reinforce the compliance of federal safety regulations by passenger carriers and their drivers. Additionally, along with state law enforcement, the FMCSA will conduct unannounced motorcoach inspections at popular travel destinations such as amusement parks, casinos, national parks, and sports event venues throughout the spring and summer seasons.

The FMCSA also announced a new rule which requires anyone who applies for a CDL to obtain a commercial driver’s learner’s permit (CLP) first. The new rule also makes it mandatory for all state licensing agencies to use a testing system for CDLs that meets the CDL knowledge and skill standards of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators criteria, as well as disallows the use of foreign language interpreters during testing to reduce the potential for fraud. Previously, testing for CDLs were not uniform across the U.S. and applicants for CDLs were not required to obtain a CLP before a CDL.

The DOT has also suggested several new additional policy proposals intended to set higher standards for passenger carrier safety, including a condition that would permit the DOT to have greater ability to take enforcement action against passenger carriers deemed to be unsafe “reincarnated” carriers by creating a federal standard that would help conclude whether a new carrier is actually the reincarnation of an older, unsafe carrier.

In addition, the DOT has proposed to make it mandatory for new motorcoach companies to go through a full safety audit before given operating authority by the DOT. The DOT has also proposed the revisal of a current law to guarantee that a driver’s CDL can be suspended or revoked following a drug or alcohol-related offense committed in a non-commercial vehicle. Lastly, the DOT has proposed that the penalty of $2,000 a day for passenger carriers that try to operate without authority from the DOT be increased to $25,000 a day.

The Philadelphia bus accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz are committed to helping those who have suffered an injury in a bus crash caused by the negligence of another. To learn how we can help you receive compensation for your injuries and accident-related losses, call 1-866-735-2792.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that the month of May will be designated as National Bike Safety Month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA), are launching a new “Roll Model” campaign to remind parents and caregivers they need to be a positive example to children and teens to ride bicycles safely. The campaign also offers adults the opportunity to improve their own safety habits. According to the DOT, the average age of a bicyclist killed in a bike accident is 41.

One of the main pillars of the campaign is the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet that fits properly to help decrease the chance of an injury in the event of an accident. Since children look to their parents and other adults for guidance, the campaign aims for parents to wear a helmet as well as observe the rules of the road each time they ride a bicycle to encourage children to follow their lead. The campaign also reminds bicyclists that they must follow the same traffic laws as motorized vehicles, such as obeying stop signs and traffic lights and signaling turn intentions.

The “Roll Model” campaign also reminds adults that they should share the road with and treat bicyclists with respect when driving. Motorists should patiently wait and only pass a bicyclist when it is safe to do so, being sure to leave at least three feet between their vehicle and the bicyclist. Distractions such as cell phones should be avoided when driving, as using them greatly increases the chance of not seeing nearby bicyclists and may result in a serious injury or fatal bike crash in Philadelphia and across the U.S.

At Anapol Schwartz, our Pennsylvania bicycle accident attorneys are all too familiar with the difficulties a serious bike crash can cause an injured victim and their family. If you are facing expensive medical bills and lost wages while you recover from injuries that you believe were caused by a negligent motorist, call our highly trained and experienced lawyers. We can help you understand the legal options available to you as well as advise you on the best course of action for your specific situation. Call 1-866-735-2792.

According to US News and World Report, between 2009 and 2010, motorcycle accident-related fatalities declined by about two percent in the United States. It is the second year in a row that deaths have declined, following a 16 percent decline in 2009 after 11 years of increasing motorcycle accident-related fatalities.

The study was conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and is based on preliminary data from the first nine months of 2010 from all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. The study found that 4,376 people were killed in motorcycle accidents during 2010, compared to 4,465 during 2009. There were significant decreases in several states, including a decline of 27 percent in Oregon, a decline of 30 percent in Oklahoma, and a decline of 16 percent in Texas.

However, the report notes there are some areas for concern. The decline in the number of motorcycle accident-related deaths was mainly during the earlier months of 2010, with fatalities increasing by approximately three percent during the last quarter of the year when compared to 2009. Additionally, helmet use among motorcyclists declined, from 67 percent during 2009 to 54 percent during 2010.

The report calls for states to focus their efforts on increasing motorcycle safety, including helmet use, reducing speeding, reducing drunk driving, and offering motorcycle training courses to anyone who needs or wants it.

At Anapol Schwartz, our Philadelphia wrongful death lawyers have successfully helped many families in Pennsylvania receive the compensation they need after they have lost a loved one in an accident that was due to another’s negligence. To learn how we can help your family pursue your legal rights, call 1-866-735-2792 to schedule your free consultation today.