When car accident victims in Pennsylvania file lawsuits against the motorists who injured them, their litigation is usually based on allegations of negligence. To prove the civil law tort of negligence, plaintiffs must convince a jury that the defendant was required to take reasonable care and failed to meet this legal duty. They must also be able to establish that their harm was suffered as a direct consequence of the defendant's negligent actions.
How truckers can curb rise in truck crash fatalities
In Pennsylvania and across the U.S., more and more fatal crashes involve large trucks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that the percentage of fatal crashes involving one or more large trucks went up each year from 2015 to 2017. The same period saw an increase in large truck occupant fatalities. From 2016 to 2017, there was a rise in fatal large truck and/or bus crashes.
Being lost in thought can be dangerous while driving
Driving on Pennsylvania roads while daydreaming can be more dangerous than doing so while on a smartphone. Erie Insurance analyzed 172,000 traffic deaths over the past five years using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Of those deaths, roughly 10 percent were victims of distracted drivers. The data further revealed that 61 percent of distracted driving accidents occurred because one driver was simply lost in thought.
How common is cellphone use while driving in the Philadelphia area?
Using a cellphone while driving can distract drivers, increasing accident risks. Despite these dangers though, this type of distracted driving remains very common in the Philadelphia area. This is what a recent survey commissioned by Travelers suggests.
