Cars are the primary form of transportation for most people. Distracted driving and driver fatigue are both significant dangers, as are impairment from drugs or alcohol, when one is behind the wheel of a car in Louisiana. Serious car accidents can result and can often times be fatal. One such accident recently occurred near St. James Parrish on LA-18.
The accident occurred in the early hours of a recent Saturday morning. One person driving a Hummer was heading south on the roadway. Another vehicle was heading north. For unknown reasons, the Hummer crossed the yellow line and hit the other car head-on. It is believed that neither driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The driver of the car was pronounced dead by the St. James Parrish Coroner. The driver of the Hummer was transported to University Medical Center in New Orleans with possibly life-threatening injuries. It is not known if speed, alcohol or other impairment contributed to the cause of the accident. The result of toxicology reports are still pending, and the accident remains under investigation.
No one expects a car ride in Louisiana to be the last one. Defensive driving, never driving when impaired or fatigued, and always paying attention to the road are practices that can protect a person behind the wheel. Nothing is foolproof, and car accidents still happen. Losing a loved one in a fatal car crash can be a horrific experience. While nothing can turn back time and undo the incident, a successfully navigated lawsuit against a person deemed responsible can provide compensation for medical costs, final costs and other verifiable losses.