Pennsylvania Injury Law Blog

Thanksgiving travel tips to avoid a collision

On behalf of McDonald At Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, many Pennsylvania residents are planning for upcoming gatherings and travel. If you want to safely visit family and friends this season, it is important to minimize your risk while driving.

At this time of year, several factors put drivers and passengers in danger. Daylight hours are dwindling. Holiday parties often involve alcohol consumption. Winter weather can make roads slippery and limit visibility. These hazards frequently contribute to serious accidents.

How to know if you received a concussion after your car accident

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Friday, November 2, 2018.

Concussions have been in the news quite a bit lately, but many of those discussions have revolved around sports injuries. However, automobile accidents can just as easily cause a concussion and may be more common than you think.

A concussion is classified as a traumatic brain injury and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that over 14 percent of all concussions sustained in the United States are due to car accidents. This makes concussions the third most common injury that can be sustained by a car accident.

Could new laws and harsher penalties solve distracted driving?

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Distracted driving continues to be a major problem that has been causing horrific accidents and numerous fatalities around the country for years now. Statistics tell us that 25 percent of all car accidents are due to distracted driving. In 2015, there were 391,000 injuries due to incidents of distracted driving. It is a problem that many people are aware of but are unwilling to give up, as 80 percent of drivers have admitted to taking part in distracted driving behaviors while driving.

We may have come to the tipping point of the distracted driving problem. Both the public and law enforcement seem to agree that this is a problem that needs to be taken under control. But how is that done? Education about the dangers of distracted driving do not seem to be working. But what has been working and may continue to be implemented is handing down severe penalties for being caught driving distracted.

Never drive while using these medications

On behalf of McDonald At Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, October 26, 2018.

Drunk driving usually holds the spotlight in media and safety campaigns, but drugged driving can be just as fatal. Drugged driving doesn’t only include operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana or hard drugs. It also includes driving under the influence of medication.

While many pharmaceutical drugs are safe to use while driving, certain types of medication could inhibit your ability to drive. Due to certain active ingredients in the drug, whether it is a prescription or over-the-counter remedy, your body and mind might fail to keep up with your surroundings.

Safely sharing the road with farm vehicles

On behalf of McDonald At Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, October 12, 2018.

As harvest season winds down for the year, you may notice an assortment of agriculture vehicles and food transportation trucks in Lancaster county. Many of these vehicles move slowly or require extra space on the road.

Like any other type of large truck, drivers need to be aware of their presence to avoid a devastating crash. Collisions with large vehicles tend to be highly destructive to drivers and passengers.

In-vehicle technology may not be as safe as drivers assume

On behalf of McDonald At Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, September 28, 2018.

Although the future of self-driving vehicles is a popular topic, advanced technology already exists in cars and trucks. Devices like rear-view cameras help many Pennsylvania drivers each day. However, a recent study suggests that this technology poses a risk to road safety.

The AAA report found that many drivers think in-vehicle technology systems are more effective than they actually are. Some drivers even assume that they can guarantee their safety. While useful, features like blind-spot detection, collision warnings, automatic breaking and even cruise control can – and do – fail.

Distracted driving vs. drunk driving, which is worse?

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.

For many years, drunk driving was the main culprit that affected drivers who would end up causing crashes and deaths out on the roads. But now, over the last few years, distracted driving due to cell phones and electronic devices have also been the reason for so many crashes. As more people continually want to stay connected every second of the day, the chances of being involved in a crash with a distracted driver remains high.

Distracted driving is not just relegated to the use of electronic devices. It can be a common occurrence to see people eating, applying makeup, fiddling with the radio or trying to control a backseat full of kids while driving. In our rushed and frantic lives, maybe people are feeling that just focusing on driving is too boring. But is this new phenomenon of driving distracted worse than driving under the influence of alcohol?

What do you know about college kids and drunk driving?

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Thursday, August 16, 2018.

Summer is drawing to a close, which means that thousands of teenagers and young adults will be heading to college. College can offer important opportunities for young people to become independent and expand their horizons. For some students, however, this means experimenting with drugs and alcohol—even if they are underage, and even if they will get behind the wheel of a car.

Drinking and driving is a major concern for colleges and universities. When students choose to drink and drive, they put other motorists and pedestrians—many of whom may be college students themselves—at risk. Data from the National Institute of Health (NIH) show just how prevalent drunk driving can be among college kids.

Trucker shortage increases risks for all drivers and passengers

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Monday, July 23, 2018.

Commercial trucks are everywhere. On local streets and highways here in Lancaster and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. They play a crucial role in the local, state and national economies, helping all types of businesses move products and supplies.

And while it still may look to the naked eye like these 18-wheelers are everywhere, the country is grappling with a growing number of unfilled truck driver job openings. Estimates range from 63,000 to as many as 100,000 unfilled job postings across the country, and large pay hikes and generous bonuses don’t seem to do the trick. A quick internet search reveals a number of listings here in the Lancaster area alone.

What does your insurance company know about you?

On behalf of McDonald At Law on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.

After an accident, do you ever wonder how insurance companies come up with the amounts that they offer for settlements?

This blog previously discussed why you should avoid talking about your accident on social media, because insurance adjusters will be scrutinizing those posts to reduce their costs. While this is sound advice, there is something else you should think about if you think your insurance provider or the negligent party’s insurance company is really “on your side.”