According to police, Ronald Gorey of Bethel was reading the paper when he rear ended a car driven by Mark Shirk, also of Bethel, on January 25, 2012. The crash occurred on Route 183 at Solly Lane. Mr. Shirk and Mr. Gorey’s two passengers were reportedly injured in the crash and taken to the hospital where all three were treated and released.

We wish all of the injured a full and fast recovery from any Pennsylvania accident injuries.

female driver on a mobile phone from Crestock Creative Images

On November 9, after years of legislative negotiation and failed attempts to pass a distracted driving law, Governor Corbett signed a law that prohibits Pennsylvania drivers from texting and driving while a vehicle is moving.

As of March 8, 2012 the new Pennsylvania texting and driving law will be enforceable and drivers found to be texting and driving may be pulled over and fined. For purposes of the law, texting and driving is defined as reading, writing or sending a text based message or browsing the web on a wireless device.

The law makes texting and driving a primary offense and drivers may be pulled over even if they do not commit another offense. The cost of the fine is currently set at $50. However, motorists are urged to remember that the cost may be much higher if they cause an accident and hurt or kill someone because of their distracted driving.

female driver on a mobile phone from Crestock Creative Images

On Wednesday September 28 the Pennsylvania House of Representatives sent an important bill to Governor Corbett.  The bill would add several restrictions to new teen drivers in an effort to help reduce the number of Pennsylvania teen car accidents.  Specifically, the new law would:

• Limit teens with junior licenses to one teen passenger at a time for the first six months after getting a license and to three teen passengers at a time after six months.
• Increase on the road driving hours from 50 to 65 before a teen with a driver’s permit could take the licensing test.
• Make it a primary offense for people under age 18 not to have a seatbelt or age appropriate car seat.

The bill overwhelmingly passed the House, though some critics would’ve liked to have included cell phone restrictions in the bill before sending it to the Governor.  What do you think?  Does this bill go far enough and will it help protect Pennsylvania teens?

keys from Crestock High Quality Images

A 19 year old Pennsylvania man allegedly told police that he had 8 shots of rum before he got into a car and proceeded to cause two separate car crashes.

According to court records, Edward Moyer ran a stop sign and collided with a car driven by Lisa Russell.  Ms. Russell is said to have suffered a laceration and a significant blood loss.  She was taken to  St. Luke’s Hospital Fountain Hill.

In a second crash that happened shortly after the first crash, Mr. Moyer is accused of running another stop sign and sideswiping the car of Richard Russo.

Mr. Moyer faces several charges in relation to both Pennsylvania car accidents.

female driver on a mobile phone from Crestock Creative Images

Earlier this spring, a Lehigh County judge overturned Allentown’s ordinance regarding using cell phones and driving.  The judge, in a move that was widely expected, relied on a state law that provides that all motor vehicle provisions must be uniform throughout the state. 

Bethlehem, realizing that a distracted driving ordinance enacted by one municipality is in violation of that law, has decided to stop enforcing an ordinance similar to the one in Allentown.

The responsibility to pass a distracted driving law now clearly rests with the state, but will the state do what it can to prevent future distracted driving accidents or will Pennsylvania go another legislative session without passing this important piece of legislation?

Please leave us a comment and let us know what you think.

According to reports of the accident, the SUV driver ran a red light and hit the baby carriage in which the infant was riding.  The baby was thrown from the stroller and taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children with head injuries.

The driver of the SUV was arrested for drunk driving.  He reportedly has been arrested three previous times for DUI and has been arrested several times for driving with a revoked license.

We extend our best wishes to this infant girl, and to her family, for a quick and complete recovery following this Philadelphia drunk driving accident.

A Temple University student was hit by a car and critically injured on Sunday night April 17.  The accident occurred on Broad Street not far from campus.

A 21 year old male from Northeast Philadelphia has been arrested in connection with the accident.  He was charged with drunk driving, assault and reckless endangerment. 

The injured victim’s name has not yet been released.  She is reported to be in critical condition at Hahnemann University Hospital.

We extend our best wishes to the victim for a fast and complete recovery following this Pennsylvania pedestrian accident.

• Speeding (32,669 crashes including 538 fatal crashes)
• Distracted Driving (12,390 crashes including 57 fatal crashes)
• Improper Turning (11,766 crashes including 52 fatal crashes)
• Drunk Driving (10,871 crashes including 215 fatal crashes)
• Proceeding Without Clearance (7,517 crashes including 44 fatal crashes)
• Tailgating (4,746 crashes including 21 fatal crashes)
• Careless or Illegal Passing (3,733 crashes including 70 fatal crashes)
• Drowsy Drivers (2,181 crashes including 13 fatal crashes)

It is important to note that distracted driving caused more accidents than drunk driving and is second only to speeding as a driver error cause of accident.

If you have been hurt by a driver error in Pennsylvania, please contact a Pennsylvania car accident lawyer for more information about your rights.

*Source: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: 2009 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics

 A bill to combat distracted driving is once again before the Pennsylvania legislature.  However, this 2011 bill is not the same as the bill presented by Representative Markosek, and defeated by the House, in 2010.  The 2011 Pennsylvania distracted driving bill introduced by Representative Markosek makes driving while using a handheld cell phone a secondary offense – not a primary offense like it was in the 2010 bill.

If this bill becomes law in Pennsylvania, a police officer would not be able to pull over and ticket a driver for using a cell phone unless the driver was being pulled over for a primary driving offense such as speeding or running a red light.

Pennsylvania is currently one of only nine states without any kind of law against using a cell phone while driving.  Lawmakers have introduced this bill in the hopes that it will be easier to pass than the 2010 bill. However, will a law that makes using a cell phone while driving a secondary offense have any kind of effect?

Other bills have been introduced by other state representatives that would make using a cell phone while driving a primary offense and that specifically address the problem of texting and driving.

 Our Pennsylvania accident lawyers will continue to monitor the different bills and report on any new legislation.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, distracted driving is responsible for thousands of accidents every year and many injuries and fatalities.    More than half of the states currently have statewide laws prohibited texting while driving, cell phone use while driving, or both.  Pennsylvania does not have such a law.

Several municipalities have enacted local ordinances.  In addition to Bensalem, bans are currently in place in Allentown, Philadelphia, Erie and Harrisburg.  There is some concern that these laws may be challenged and found to be preempted by the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code.

Do you think Pennsylvania has done enough to prevent distracted driving accidents?  Leave us a comment and let us know.