Baton Rouge Car Accident Law Blog

It's the early morning hours and a woman is driving to work. Upon approaching a traffic light, she notes the light is yellow and slows her vehicle in preparation to stop. Upon doing so, the car directly following behind her crashes into the back of her vehicle. This scenario, and other similar car accidents, occur throughout Baton Rouge and Louisiana every day. Even the most cautious and vigilant drivers can be involved in an accident. It's important, therefore, that drivers know what steps to take immediately following an accident.

First and foremost, make sure everyone involved in the accident is safe. This means checking on all drivers and passengers and moving a safe distance away from the accident scene and out of the way of traffic. Once all involved parties have been accounted for, it's important to report the accident and call the police.

Every year, car accidents caused by drivers who have been drinking and driving injure and kill thousands of innocent drivers, passengers and pedestrians. In many cases, those individuals arrested on DWI charges register blood alcohol content levels that are more than twice the legal limit. In an effort to crack down on drunk driving, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission recently approved overtime pay for Louisiana police officers. These efforts seem to be paying off as was recently demonstrated by one Louisiana woman.

Upon leaving a bar at around 2:30 a.m. the 24-year-old woman was pulled over. The police officer who pulled the woman over noticed that her car was swerving. Upon submitting to a breathalyzer test, the woman's BAC was .187 or more than twice than the legal limit. She was arrested, charged with a first offense DWI and taken to the police station where she was later released. 

Drivers in Louisiana grow up hearing stories about the dangers associated with drinking and driving. Not only is drinking and driving illegal, but drivers who choose to drink and drive are much more likely to either cause or be involved in a car accident. Last year alone, approximately 300 people in Louisiana died in alcohol-related car accidents. It's these types of senseless and tragic accidents that recently lead the National Transportation Safety Board to recommend lowering the federal legal blood alcohol content level.

In an effort to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents, the NTSB recently announced their recommendation to lower the legal limit from .08 to .05. While some safety advocates praise and support the NTSB's recommendation, others are skeptical.

Any car accident in which an individual is seriously injured or killed is tragic. Those fatal car accidents involving children or teenagers, however, seem especially senseless. In recent months, there has been a rash of stories from around the country in which teen drivers and passengers have been killed in car accidents. In many cases, these accidents occurred as a direct result of the negligent acts of a teen driver and may potentially result in wrongful death lawsuits being filed by insurance companies or surviving family members.

The teen years are filled with excitement and many firsts. Memorable highlights often include the first day of high school, a first date and the first day a teen is allowed to drive alone. Parents often struggle with a teen's growing appetite for independence and fear for a teen's safety. Parental anxiety tends to peak when a teen obtains a driver's license.