Shrager & Sachs’ own managing partner Robert L. Sachs, Jr. recently made a poignant observation about a critical issue impacting our neighborhoods, city, and nation as a whole:

“Almost every day when I am driving, I see someone make an illegal, bad, and dangerous choice on the roads. It has become routine to see people running traffic lights, running stop signs, and swerving across the double yellow line to overtake traffic on busy secondary streets. This needs to stop. And those who engage in such behaviors must be held fully accountable for their negligence when they injure innocent victims on our roadways.”

Many of us have similar stories to share about the reckless behaviors we’ve observed with increasing frequency over the years since the pandemic’s onset—and studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the evidence isn’t strictly anecdotal.

Almost every motorist has found themselves, at one time or another, driving down the road, minding their business, when they suddenly encounter another driver in an adjacent lane wanting to merge in front of them. 

It can be stressful not knowing how to handle the situation. You may wonder if you should slow down, change lanes yourself, or something else. A motorist looking to change lanes is also likely a bit tense, wondering if they have enough time and space to merge in safely. Situations like these may cause drivers to do something unsafe, including cutting off a fellow motorist or making an unsafe lane change.

Motor vehicle accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Before you even fully realize what is going on, the entire ordeal might already be over. However, everything can change in that short period of time. Your vehicle might be seriously or even irreparably damaged, and you might have suffered debilitating injuries that limit your daily life and leave you with hefty medical bills.

After months of cold temperatures, snow, and ice, the resurgence of warm weather in spring often comes as a relief. This season is marked by wildflowers and greenery, as well as more and more sightings of Pennsylvania’s wide array of wildlife.

All these signs of spring can be a welcoming indication that the long winter months are soon to be far behind. Longer days with more hours of sunlight are not necessarily a guarantee that you will be safer behind the wheel, though. While driving is certainly safer during daylight hours, as wildlife becomes more active, they can create additional daytime driving hazards.

If you’re worried about spring wildlife collisions, Shrager & Sachs has compiled their best tips for avoiding crashes when there are animals on the road.

Allergies can range from a minor annoyance to a major inconvenience. The most common allergy symptoms can also be easily confused for those associated with the common cold, which may leave some allergy-sufferers unsure of what is really going on inside their bodies.

A car accident is a traumatic experience, both physically and emotionally. Even those who survive with few to no injuries often struggle to get back behind the wheel of a vehicle. The impact of just a single collision is enough to change the course of some victims’ futures.

Pennsylvania drivers might not think of high-speed winds as an everyday driving hazard. The Keystone State does, in fact, have its share of high wind events. Last year, 2021, was a record-breaking year for Pennsylvania tornadoes, as nine twisters touched down in the western part of the state. During the same year, Hurricane Ida brought massive wind damage to our state and caused the Schuylkill River to reach a height of over 17 feet.

As we look forward with hope to safer driving weather in 2022, we want to encourage all PA drivers to know the steps to driving safely during high winds. Wind speeds of even 30 mph can begin to pose serious risks to motorists. With increasingly higher wind speeds come increasingly greater dangers to drivers, especially motorcyclists and operators of large vans, buses, and trucks. Let’s all be better prepared next time high-speed winds rip through our cities and counties.

Winter weather can be magical when you have the opportunity to stay home with a warm, comforting beverage. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania does not stop for a bit of snow, which means you’re probably still going to work, dropping kids off at school, or running errands.

Driving in snow is hazardous. You should always slow down when you’re behind the wheel and there is snow on the roads. But exactly how much slower should we all be driving? Read on for tips about finding the safest speed for driving in the snow.

The unfortunate reality is that millions of children are involved in car accidents in the United States each year. For more than roughly 1.5 million children, injuries are sustained that may have been prevented or minimized with the proper use of car seats or booster seats. Proper use includes following age, weight, and height limits. It also includes installing them properly in the vehicle. In many auto accents, even older children who no longer require a booster seat may have been safer in the second row. In fact, they may have been required by law to sit in the second row.

Has your child recently been involved in a car accident while sitting in the front seat? Did you cause an accident that resulted in injury to a child who was sitting in the front row? You understandably have many concerns related to the incident. A closer look at Pennsylvania’s child auto safety and car seat laws will help you to determine where liability lies and what penalties you may face because of the incident. However, you should always consult with an attorney to learn more about your rights and possible penalties related to a specific incident.

Driving in cold weather can be beautiful—snow and ice on the trees, white covering the grass, and snow lingering on building roofs. Wintery scenes are peaceful, but when you start sliding on ice, you won’t feel that peace for long. When the temperatures drop and roads freeze, you could be in a lot of danger behind the wheel.

No matter how careful you are, you could find yourself sliding on ice. Whether you didn’t see it until it was too late, or it was black ice that you couldn’t see at all, when your car is sliding on ice, it’s terrifying—especially if you don’t know how to stop.