State College Sees Decline In Traffic Fatalities

Good news for residents of State College, PA!  New statistics show that the number of traffic-related fatalities has largely dropped in the past several years.  Many of these numbers reflect a reduced amount of fatalities related to no seatbelt use, speeding, and alcohol consumption.  However, some subsets of traffic-related fatalities actually increased.  The number of deaths involving distracted driving increased by 57 in the past year, as well as deaths related to head-on or side-swipe crashes.  For more information on the new statistics, please click here for the original StateCollege.com article. 

If you are involved in a car accident, most states, including Pennsylvania, have at least one section on the incident report dedicated to distracted driving violations.  Fines and charges may increase if you are cited with one of these violations.  In addition to fines and charges for distracted driving, you also are putting yourself and others in danger.  Attorney Stoehr represents those injured through no fault of their own, including automobile and pedestrian accidents. Call today for your free case evaluation 814-946-4100 or visit his website at http://www.stoehrlaw.com.

An Editorial On PA's Distracted Driving Problem

Pennsylvania has had a driving and texting ban that has been in effect since 2011.  However, many drivers continue to text on the road, as well as engage in other forms of distracted driving.  What have Pennsylvania and other states done to address this issue?  Some of the things that police have done include sitting in unmarked SUVs and riding city buses to be able to look down on drivers.  You might want to read this editorial, written in Lancaster Online, to find out more.  

 Distracted driving is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents on the highway.  If you have been injured as the result of a distracted driver, it might be time to consult an attorney.  Tractor-trailer drivers are also cited with distracted driving, and can leave devastation in their wake after a highway accident.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer serving western and central Pennsylvania.  Please visit his website athttp://www.stoehrlaw.com for more information.

Truck Drivers Guilty of Distracted Driving

When you see tractor-trailers moving along our country's highways, you expect their drivers to be safe, alert, and vigilant. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.  A local New York City news source just posted an article about the increased occurrence of truck drivers who text and drive.  According to the news report, through local ABC news station 13WHAM,  "A hidden camera investigation has uncovered a dangerous trend on highways. WABC-TV in New York City set up camera on several of highly travel roadways, catching truckers texting and talking on their phones and one driver even talking on two cell phones at once. The New York State Department of Transportation said nearly 16,000 truckers were ticketed for distracted driving in 2013, but only four of them were suspended and taken out of service." 4 out of 16,000 drivers who were caught texting while driving seems like a tiny percentage!    

If you are involved in a car accident, most states, including Pennsylvania, have at least one section on the incident report dedicated to distracted driving violations.  Fines and charges may increase if you are cited with one of these violations.  Distracted driving is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents on the highway.  If you have been injured as the result of a distracted driver, it might be time to consult an attorney.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer serving western and central Pennsylvania.  Please visit his website athttp://www.stoehrlaw.com for more information.

Please read more of the original 13WHAM article by clicking this link. 

Large Award for Family of Tractor-Trailer Accident Victim

Many people who have traveled on Pennsylvania’s state highways, especially on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, have most likely noticed the large amount of tractor-trailers.  Although many of these drivers are conscientious and considerate, many others are aggressive, speed, and frequently switch lanes without signaling.  As a result, Pennsylvania has a high number of tractor-trailer accidents, which can lead to serious accidents and fatalities for neighboring cars and trucks.

            One such case of a Pennsylvania tractor-trailer accident has been recently publicized in the local media.  In this particular case, a tractor-trailer driver in Lebanon County, PA failed to signal before pulling back out onto the highway at under 20 miles per hour, causing a neighboring car to crash into the truck.  The crash claimed the life of the car’s driver, who was a father of four.  His widow sued the trailer driver and his employer for a variety of charges, including wrongful death, negligence, and punitive damages.  The judge ruled in favor of the victim’s family, awarding over 2 million dollars in damages.

            If you or a loved one has been in an accident due to the fault of a tractor-trailer, it might be time to consult with an attorney.  Attorney Doug Stoehr represents clients in Blair and the surrounding counties in central and western Pennsylvania.  For more information on his law firm, please visit his website at http://www.stoehrlaw.com or call his office at 814-946-4100.

To read more about the Lebanon County tractor-trailer lawsuit and verdict, please visit this website: http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/01/13/64479.htm.

TEXTING + DRIVING = SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

                In Cambria County last Wednesday a driver waived his preliminary hearing on charges that he was responsible for the deaths of two people.  The driver was charged with among other things, texting while driving.  While the Commonwealth has a heavy burden to carry, what is interesting is that this is the first time texting while driving charges have been filed in Cambria County since the law prohibiting texting while driving had been enacted nearly 2 years ago.   This tragedy occurred close to home in Cambria County, but may have easily occurred in Blair, Centre or Huntingdon County. 

                Cases like this have serious consequence not only criminally, but also civilly.  A Victim’s family may have a claim for serious personal injuries.  At the Law Firm of Douglas V. Stoehr we have experience in handling injury claims caused by the negligence of drivers that are texting while driving.  If you have been the victim of an auto accident related to a distracted driver please give either Attorney Doug Stoehr or Attorney Aaron Ling a call to evaluate your case today. 

                Remember that responding to that text message can wait.  No message it worth your life, or the life another individual.