Rockwell v. Knott

32 Pa. D. & C.5th 157
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lackawanna County
DecidedAugust 13, 2013
DocketNo 12 CV 1114
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 32 Pa. D. & C.5th 157 (Rockwell v. Knott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lackawanna County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rockwell v. Knott, 32 Pa. D. & C.5th 157 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013).

Opinion

NEALON, J.,

Defendants’ motion for partial summary judgment in this motor vehicle litigation raises a novel issue of apparent first impression in this Commonwealth: whether a motorist, who is involved in an accident while looking downward at the display screen of a global positioning system (“GPS”) application1 on a cell phone, rather than at the roadway, may be liable for punitive damages? A motorist arguably may engage in recklessly indifferent conduct, and thereby be potentially liable for punitive damages, if [s]he completely diverts his or her attention from the roadway to observe a low positioned GPS device and nevertheless continues to travel on the roadway until [s]he collides with another vehicle. However, the record does not contain any evidence indicating that the defendant driver was viewing his GPS device, rather than the road and oncoming traffic, at the time that he removed his foot from the brake and initiated a left turn into plaintiff’s path of travel. Therefore, plaintiff’s proffered proof of the defendant driver’s alleged outrageous conduct is insufficient as a matter of law, and defendants’ motion for partial summary judgment will be [160]*160granted.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

This personal injury suit arises out of an automobile accident which occurred on August 24, 2011, at the intersection of East Union Street and North Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County. At that time, plaintiff, Steven Rockwell (“Rockwell”), was travelling eastbound on East Union Street, while defendant, Glenn Knott (“Knott”), was proceeding in a westerly direction on East Union Street. (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶¶6, 14; docket entry no. 18 at ¶¶6, 14). Knott was operating a Ford Van that was owned by his employer, defendant, New Prime, Inc. (“New Prime”), and was acting within the course and scope of his employment with New Prime at that time. (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶¶6-7; docket entry no. 18 at ¶¶6-7).

Knott brought his vehicle to a stop in the westbound, left-hand travelling lane of East Union Street, “intending to turn left onto the southbound lane of North Washington Street.” (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶¶9, 22; docket entry no. 18 at ¶¶9, 22). Rockwell has alleged in his amended complaint that as a Knott was stopped at the intersection, he “began fidgeting with his GPS unit, taking his eyes off of the road,” and diverted his attention “from oncoming traffic for a substantial and significant amount of time.” (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶¶11-12). Knott and New Prime have specifically denied those allegations in their responsive pleading. (Docket entry no. 18 at ¶¶11-12). Rockwell further avers that “[a]s [he] attempted to drive through the foregoing intersection in the eastbound lane of East Union Street, Mr. Knott abruptly turned left into Mr. Rockwell’s lane.” (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶16). Knott and [161]*161New Prime have also denied that assertion, and contend to the contrary that “Rockwell’s motorcycle struck Glenn Knott’s vehicle.” (Docket entry no. 18 at ¶16).

Rockwell commenced this action on February 17, 2012, and asserted a negligence claim against Knott, a vicarious liability claim against New Prime, and a direct claim against New Prime for negligent hiring and training of Knott. (Docket entry no. 7 at ¶¶21-53). In count IV of the amended complaint, Rockwell seeks to recover punitive damages from Knott and New Prime. Rockwell alleges that “Knott knew that it was dangerous to operate his GPS at the same time that he was operating a vehicle,” and “knowingly and intentionally chose to be distracted by his GPS system while he was operating a motor vehicle.” (Id. at ¶¶56,59). Rockwell further maintains that “New Prime knowingly and intentionally failed to train, inform, educate, and prohibit its employees from acting as distracted drivers and from operating a GPS system while driving.” (Id. at ¶67). As a result of that alleged “willful, wanton or reckless behavior” by Knott and New Prime, Rockwell advances a claim for punitive damages. (Id. at p. 14).

During Knott’s discovery deposition, he testified that on August 24, 2011, New Prime instructed him to drive a fellow employee from its Pittston business to a bus station in Wilkes-Barre, and since Knott was unfamiliar with that particular site, he printed MapQuest directions to that location. (Deposition of Glenn Knott dated 6/7/12, attached as exhibit A to docket entry nos. 26 and 28, at pp. 18, 44). However, after following those directions and arriving at the destination that had been provided by MapQuest, Knott and his co-employee discovered that [162]*162the bus station had relocated. (Id. at p. 44). Consequently, Knott contacted New Prime’s dispatcher, obtained the correct address for the bus station, and programmed that new address into the GPS application on his wireless communications cell phone. (Id. at pp. 47-48). Knott then placed his cell phone in the lower center console and angled its screen towards him so that he “could see it” as he drove to the bus station. (Id. at p. 47).

According to Knott, once he arrived at the intersection of East Union Street and North Washington Street, he “stopped” the van, “took a glance down at [his] GPS... just to make sure [he] was on the right street,” and then “glanced back up” at “the Washington Street sign” before taking his foot off the brake. (Id. at pp. 50-51). When questioned further regarding the use of his GPS and the circumstances surrounding the accident, Knott testified:

Q. Now, let me make sure your testimony is accurate. When that last vehicle goes through the intersection, the last car you see, you look down at your GPS?
A. Yes, as it was coming through the intersection, I took a glance down to the GPS to make sure it was Washington, like the road I was going on was the correct road, yes.
* * *
Q. And when you looked down at the GPS, the car coming in the opposite direction was already in the intersection, the last car.
A. Yes.
Q. Then what did you do then?
[163]*163A. I looked forward to see my lane was clear and I — that’s why I perceived the lane was clear. I didn’t see anyone in the straight lane.
* * *
Q. And then you started to move, turn, make your left-turn?
A. I took my foot off the brake and it moved forward.
Q. Help me understand that just so we’re clear. I don’t want to misunderstand what you’re saying. So you looked up at the street sign. You see it says Washington Street, and then you take your foot off the brake.
A. Yes.
Q. And at the time you take your foot off the brake, where are you looking?
A. Well, I was moving my eyes down towards the street in front of me.
Q. So when you took your foot off the brake, you were moving your eyes from the Washington Street sign down to the —
A. To the street in front of me, yes.
Q. And when you took your foot off the brake, the vehicle started to move forward?
A. Yes.
Q.

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Bluebook (online)
32 Pa. D. & C.5th 157, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rockwell-v-knott-pactcompllackaw-2013.