Victims of truck-buggy crash identified as mother and daughter

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The victims of a collision between an Amish family's buggy and a tractor-trailer in western Pennsylvania have been identified as a mother and daughter.

Mary Byler, 34, and Anna Byler, 11, of New Wilmington were killed in the crash Saturday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. William Byler, 35, Mary's husband and the driver of the buggy, was reported to be in critical condition Monday in a Youngstown, Ohio, hospital.

The driver of the truck has been identified as Matthew Coulter, 36, of Pulaski, Pa. Police said he crashed into the back of the buggy just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday in New Wilmington.

Crashes involving Amish buggies are common in Pennsylvania with between 50 and 80 reported annually in recent years, the Post-Gazette said. Saturday's crash was the sixth in the state since Oct. 1, with a total of four fatalities and at least nine people injured.

Five years ago, the Amish community working with state police and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation put together a Horse and Buggy Driver's Manual. The manual included reminders of state laws that require horse-drawn vehicles to have reflective signs in the back to prevent the most common type of crash -- being rear-ended -- along with guidance for drivers.

"Being respectful and courteous on the road is an excellent opportunity for us, in our small way, to be a light to the world. Let us not darken it by being inconsiderate to our fellow travelers and by demanding our rights," the manual said.