Pennsylvania bicycle accident attorney Caroline Munley
Adopting the ‘safe passing’ amendment to the state’s traffic laws is certain to reduce injuries and save lives among Pennsylvania cyclists.
Scranton, PA (PRWEB) January 27, 2012
Pennsylvania bicycle accident lawyer Caroline Munley today called for the Pennsylvania Senate to pass pending legislation that would require car drivers to make room for bicyclists when passing on the road.
“Adopting the ‘safe passing’ amendment to the state’s traffic laws is certain to reduce injuries and save lives among Pennsylvania cyclists,” said Munley of the Pennsylvania personal injury firm of Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., which represents bicycle accident and car accident victims across the state and the Northeast.
“As the increased use of bicycles proves beneficial to our environment and to cyclists’ health, the state and its drivers should move to improve the safety of bicycle riders,” Munley said.
In December, the state House approved legislation, House Bill 170, which would require motorists to reduce speed and allow at least four feet of space between their car and a bicycle rider when passing a cyclist going in the same direction.
The bill also would prohibit turning a car into a bicycle rider’s path, and it would require bicycle riders to ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the road.
If the bill is adopted, Pennsylvania would join 19 other states that have approved such “safe passing” laws, according to the Associated Press.
Munley, whose law firm investigates bicycle-car accidents on behalf of injured clients, said that drivers often fail to yield appropriate room for cyclists. Collisions between cars and bicycles inevitably result in serious injury to the cyclist, including head and limb injuries, she said.
“Bicycle riders are extremely vulnerable to reckless drivers who crowd them off of the road or fail to yield to them at intersections and crossings,” Munley said. “Bicyclists have a right to be safe on our roads, and we support laws that codify these rights and the safety of cyclists.”
Munley said a cyclist injured in a crash with a motor vehicle may have the right to compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering and other related damages. An attorney plays a crucial role in pursuing a claim of negligence in an accident lawsuit, she said.
“Our law firm will continue to stand up for the rights of injured bicyclists,” Munley said. “Any rider injured in a crash involving a car owes it to themself to receive a free review of their case and outline what legal options they may have.
“Regardless of current state law or pending legislation, drivers have a duty to the safety of their fellow citizens who share the road.”
About Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C.
Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., is a Pennsylvania accident and injury law firm that represents car accident victims and their families throughout the state of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, including those injured in accidents that involve speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, fatigued driving, aggressive driving and careless driving in hazardous weather conditions. The Pennsylvania personal injury law firm’s additional practice areas include trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, toxic chemicals, workplace injuries, nursing home litigation and other serious accidents.
Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., has offices throughout Pennsylvania, including Scranton, Stroudsburg, Carbondale, Plains, Hazleton and Hamlin. To contact the law firm, call (800) 318-LAW1 or use the firm's online contact form.
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