Pittsburgh Law Blog

Stay safe when merging into traffic: Tips you can use

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in car accidents on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

Merging into moving traffic can be scary even at relatively low speeds on a city street. It's far worse when you're merging into highway traffic that's moving more than 60 miles an hour!

Here are some tips from experts that can help you stay safe when you merge:

Realize that the traffic won't adjust to you. You need to adjust to the traffic.
Do not slow down or stop your vehicle when trying to merge. In fact, you should increase your speed to match the traffic you're joining.
Check your blind spot before you make that shift into traffic. Remember that your mirrors are useful, but blind spots can and do create problems for drivers trying to merge.
Put your turn signals on. They serve as a necessary warning to other drivers that you need to move into their lane and help make them aware of your intentions.
Never try to merge across more than one lane of traffic at a time. Even if it looks like you have the room, give yourself a few seconds to adjust to the lane you are in and then check your blind spots again before you shift to the next lane.

Americans on buses and trains lack basic protections

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in personal injury on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

America puts some strict safety regulations on the manufacturers of cars and trucks in order to protect consumers -- so why aren't American buses and trains equipped with the sort of basic protections that are considered standard in other modes of transportation?

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been asking the same question for a while now. However, their list of suggested safety improvements for buses and trains has generally fallen on deaf ears where Greyhound, Amtrak and most other transportation carriers are concerned.

Consumer safety measures move high-tech

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in product liability on Sunday, March 31, 2019.

It's probably time that consumers have a more high-tech route to learn about dangerously defective products and important recalls.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is finally providing something that fits the electronic age. The CPSC Recall App is available for free and can be downloaded from the CPSC's website. The app is one of several initiatives by the CPSC in order to enhance consumer protection and modernize the communication process about recalls in general.

Police pursuit public policies vary on transparency

By DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in car accidents on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Police chases are some of the most intense road problems no matter where they occur in. Whether you're driving through your neighborhood, the highway or a long rural road, you do not want to end up in the middle of the commotion that arises when a police officer goes after a suspect in their vehicles.

When someone suffers either from the criminal or police crashing into their vehicle, they might want to ask the department about what their policies are regarding police pursuits. They drastically vary from each city and county in Pennsylvania. Some choose not to even have their policies available to the public to read. This has led many to debate on how transparent the police should be with the public as the number of chases per year continues to climb.

When you meet an off-the-leash dog while walking your own

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in dog bites on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Spring is most assuredly on its way in Pennsylvania, which means that dog walkers are going to be back out in droves. Unfortunately, not every dog owner is courteous enough to keep their dogs on leashes -- and that can spell trouble for anyone who happens to encounter them.

Do you know how to handle an encounter with an unrestrained dog? Do you know what to do if you're bitten? Or what to do if your own dog is attacked?

Drivers beware: Spring showers are about to make the roads rough

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in car accidents on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

If you're like most drivers, you breathe a sigh of relief every year when the first signs of spring start showing. That means an end to all the snow and ice out there on the roads.

Well, you might want to grip your wheel a little tighter because we're about to deliver some bad news. Believe it or not, in most of the nation, drivers have more to fear from rain than snow.

E-scooters may present unexpected danger to inexperienced riders

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in product liability on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Electric scooters are all the rage in various cities across the nation -- but those tiny little modes of personal transportation can be quite dangerous. There have been insurance claims for everything from broken bones to head injuries and deaths related to e-scooters.

Until now, however, there were no definitive studies on how e-scooter injuries happen. As it turns out, the majority of accidents seem to be related to falls.

Seat back dangers: What drivers need to know about car safety

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in car accidents on Monday, February 25, 2019.

When you're in a car accident, what do you rely on to keep you safe? Do you expect your seat belt to hold and keep you from being propelled out of your vehicle? Do you count on your airbag to be in full force and protect you from hitting your head on the steering wheel or dashboard?

What about your seat? Do you expect it to provide a decent cushion when you're jolted back into place?

E-cigarettes: A time bomb in a consumer's pocket

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in product liability on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

Roughly 10 million people in the United States use some form of e-cig, the electronic alternative to traditional cigarettes -- and many of them may be in danger of serious injuries or death.

Just recently, the death of a 24-year-old Texas man made headlines after he was found unconscious and bleeding from a wound caused by his new vape pen exploding. The explosion sent small pieces of shrapnel into his neck, severing his carotid artery and ultimately killing him

Beware of cyclists on Pittsburgh streets

On behalf of DelVecchio & Miller, LLC posted in car accidents on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Bicycles have been steadily gaining in popularity over the last few years -- especially among urban commuters. In fact, Pittsburgh is eighth in the nation when it comes to the number of commuters who travel by bike. This means that commuters in cars and other vehicles need to exercise some care when they see a bike on the road or they approach a bike lane.

Here are some tips that can help drivers share the road with bicyclists a bit more easily: