Philadelphia Passes Hand Held Cell Phone Ban

In response to car accidents, Philadelphia has passed a law banning the use of hand held cell phones while driving.

Philadelphia Passes Hand Held Cell Phone Ban

In response to car accidents, Philadelphia has passed a law banning the use of hand held cell phones while driving.

16 Injured in Philadelphia Bus Accident

16 people were injured when a SEPTA bus collided with a minivan that ran a red light.  Reports indicate that the driver of the minivan was talking on a cell phone.

Truck Owner Headed to Trial for Fatal Accident

The truck owner and driver as well as the owner of a garage where inspection stickers were allegedly purchased are heading to trial on charges stemming from the January 23, 2009 Schuylkill Expressway accident that killed a driver when the truck's brakes failed.

UNDERINSURED VS. UNINSURED CLAIMS IN PENNSYLVANIA

I have just written an article describing underinsured and uninsured automobile accident claims in Pennsylvania.

Schuylkyill Expressway Fatal Accident

A tractor trailer rear ended a car killing one person and seriously injuring another on the Schuylkill Expressway.  Police believe that the truck driver may not have seen the stopped traffic due to sun glare on the Conshohocken Curve.

Three-Vehicle Crash In East Pikeland, PA, Results in Serious Injuries

Two cars and a motorcycle were involved in a crash along Route 113 in East Pikeland, PA, on Saturday, November 10, according to The Mercury. The accident took place between Firehouse Lane and Coldstream Road a few minutes after 9:30 p.m.

The East Pikeland Police Department, Kimberton Fire Company, West End Ambulance, Spring-Ford Rescue Squad, and Humane of Royersford Ambulance all responded to the call.

The two drivers of the cars suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the motorcycle rider was extracted from the crash by emergency workers and airlifted to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).

Fire Company Assistant Chief Al Kritzberger said, "We assisted in the extrication and the victim was placed in an ambulance to be airlifted,"

The fire department crews then cleared and towed the vehicles at the scene of the accident. The road was cleared of the multiple vehicle wreck by 2 a.m. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Punitive Damages Discovery

Federal District Judge James M. Munley in the case of Grosek v. Panther transportation, Inc. has ruled that discovery regarding the financial condition of a defendnat for a claim of punitive damages is permissible. 

In so holding the Judge noted, "it is inefficient to somehow delay discovery on the amount of punitive damages available until after a factual determination on the availabilty of such damages can be made." 

Judge Munley held that once plaintiffs had properly stated a claim for punitive damages "discovery on the amount of the damages is relevant."  Punitive damages are based on the concept that a defendant should be punished financially because of reckless or outrageous conduct.  This is a significant decision in that often times defendants will argue that discovery regarding their financial condition and ability to pay punitive damages is not allowed until there has been a finding that punitive damages should be awarded.

August Library Items: A Focus on Driving Safely In Pennsylvania

What makes a safe driver? Someone who simply abides by the laws of the road? Someone who takes extra measures to drive defensively and buckle up? Someone who is prepared in the event of a car, truck, or motorcycle accident?

The answer is, simply, all of the above. Although Pennsylvania road accident rates have been dropping we have a long way to go before everyone is doing all they can to protect themselves and others on the highways and interstates - from rural roads to the crowded streets of Philadelphia.

Look at some headlines in Pennsylvania, just from this week:

• One-Car Crash Kills Driver On Turnpike (NBC News Channell 10)
  
• PA man To Be Tried In Crash That Killed Driver (York Daily Record)
  
• Two Injured, Including Pennsylvania State Trooper, In Crash (Scranton Times-Tribune)
  

This month, our library items focus on what you can do every day to prevent and prepare for accidents like these. Take a moment to learn how to take the first steps, and then share what you've learned with your loved ones:

• Seat Belt Safety in Pennsylvania: Reducing Injuries in Car and Truck Accidents
• Pennsylvania Car Accident Safety Tips: Taking Precautions And Saving Lives
• What Steps Do You Take Directly After A Car Accident?

What Does the New TACT Initiative Mean to You?

Starting on October 1, the Pennsylvania Police Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will be implementing a new Ticket Aggressive Cars and Trucks Initiative (TACT). TACT will target and punish unsafe drivers along a 33-mile stretch of Interstate 81 highway between Cumberland County and Dauphin County in hopes of reducing the number of car and truck accidents that have been seen along this road.

The program will include highway billboards and brochures to increase driver knowledge of sharing the roads with trucks in addition to a greater police presence in the area, such as marked squad cars, unmarked squad cars, and airplanes.

What does the TACT initiative mean for you?

In general, it means that to avoid an expensive ticket and higher insurance costs, you should drive more carefully along I-81 and around commercial trucks. You shouldn't receive a ticket if you

• Avoid speeding, regardless of how fast the flow of traffic is around you
• Avoid risky lane changes and use your turn signals
• Don't follow too closely, especially when behind a big rig or truck
• Drive defensively and be aware of the vehicles around you

If you are unfamiliar with how to share the road with trucks, educate yourself on their dangers. Remember that they have large blind spots due to the length of their vehicles and may not see you beside or behind them. Remember that they weigh much more and are harder to slow down or turn.

Although more police on the roads might annoy drivers, please remember that they are saving lives, preventing injuries, and protecting you. This TACT initiative may save the life of you or someone you love - and you may never realize it. Hopefully, it will help keep dangerous drivers in check and law-breaking trucks off of our roads.