Black ice formed on local roads Saturday night after light snow fell and froze on the roads.  Accidents were reported on the Bloomfield Bridge, The Turnpike, in Jeannette, and elsewhere in the Western PA area with icy road conditions reported as the cause of the accidents.

Intermittent ice patches after snowfalls can be an extremely dangerous condition for drivers.  The ice appears unexpectedly and is often not visible until a driver is about to cross the patch of ice.  The problem is greater at night because temperatures fall, causing more freezing and because darkness makes it more difficult to see the ice.  Beaver PA area accident attorney.

For another article on this weekend’s weather related accidents, please visit WPXI.

A Burrell man was killed in a broadside accident yesterday at the intersection of Route 22 and Villa Road.  The driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries. 

Intersections are by their nature dangerous areas because of the potential for two cars entering the intersection at the same time.  Caution must be exercised by all parties entering intersections in order to avoid tragedies like this.  Car accident attorney Tom Matvey.

A Perry Township man was killed yesterday when his motorcycle crossed the center line of Route 18 and struck a pick up truck.  The operator of the pick up was not injured in the accident.

The motorcyclist was a special education teacher in the Riverside School District.

There is very little room for error when operating a motorcycle and a minor error while driving a bike can lead to disastrous consequences.  Beaver County Motorcycle accident attorney Thomas Matvey.

For more information on this accident, please visit the Beaver County Times.

An Aliquippa man pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from a road rage incident in which two people were injured and a dog was killed.  The man was sentenced to six to twelve months in jail and will begin serving his sentence in February, 2010.

The incident occurred in April on the Beaver Valley Expressway.  The defendant caused an accident in which an SUV rolled over three to four times, injuring two occupants and killing their dog. 

AAA report on aggressive driving:

Road rage seems to be an increasing cause of accidents.  People in their cars are isolated from others and feel a right or a power to aggressively drive and put other people’s lives at risk.  One of the interesting elements of these cases for a lawyer is the possible exclusion from insurance coverage for injuries caused by intentional acts.  It is possible that an automobile insurance carrier will not provide coverage or a defense to claims arising from road rage incidents. Beaver County Car Accident Attorney Tom Matvey.

A head-on collision between a van and a tractor-trailer on Route 68 injured two people, one of whom was taken to Mercy Hospital following the crash.  According to the Rochester police, a van entered the lane of travel of a tractor-trailer on Route 68, causing the crash.  One passenger in the van was thrown through the windshield of the van.  Two other people in the van were also injured.

It appears that the driver of the van was at fault in this accident.  When a car crosses over into another car’s lane of travel, the crossing driver can be determined to be liable for any injuries as a matter of law.  Beaver County Car Accident Attorney.

For more information on this accident, please visit the Beaver County Times.

Four students were injured yesterday when a mini-bus transporting them left the road and struck a tree.  The four injured students were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.

Claims can be made against the operators of school buses when injuries to students occur.  The viability of an injury claim against the bus company depends on the reason why the accident occurred.  Accident Attorney Thomas Matvey.

A woman was hit by a car and killed on I-79 in Washington County yesterday following a car accident on the highway.  According to reports, the woman was involved in a rear-end collision on I-79 and the cars involved stopped on or near the highway.  Another vehicle then struck one of the cars involved in the accident which in turn struck her, causing her fatal injuries.

Often as I pass cars that have been in an accident that have been moved to the side of the road I see the parties involved standing between the parked cars discussing the accident.  This can be an extremely dangerous position to be in.  Should another car hit one of the parked cars, the people can get caught in between the stopped cars and can sustain serious if not fatal injuries.  Should you be involved in an accident, move your car safely off the road and choose a safe location in which to exchange driver information.  Pedestrian accident attorney Thomas Matvey.

A Butler County man was killed and two others were injured in a crash on Route 308 in Cherry Township.  According to the state police,  the man left the highway and entered the median between the two travel lanes.  He then lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a truck traveling in the other direction.  The driver of the car was killed in the collision and the occupants of the truck were injured.

The police investigation will provide insight into the reason for the loss of control of the car.  An evaluation of this accident will likely indicate no fault on the part of the operator of the truck because the car crossed a median and entered the truck’s lane of travel.  Accident attorney Thomas Matvey.

For more information on this car accident, please visit the Post Gazette.

A misfired firework during Etna’s Light-up Night injured nine onlookers last night.  The fireworks display, by Zambelli Fireworks, was in progress when a fireworks tube fell over, firing the fireworks into the crowd.  Six to eight fireworks were launched into the crowd.  Reports indicate that the injuries were split between burn injuries and injuries sustained in the panic that followed the incident.

Because of the inherently dangerous nature of fireworks displays, those launching fireworks must demonstrate extreme care to avoid injuries such as those sustained in this accident.  For more information on accidents and injuries, please visit my Beaver County Accident Attorney website.

For more information on this incident, please visit the Post Gazette.

An Ohio woman was injured on November 23 after falling asleep and crashing into two parked tractor-trailers.  Police described the woman as suffering a “moderate injury.”

Falling asleep while driving is a considerable problem in America and elsewhere. One report indicates that driver drowsiness may contribute to as many as 20 to 24 percent of accidents.  A study of single vehicle tractor-trailer crashes indicated that 52 percent of the crashes were fatigue related with almost 18 percent of the drivers involved admitting to falling asleep prior to the accidents.  Studies and common sense tell us that a driver is aware of their fatigue prior to actually falling asleep but drivers do not always respond appropriately to the warning signs of fatigue. 

For more information on accident causes, please visit my Car Accident Causes webpage.

For more information on this car accident, please visit the Beaver County Times.