Altoona Personal Injury Blog

Common risky behaviors of teen drivers

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in car accidents on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

It is fairly obvious that teen drivers do not have as much experience as those, say, 10 to 20 years older. Even if a teenager is responsible and mature, they simply do not have the same level of experience that is often needed to handle traffic emergencies and the like. Moreover, for a number of reasons, many teens do not always have the best judgment, and they are more prone to distractions.

Largely thanks to law changes, including the development of systems that require teens to take on driving privileges gradually, the number of teenage drivers that have been involved in deadly car accidents has declined. However, there were still over 3,200 drivers between 15 and 19 in 2017 who were involved in fatal accidents. Additionally, in the case of over 300,000 injury accidents, teen drivers were involved.

How often do you risk your life in an unsafe trench?

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

If you are a construction worker in Pennsylvania, you will know that just about every construction site has one or more trenches. Because excavations are so common, they do not always receive the necessary attention. Employers and employees become complacent, and too often, people disregard safety protocols to save time and money. You should never lose sight of the fact that a cave-in can take your life in the blink of an eye.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has strict safety standards for trench safety. Your safety is the responsibility of your employer, and you have the right to refuse to enter an unprotected trench.

Worker killed at Pennsylvania construction site

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in construction accidents on Friday, October 11, 2019.

A man who worked for a firm in the area died at Pennsylvania work site where demolition was taking place. The man, who is from a neighboring state, was in his late thirties.

According to authorities, the man was working at the former site of a large building in Lehigh County. The building had been intentionally collapsed at the beginning of the summer, and he was part of a crew that had been assigned to clean up the wreckage. It was not clear how long the man had been assigned to this project when the fatal accident occurred.

The hazards of working on wind turbines

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

Not too long ago, wind energy generation and wind farms were rare. Now, Pennsylvania has many such facilities. If you were one of the workers who have to do electrical repairs or maintenance at dangerous heights on wind towers, you would naturally make sure you have the appropriate personal protective equipment and know exactly how to use it.

You might be part of a relatively new industry, but the risks you face are not new. Not only will you risk slip-and-fall accidents or being struck off your work platform by a piece of equipment, but your job will expose you to strong winds. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration does not have safety standards specifically for wind turbine workers, compliance with general safety regulations is crucial.

Most drivers admit to at least one bad driving habit

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in car accidents on Thursday, September 26, 2019.

A recent study found that the vast majority of drivers, around nine out of 10, admitted to engaging in at least one bad driving habit which the study classified as a "driving fail." Among the top 10 fails, the most common one was eating while driving. It seems intuitive enough that a person cannot use both hands to steer when the person is holding lunch or even a warm cup of coffee in one hand. Additionally, like any other distraction, eating takes a driver's eyes and mind off of the road.

However, around two out of three drivers admit to engaging in this behavior. Likewise, 58% admitted to carrying on a phone conversation behind the wheel and 55% admitted to messing with the radio or an electronic device in order to adjust music.

Pennsylvania making some progress with drunk driving deaths

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in car accidents on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

According to a recent study, the efforts of lawmakers, police and safety advocates are paying off when it comes to reducing the number of deaths related to drunk driving in Pennsylvania. In 2000, 533 people died on Pennsylvania's roads because of a drunk driver. By 2017, that number had dropped to 314. Overall, the fatality rate in this state has declined by over 41% during those 17 years.

This number is impressive in several respects. Relatively speaking, it put Pennsylvania in the top 10 among states that had reduced their fatality rates due to drunk driving. Overall, Pennsylvania ranked 9th. Pennsylvania also easily beat the national average, as fatality rates have declined by over 18% across the country.

Beware of electrical accidents and fires on construction sites

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists construction as one of the most hazardous industries in Pennsylvania and across the country. While scaffold falls, trench collapses and incidents related to heavy equipment are known construction site risks, the hazards that electricity pose might not receive enough attention. If you work in this industry, even if you are not an electrician, you will face life-threatening electricity-related hazards.

Safety authorities say the primary area of concern is high wattage power tools that pose significant electrical fire risks. The hazards increase when portable generators are used to produce temporary electricity for building projects as well as during testing of new electrical installations.

Pennsylvania not a safe place to drive over Labor Day

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in car accidents on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

Like other major holidays, many people will take the upcoming long Labor Day weekend as an opportunity to have fun and relax with family and friends.

While there is nothing wrong with this per se, unfortunately, many people as a result of the festivities may decide to drive under the influence. Others may for a number of reasons operate their vehicles carelessly or inattentively, sometimes just because they are too tired to drive safely.

Injury risks when bikers share the roads with negligent motorists

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith on Wednesday, August 28, 2019.

Taking to the roads around Altoona and other areas in Pennsylvania on a motorcycle could be exciting and even intoxicating. Few other activities can compare with the freedom of riding a bike. However, the fact that motorcycles have only two wheels makes this mode of transport significantly more dangerous than four-wheeled vehicles.

Potential injuries

We help injured construction workers get compensation

On behalf of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith posted in construction accidents on Friday, August 16, 2019.

There are many people who work in various segments of the construction industry in Pennsylvania. From highway and utility workers to those who are in charge of building homes or even large skyscrapers, all of these people perform jobs that are invaluable to the area's economy.

The least these workers should expect is that they will be safe on the job for so long as they are reasonably careful and try their best to follow the rules. Unfortunately, however, many of the best construction workers in the Altoona area still get seriously hurt on the job through no fault of their own.

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