A 26-year-old Louisiana man was killed Tuesday night after being hit by a pickup truck. At the time of the fatal pedestrian accident he was walking on Louisiana Highway 445 around 9 p.m. He was in an area along the highway where there are no street lights.
When walking, he was hit from behind by a pickup truck. The impact from the truck sent his body into a nearby ditch. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
There is the common misconception that a driver is only affected by alcohol if their blood-alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher. However, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, those with blood-alcohol contents as low as 0.01 percent have been impaired to the point where it affects their driving ability.
According to the NTSB, leves as low as 0.05 percent have been shown to significantly impair driving and increaes the risk of causing a fatal car accident. This is why the board has made the recommendation to reduce the legal driving limit in Louisiana -- and the rest of the country -- to 0.08 percent.
Quite often we tend to focus on motorcycle accidents caused by other drivers behind the wheels of cars, SUVs and trucks. However, since many motorcycle riders enjoying riding together in a group, it is important to keep in mind an accident can easily happen if one of those riders makes one false move or loses control of their bike.
An example of this took place last Wednesday night when a 38-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a New Orleans accident. The motorcyclist was riding with a group when the Treme neighborhood accident occurred. At this point, no charges have been filed and the accident is still under investigation.
A ship worker from Jefferson Davis Parish has filed a lawsuit related to severe injuries he sustained while injured onboard the M/V Razorback. He is seeking more than $50,000 for a number of damages, inlcuding the pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of earnings and disability the offshore accident caused him.
According to the lawsuit, which was recently filed in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court, the accident happened years ago on Oct. 3, 2010. The Razorback was out on open water at the time the ship worker was thrown from the wheelhouse. He ended up falling down a flight of stairs.
Since July 2008 it has been illegal for any driver -- regardless of age -- to text while driving in Louisiana. Louisiana is also not alone in its ban. Realizing the dangers associated with distracted driving, 39 states and the District of Columbia have enacted texting while driving bans. However, with many thinking enforcement is rather weak, some are questioning the effectiveness of the bans and if the bans are preventing accidents.
According to a USA Today survey, many state agencies give out less than one ticket per day for texting while driving. This in turn has created the perception among drivers that the chance of a citation is slim to none.
A Louisiana man recently filed a lawsuit against a hospital after one of its ambulance drivers rear-ended his vehicle causing injuries. The claim is that since the ambulance driver was working for the hospital at the time of the crash, the hospital should be held liable.
The personal injury lawsuit was filed against the ambulance driver, West Jefferson Medical Center and the Jefferson Parish Hospital District No. 1.
The following statement will sound like it is rather common sense, but it is true: Traffic signals work when all Louisiana motorists are mindful and following them. This means that if a traffic signal arrow is green for only those making right turns, all of the motorists waiting at the light must follow the rule and only turn right. If not, this can cause confusion and lead to an accident.
Recently, a two-vehicle accident in Broussard, Louisiana, was caused by one driver not following the traffic signal. At this point it is unknown if alcohol or drugs played a role in why the 33-year-old driver did not follow the signal.
It appears that warmer weather, better economic conditions and high gas prices led to an increase in motorcycle deaths for 2012. Out of the past 15 years, this was the 14th increase. The hope is that by the Governors Highway Safety Association sharing these numbers, more safety measures will be taken in the future.
In looking at the numbers, more than 5,000 motorcyclists died last year. This represents a 9 percent increase in motorcycle deaths.
Employers in Louisiana have a responsibility to make sure workspaces are safe for employees. Even when those workspaces are offshore, employers need to make sure all vessels are in top working order and that all safety precautions are taken to protect employee safety.
Even though employers know this, some still try and skirt the rules. In some cases, many probably think the chance of injury is so unlikely that they do not even worry about taking certain precautions. These are the same employers who often find themselves faces a lawsuit after an employee is injured.
While certainly not done on purpose, there are some drivers in Louisiana who have a hard time judging distance. While they may stop and look both ways before crossing through an intersection, they still struggle with realizing when it is time to cross and when it is time to wait. Some think there is enough time to cross when really this will lead to cutting off another motorist and cause an accident.
Recently, a preliminary investigation found a teenage driver caused a motorcycle accident when he pulled the vehicle he was driving out into the pathway of a 48-year-old motorcyclist from Sarepta, Louisiana. The motorcyclist ended up dying from the injuries sustained in the crash.
Baton Rouge Office
5630 Bankers Ave.
Baton Rouge,
LA
70808
Local: 225-926-1234
TF: 800-673-5520
Fax: 225-926-1202
Map & Directions
Lafayette Office
315 S College, Suite 210,
Lafayette, LA 70503
Local: 337-989-1234
Map and Directions
Bold labels are required.
Subscribe to this blog’s feed