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Posted in Car Accidents on December 7, 2021
The number of fatal car accidents continues to climb in Louisiana. Despite the fact that the total number of car accidents occurring across the state has decreased, the number of fatalities is at the highest on record in over a decade.
According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration’s Traffic Safety Facts Crash Stats for the first half of 2021, an estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes across the U.S. This represents the highest number of fatalities during the first half of the year since 2006 and the highest half-year percentage increase in the history of data recorded by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Fatal car accidents destroy not only the lives of the deceased, but of the families that loved them as well. Let’s take a closer look at why these fatal car accidents keep occurring, and how the Law Office of John W. Redmann can help assert justice for those lost to fatal car crash injuries.
Across the state of Louisiana, there are many dangerous highways, interstates, and intersections. But there are some that are known to be more dangerous than others. According to a study by Safer America, the most dangerous roads in Louisiana based on the number of recorded fatalities between 2015 and 2017 include:
But none of these roads are even remotely as dangerous as I-10. Between 2015 and 2017, I-10 saw 121 fatal crashes and 136 deaths. Thirty-nine of those fatal car accidents involved a drunk driver.
And these numbers have only continued to rise. According to the Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report for 2020, there were 301 fatal crashes that were estimated to be alcohol related which increased by 11.48% from 2019.
Several of the state’s most recent traffic records and data reports have indicated that drunk driving continues to be one of the most common causes of fatal car accidents in Louisiana. In recent headlines, there was a devastating fatal accident in Jefferson Parish where a drunk driver killed a nine-year-old girl in Gretna, LA.
The man faces vehicular manslaughter charges after originally being charged with negligent injuring. His bond was set at $1 million after court documents revealed that he was driving between sixty and seventy-five miles per hour (mph) in a forty-five mph zone while under the influence of marijuana and alcohol. He also had a previous DUI conviction in Island County, Washington and a prior DWI Conviction in St. John Parish.
When reckless and irresponsible drunk drivers take the lives of the most innocent, their families deserve justice. In addition to the criminal charges that the liable party will face, families of the deceased may have the right to take legal action in civil court against the at fault party.
Another one of the more common causes of car accident fatalities in Louisiana is distracted driving. According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Plan for 2022, there were nearly 13,000 car accidents involving distracted driving in 2020. Distracted driving can involve anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the roads, such as:
It is illegal to use a cell phone or any type of wireless communication device to read, write, or send any type of text based communications. If a distracted driver cost your loved one their life, an experienced fatal car accident attorney could help you hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
If the party responsible for causing your loved one’s fatal injuries is facing criminal charges for drunk or drugged driving, distracted driving, or any other type of negligent driving, you may also have the opportunity to hold them accountable in civil court.
Here, you and your family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against them. This is much different than the criminal charges that they will be facing. The state’s prosecutor may be seeking criminal charges and penalties such as jail or prison time.
But your civil claim case is different. If your attorney can prove to the court that the reckless driver is at fault for your loved ones fatal injuries, your family could be awarded restitution for your suffering and that of the decedent. Some of the damages that you could recover include:
When a reckless driver costs your loved one their life, you can take action and make them pay with help from a fatal car accident attorney at our firm.
The loss of a loved one due to a fatal car accident can be difficult to understand and cope with. Get the legal help and guidance you need to get justice for your family member. Reach out to a compassionate Louisiana fatal car accident lawyer at the Law Office of John W. Redmann to explore your legal options.
Schedule your no-cost, risk-free claim review when you give our office a call at (504) 500-5000. Or complete our quick contact form, and we will reach out to you to find out more about what happened to your loved one.