State College, Pennsylvania Legal Blog

As fall weather moves into the area, you're likely to find yourself on the road when the rain begins to fall. While it may not be as worrisome as snow and ice, it still has the potential to cause an accident.

Here are some of the many steps you can take to protect yourself when driving in a fall rainstorm:

• Watch for wet leaves: There's nothing more beautiful than the changing of the leaves during the fall season, but as these make their way to the ground you must take extra caution. Driving over wet leaves, especially at a high rate of speed, can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. If you spot wet leaves on the road, slow down and do your best to avoid sudden accelerations or heavy braking.
• Slow down: The faster you drive in wet weather, the greater chance there is of losing control of your vehicle. For example, if you hit standing water at a high rate of speed, your tires may lose contact with the road.
• Use your headlights: Forget about the time of the day. If it's raining, you should turn your headlights on. This improves your visibility, while also making it easier for vehicles traveling in the opposite direction to see you.
• Watch for wildlife: Deer, for example, are more likely to make their way onto the roadway during the fall season. Even if you don't hit a deer, you may have to swerve to avoid a collision, which can cause an accident with another vehicle.
• Maintain your vehicle: This includes many things, such as regularly checking your tire pressure and changing your windshield wipers as necessary.

Pennsylvania residents who have visited Las Vegas may be aware that a mansion once owned by the singer and entertainer Wayne Newton was briefly turned into a tourist attraction. Visitors to Casa de Shenandoah could tour the house, view Newton's extensive collection of luxury cars and take a look inside his private jet. They could also see a menagerie of animals ranging from horses and penguins to peacocks and monkeys.

One of these monkeys recently became the subject of tabloid headlines. A woman alleges in a lawsuit filed against the 77-year-old singer that the animal attacked her daughter during an October 2017 tour. The litigation was filed in a Nevada state court on Aug. 7, and it seeks damages of at least $15,000. The woman claims that the monkey attack was unprovoked, but she has not revealed the extent of her daughter's injuries. According to media reports, the girl suffered a monkey bite on her right wrist.

Human error is the main contributing factor in the majority of motor vehicle accidents that occur in Pennsylvania. A large number of these accidents are considered minor, and there is minimal damage. However, thousands of more serious accidents lead to fatalities every year.

One of the most common causes of motor vehicle collisions is distracted driving. In fact, it has been the most frequent cause of vehicle crashes in the United States over the past several years. There are many ways drivers can be distracted while behind the wheel. Eating food, using a smartphone, applying makeup or drinking from a bottle can all distract drivers for the few seconds it takes to cause an accident.

One reason that commercial trucking accidents may occur in Pennsylvania is improperly maintained vehicles. The trucks travel many miles every day, which results in significant wear and tear. It is the responsibility of the maintenance crews, drivers and trucking companies to ensure that the fleet is well-maintained. Cracked windshields or some other equipment failure can result in accidents.

Equipment failure can also be the result of the negligence of the equipment manufacturer. Negligence during the production of a part can result in defective components. If an accident is caused by defective parts, multiple parties may be held liable for the accident, including the part and truck manufacturers, the company that sold the truck and the mechanic who made repairs on the part.