Separate Head-On Crashes in Louisiana Leave Three Dead

Lafayette, LA- Collisions that involve head-on impact usually have devastating outcomes, partly due to the fact that many of these crashes occur at high rates of speed. Unfortunately, many head-on crashes have fatal outcomes.

Two Head-On Crashes Leave Three Dead in Louisiana

Two separate head-on crashes in Louisiana resulted in the deaths of two women and one child serve as sad reminders of how deadly head-on crashes are.

The first fatal crash occurred Wednesday, October 25, 2017, on La. 68 in East Feliciana Parish around 2 p.m., when a 19-year-old woman attempted to pass another vehicle. She crashed head-on into a log truck.

The woman was ejected from her vehicle even though she was wearing a seatbelt. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The log truck overturned, causing some of the logs to spill onto the roadway and crash into the car, the deceased driver was trying to pass, according to the Advocate.

Then on October 31, 2017, a young woman died, and her two-year-old child suffered fatal injuries in a head-on crash. Police told the Advocate that a 23-year-old Baton Rouge woman was driving “erratically” on Airline Highway when she crossed over into oncoming traffic and hit a tractor-trailer head-on.

The woman died at the scene. The two-year-old, believed to be her child, suffered critical injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The child died shortly after arriving.

The Advocate reports that the two-year-old was not secured properly.

Head-On Crashes Are Often Fatal

Head-on impact accounts for just three percent of accidents on divided highways, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Although head-on crashes occur less frequently, the victims of such crashes are 27 percent more likely to be killed.

Common causes of head-on crashes include drowsy or distracted driving or going too fast in a curve, the Department of Transportation says. Drivers can doze off or drift into the opposite lanes, especially on undivided two-lane highways where 75 percent of head-on crashes occur.

The severity of head-on crashes is amplified by speed or alcohol or both. Impaired drivers get confused and enter highways going in the wrong direction. Drunken or drugged drivers also speed, making it impossible for victims to make evasive maneuvers.

Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer in Lafayette

Driver negligence is at the root of head-on crashes and most other traffic accidents. If you are injured by a negligent driver in Louisiana, we recommend you get legal advice. USAttorneys.com recommends you set up a consultation with a car accident lawyer in Louisiana as soon as you are able and talk about the options you have to recover compensation for your injuries and other accident-related expenses.

If you live in Lafayette, we suggest you contact the Laborde Earles Law Firm at 1-800-522-6733 and arrange a free initial consultation. Their team of injury attorneys will devote their time and expertise to your case, so you recover maximum compensation. Don’t put off getting the legal help you need.