March 28th, 2012
A recent report by the Governor Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found that speeding and aggressive driving is still a problem in the United States that needs to be dealt with so that future lives are saved and people are spared the pain of injuries.
How is Pennsylvania doing in the fight against speeding and aggressive driving? According to the GHSA:
• Pennsylvania does not fund speed detection equipment, overtime speeding enforcement, or speed related public awareness campaigns. It is the only state in the nation not to fund any of these three things. The 49 other states fund at least one out of three and more than half the states fund all three.
• Pennsylvania is one of the few states that does fund speed detection equipment and overtime related to aggressive driving.
• Red light cameras are allowed by local ordinance and in Philadelphia.
• Automated speed enforcement is not allowed in Pennsylvania.
Regardless of Pennsylvania laws about speeding, you may have rights if you have been hurt by a speeding or aggressive driver in Pennsylvania. Please contact a PA auto accident lawyer to discuss your rights and potential recovery.
Posted in Legal Comments
March 26th, 2012
Pennsylvania State Police are required to investigate accidents that occur on state roads or interstates and that result in death, injury, or damage to a vehicle that is so significant that the vehicle can’t be driven away from the accident scene. While you, and your PA auto accident lawyer, may be interested in the police report it is important to remember that you may still have a case even if the content of the report is wrong.
Police officers do their best to get the content of the accident report correct. However, there are a number of reasons why an error might occur. For example:
• Officers must manage public safety at the same time they investigate and write the report.
• Officers were not there at the time of the accident and thus may miss critical information.
• The goal of a police officer’s accident report is not to make your legal case for you. Instead, it is to obtain information to prevent future accidents.
If you have been hurt in a Pennsylvania car crash then please contact an experienced lawyer to learn more about your rights and about how to handle an incorrect police report.
Posted in Accident News
March 20th, 2012
Earlier this month state regulators in Ohio said that a dozen small earthquakes in Ohio were almost certainly caused by fracking. While these earthquakes were not strong enough to do damage, they may be evidence that fracking is having unintended consequences. Pennsylvania authorities have not yet reported any earthquakes related to fracking in the Commonwealth.
Given the known risks of fracking and the potential that additional risks may be uncovered in the future, it is important to understand your rights if you work or live on or near a fracking site. A Pennsylvania fracking lawyer may be able to help you if you’ve been hurt and need to file a fracking lawsuit in PA. Call today to find out more about your rights.
Posted in Fracking Accident Lawsuits
March 14th, 2012
The results of a new study found that 19% of teenagers in the United States admit to driving a car under the influence of marijuana. That is higher than the 13% of teens who admit to driving under the influence of alcohol, according to SADD.
Adding to this concern is that 36% of teens believe that marijuana use has no effect on their driving skills and data indicates that marijuana use among high school seniors is at its highest level in decades. Unfortunately, the problem seems to be getting worse not better. In 2009, more teens were able to identify the risks of usinig marijuana and driving.
Our Pennsylvania accident and injury lawyers are concerned about this trend and about the children in this state. What do you think should be done to educate teens about the dangers of using marijuana and driving?
Posted in Accident News, Drunk Driving
March 12th, 2012
Headlines across the state have announced that the arrival of a statewide ban on texting and driving in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which took effect last week. Many of the news stories point to the benefits of banning texting and driving and are hopeful that the ban will result in fewer tragedies on our roads.
Our attorneys for personal injury victims share that hope, but we also have some concern. We are concerned that the law has had some unintended consequences such as nullifying the ban on handheld cell phones in cities like Harrisburg and Philadelphia. As the statewide distracted driving law went into place, the city ordinances banning handheld cell phones became obsolete because they were superseded by state law. It is once again legal to use a handheld cell phone and drive in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and other cities and townships that had their own ordinances.
What do you think about this side effect? Should the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania consider a statewide ban on handheld cell phones? Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.
Posted in Legal Comments
