Automobile Accidents

Children Injured When Truck Strikes Bus

Published on: July 29, 2013 | O'Connor Law

About 25 children were injured on Friday when the bus they were riding in was struck from behind by a tractor trailer on Interstate 81 in Hazle Township.

According to an article by the Associated Press, the children were part of a summer program through the Hazleton YMCA. They were on a day trip when their bus was hit by the truck as it traveled in the southbound lanes of 81. The children suffered only minor injuries.

The Times-Tribune reports that the accident happened when the school bus slowed as it entered a construction area along 81.

3.4 Million Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda Models Recalled for Airbag Defects

Published on: April 13, 2013 | O'Connor Law

Around 3.4 million cars are being recalled due to airbag defects, according to an article on CNN.com. The recall includes models from the 2001, 2002, and 2003 model years. The total count includes 1.7 million Toyotas, more than 1.1 million Hondas, 480,000 Nissans and 45,000 Mazda’s.

According to a statement by Honda, “It is possible that the passenger front airbag inflators in affected vehicles may deploy with too much pressure, which may cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury.”

Honda reported one crash where the passenger front airbag ruptured after being deployed with too much pressure. Toyota said it was aware of five airbag malfunctions.

April Is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Published on: April 12, 2013 | O'Connor Law

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and motorists across the country are urged to drive distraction free.

In a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said, “Driving is a serious job the requires your full attention, all of the time. Distractions come in all forms, and we all need to take personal responsibility for our actions behind the wheel — that includes avoiding distractions.”

Some examples of distractions includes:

talking on a cell phone or texting
eating
grooming
adjusting devices such as radios and GPSs
attending to children or pets
interacting with other passengers in the vehicle

It’s especially important for young, inexperienced drivers to avoid distractions, as they can increase the risk of a crash. In 2012, more than 14,600 crashes involved distracted driving with 57 deaths in those crashes. Last March, a state law went into effect that bans text-based communication while driving, with a $50 fine for violating the law.
PennDOT offers some safety tips for avoiding distracted driving:

Store or turn off cell phones while driving. If you must make an emergency call, safely pull over to the side of the road.
If traveling alone, set your GPS, radio and temperature controls before hitting the road.
If traveling with pets, be sure that they are properly restrained. Better yet, leave them at home. Even a minor crash can result in a major injury to a pet if it is not properly restrained.
Never operate your vehicle and attend to a child at the same time.
If you drop an object while driving, leave it until you reach your destination.

Statistics Show Increase in Deaths on Pennsylvania Highways Last Year

Published on: April 8, 2013 | O'Connor Law

According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 1,310 people were killed on PA highways last year, 24 more than the previous year. Increases included senior driver deaths, which were up by 32, pedestrian deaths which were up by 19, and motorcycle deaths, which were up by 11.

According to an article on PhillyBurbs.com, a spokeswoman with the American Automobile Association said that a theory behind the increase in deaths for motorcyclists and older driver could be that there are more of them on the roads. The increase in pedestrians deaths could be related to increases in traffic in urban areas and more people walking to save gas.

However, the number of teen traffic deaths was down across the state, perhaps due to tougher state laws. Also, numbers show that there are fewer younger drivers on the road. Among 16- and 17-year-old drivers, there was a decline from 99,234 in 2011 to 79,393 in 2012.

Recall of Over 1.6 Million Hyundai and Kia Vehicles

Published on: April 3, 2013 | O'Connor Law

Hyundai and Kia announced today that they are recalling over 1.6 million vehicles due to a defect in their brake lights.

According to an article on CNN.com, bad signals from the brake lamp can cause the gear selector to become stuck in park. They can also cause the push-button engine start feature to not work and create intermittent interference with the cars’ cruise control systems.

Models involved in the recall include 2007 through 2009 Hyundai Accents and Tucsons, 2007 through 2010 Elantras, 2010 through 2011 Genesis Coupes, 2007 through 2011 Santa Fes, 2011 Sonatas, and 2008 through 2009 Veracruzes.

Subaru Recalls Outbacks and Legacy Models

Published on: April 3, 2013 | O'Connor Law

According to an article on CNN.com, Subaru is recalling about 200,000 Legacy and Outback model vehicles because of a problem with the brake line.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall notice that said the brake lines may corrode if they are splashed by salt water through a gap in the fuel tank protector. This can make it difficult to stop. The recall is limited to cars currently or formerly registered in a list of 20 states plus Washington, DC, that salt their roads. The list of states is available in the recall notice. The models years affected are from 2005 to 2009.

Subaru will notify owners and will fix the problem free of charge at dealerships. There have been no reports of accidents so far as a result of this issue.

Recent Accidents Highlight Need for Teen Safety When Driving

Published on: March 12, 2013 | O'Connor Law

Two tragic car accidents that happened on Sunday in Ohio and Texas that took the lives of 11 teenagers have brought heartache and grief to the families, friends, and classmates of those involved. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families whose sons and daughters had their lives cut way too short.

The first accident happened in the early morning hours of Sunday in Ohio when an SUV with eight teenagers struck a guard rail and flipped into a pond. Only two boys survived. Reports say that none of the teens in the accident in Ohio were wearing seatbelts. The second accident happened later that day in Texas when the teen driver of an SUV with four passengers failed to stop at a stop sign. A truck entering the intersection smashed into the SUV killing all five teens.

According to an article on CNN.com, motor vehicle accidents continue to be the number 1 killer of youths in the United States. In fact, in 2010, car accidents took the lives of about a quarter of the 15- to 24-year-olds who died that year, as reported by the most recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Texting While Driving Ban Shows Progress in PA

Published on: March 9, 2013 | O'Connor Law

A year after it was implemented here in Pennsylvania, the texting while driving ban seems to be taking effect. Preliminary data from the state Department of Transportation shows that crashes involving drivers with phones is decreasing.

Officials say that for most people, just knowing the law is in place might prevent them from pulling out their phones when driving. The law went into effect on March 8, 2012 and bans drivers from all text-based communication while the driver’s vehicle is in motion, including text messages, instant messages, and emails. According to an article on PennLive.com, an officer can conclude that a driver has broken the law based on sight, statements made by the driver or passengers, or by obtaining cell phone records if necessary. Pennsylvania is the 35th state to ban texting while driving.

However, distracted driving continues to be a problem. Crashes resulting from distracted driving have increased from 14,259 across the state in 2011. According to an article on the RepublicanHerald.com, distracted driving includes putting on makeup to switching radio stations to using a phone.

California Tour Bus Crash Leaves 8 Dead and 42 Injured

Published on: February 5, 2013 | O'Connor Law

A crash involving a tour bus in California on Sunday has left 8 people dead and 42 injured and those numbers are expected to rise.

According to an article on CNN.com, the National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team to investigate the crash, in an effort to piece together what happened. So far, the bus driver is being questioned and witnesses say that the bus was going very fast. They also said that they saw smoke coming from the back of the bus. A spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation said, “I heard that the driver, when interviewed by the CHP, indicated that he had problems with his brakes, but nothing has been proven so far.”

The bus rear-ended a sedan in San Bernardino County around 6:30 PM in a mountainous region. The top of the bus over the driver’s seat was caved in and part of the roof was ripped open. The sloping highway has made it difficult for rescue vehicles to reach the crash. They are still trying to get to bodies inside the bus.

New Report on Drowsy Driving

Published on: January 7, 2013 | O'Connor Law

Getting more sleep in the new year may be more important that you think: a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 15% to 33% of fatal crashes involve tired drivers.

We may be familiar with the dangers of drunk driving, but according to an article on CNN.com, drowsy driving can be just as deadly. When we are sleep-deprived, it slows our reaction time and we could hit something we might otherwise avoid.

We are also more impulsive when we are tired. According to Dr. Michael Howell, a sleep expert at the University of Minnesota, “We respond to things without thinking them through. Road rage happens because people are sleep deprived.”