PA Sees Promising Decline in Traffic Deaths

drivers-on-highway New information released by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) shows traffic-related deaths in the commonwealth were the second lowest in 88 years.

Because car wrecks can cause serious injuries, loss of life and extensive property damage, this information is good news for Pennsylvania residents concerned about highway safety.

According to PennDOT’s statistics, the lowest number of collisions on record occurred in 2014, with 1,195 traffic-related fatalities. In 2015, only five more people were killed in auto accidents than in 2014. Other promising statistics include a decrease in deaths of older drivers, a decrease in fatalities from collisions at intersections and a decrease of crashes caused by aggressive drivers.

However, while overall traffic deaths have declined in Pennsylvania, PennDOT reported an increase in fatalities involving single vehicle accidents. From 2014 to 2015, more deaths occurred from vehicles running off a road and hitting stationary objects, such as trees or telephone poles.

Through education, outreach and help from local law enforcement, PennDOT’s goal is to reduce the amount of traffic-related deaths from all types of collisions, as well as reduce the overall number of accidents in Pennsylvania each year.

Over the past five years, PennDOT and its partners have spent an estimated $50 million to improve Pennsylvania’s infrastructure. They have added highway markings to increase visibility for drivers, and they have added numerous rumble strips to help prevent head-on collisions and accidents caused by running off the road. Rumble strips can also alert distracted or drowsy drivers when they are moving out of their lane.

Car accidents are devastating experiences that not only affect the victim, but also the victim’s family. The trusted and dedicated auto accident attorneys at Schmidt Kramer have decades of experience standing up for the rights of the injured, and we are ready to stand up for you, too.

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Schmidt Kramer, P.C.partner Gerard C. Kramer won a personal injury action for $10,043,952.13 in Northumberland County on behalf of a volunteer firefighter who was the victim of Intentional Tort. The 50-year-old volunteer firefighter was seriously injured when a barn collapsed, causing a spinal injury which left him a paraplegic. The claim was brought against the arsonist who intentionally started the fire. It is believed that the verdict is the highest ever in Northumberland County.
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$4,034,000.00 Personal Injury
Yesterday a Judge in Union County (Lewisburg, PA) awarded a couple from New Berlin, Pennsylvania, over $4,000,000 because the husband was shot while turkey hunting.You might ask yourself, how does a turkey hunting accident end up with that type of verdict? In order to understand the verdict you would have to know our clients. They are good people who had their life wrecked. Plus, you would have to know the defendant, who should not have been hunting with a gun because he was prohibited after a previous criminal conviction.It is a good verdict, because the Judge was able to do two things with his decision. First, he communicated to two very good people that their losses were something that those of us on the outside could appreciate and value. Mike Hobbins (our client) is a 51 year old guy who lost his sight because a convicted felon --who should not have even possessed a gun-- went hunting illegally, and broke with impunity the most fundamental rule in hunting: identify your target before you pull the trigger. The Judge accepted the financial loss Mr. Hobbins' suffered, but listened closely to the evidence of less tangible losses. When Mike broke down on the stand, because his daughter would end up walking him down the aisle at her wedding, as opposed to how it was supposed to go, the Judge was listening. When Mike could not keep it together, because of how emasculating it was for him not to be able to provide financially for his family, the Judge was listening. It was facts like these that the Judge cited to support the $2,000,000 award for non-economic damages. Second, the Judge wanted to send a message. Union County is a hunting county. Many of the residents hunt there, and people from outside the area come to Union County to hunt. It was my impression, from the Judge's statements as he rendered his decision, that he wanted to send a message to the people in Union County to protect them in their sport. The rules in place to restrict people convicted of crimes not to have a gun are not to be broken. Hunting is serious and you have to identify your target before you shoot. When you turn your back on the rules that are set to provide safety in a sport, you risk being an example. Here, the $1,000,000 punitive damage award sends that message loud and clear.When it really comes down to brass tacks, the right action was taken against a Defendant who may never truly appreciate what kind of impact his reckless choices caused.At Schmidt Kramer, we are injury lawyers. That means we work with people who were hurt in car accidents, who were hurt by the neglect of nursing homes, or those that were seriously injured because of the reckless, thoughtless acts of others. If you or a loved one have been injured in Pennsylvania, we may be able to help. While the verdict yesterday is not one that is representative of every case we do, it does show that serious and dedicated representation can bring good results.Joe ChapmanJanuary 18, 2013
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$1,200,000.00 Personal Injury
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Traffic Deaths in Pennsylvania Hit All-time Low