Bicycling is seeing a resurgence in popularity: It's healthy, good for the environment and a lot of fun. But with biking comes a set of associated dangers.
Lancaster Online reported that from 2013 to 2017 there were 307 bicycle accidents in Lancaster County alone. People were injured in 302 of those accidents, and four of them were fatal. But by following some basic safety tips, you can make sure your whole family stays safe on two wheels.
On Sunday morning, April 28, an elderly Chambersburg woman died while a passenger in a car waiting to turn left into a church parking lot in Antrim Township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The Ford Focus was struck from behind by a Honda Accord, which pushed the Focus into the other lane. It then collided head-on into a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The woman died at the scene of the collision, while all three drivers were hospitalized for related injuries.
When a motorist drives negligently or recklessly and causes an accident that harms others, the driver is legally responsible for compensation for the victims’ resulting losses. Compensatory damages could include several different categories of physical, material, psychological and financial losses.
People tend to downplay the seriousness of whiplash. Asked if they want to go to the emergency room after a car crash, a passenger all too often refuses treatment because its “only a little whiplash.” In the age-old joke, a lawyer exaggerates the client’s whiplash.
The truth is, however, that while whiplash can be mild and an inconvenience for a few days, it can also take a few months to recover from severe symptoms, running up medical and therapy bills, and missing work. In an extreme case, the victim might walk away with long-term or permanent, chronic pain.
The Brain Injury Association of America observes Brain Injury Awareness Month annually throughout March. The theme this year is Change Your Mind, dedicated to empowerment and support of brain-injury victims and caregivers. At McDonald at Law in Lancaster, we advocate fiercely for our clients who have suffered brain injuries through the negligence of others, including those who have endured the aftereffects of bicycle accidents.
The moments following a car accident can be disorienting and frightening. You may be unsure of the exact cause of the crash and hesitant on what to do next.
After an accident, the most important thing is to prioritize the injuries of yourself and other passengers. In Pennsylvania, of the 128,188 reported crashes in 2017, the most recent year where data is available, there were 80,612 injuries. While seeking medical attention is critical, there are also other items to consider both immediately after the accident and in the days to follow.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, while motorcycle travel is only 0.6 percent of vehicle movement on U.S. roads, motorcycle accidents result in over 14 percent of traffic deaths. It is not hard to believe, considering the vulnerability of the exposed human body to impact with other vehicles, standing objects and roads.
At our law firm, we represent the victims of motorcycle accidents caused by the negligence or recklessness of others on the road driving vehicles of all types and sizes. Motorcyclists have just as much right to use of Pennsylvania roads as larger vehicles do and should not suffer harm because others drive while distracted or inattentive, too fast, too close, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in violation of traffic laws or negligently in other ways.
The Governors Highway Safety Association has released its annual report that analyzes preliminary 2018 pedestrian accident data and the news is not positive for Pennsylvania. In fact, it is sobering and of great concern. Specifically, the number of pedestrians killed in the Keystone State increased a whopping 41 percent in the first six months of 2018 as compared with the same time period in 2017.
The national numbers are also not good. For example, pedestrian deaths across the country are the highest in three decades, according to the study. Pedestrian deaths are uniquely rising as compared with other kinds of accident fatalities.
If you have a teen driver in your house, you probably worry about them every time they get behind the wheel. You may worry about them for many reasons, including distracting friends, other drivers and their own inexperience. Your biggest worry, however, may be your teens use of a cell phone to text while driving. Here are five things you should talk to your teen about texting and driving.
Burn injuries from a crash are more common than it may seem. A single spark, leak or vehicle malfunction may be all it takes to cause a major hazard. Engine fires, explosions and other dangerous reactions can happen under certain circumstances – including in truck accidents.
Large vehicles can trigger crash-related fires, many of which occur on interstate highways. Passenger vehicles can catch fire, too, but trucks carrying flammable substances have an even higher risk of starting a blaze if they hit a car or another object on the road. Oil tankers and propane trucks can create deadly explosions and hard-to-contain fires that injure other drivers and pedestrians nearby.
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