Fatal Car Accident on U.S. Hwy 171 Takes 3 Lives

Nearly everyone in Louisiana knows that consuming alcohol can affect the decisions people make. The first mistake that many intoxicated individuals often make is getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, which can lead to a serious or fatal car accident. Some alcohol-related crashes occur because an impaired driver is unaware that he or she is traveling down the wrong side of a highway.
Troopers with the Louisiana State Police believe the driver of a vehicle traveling the wrong way on U.S. Highway 171 recently was impaired at the time of a crash. The vehicle was heading south on the northbound side of the highway, which is divided. A vehicle traveling northbound was unfortunate enough to be in the path of the wrong-way driver.
The two vehicles collided head-on. The driver and passenger in the vehicle traveling in the wrong direction both suffered lethal injuries to which they succumbed at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle also perished and was declared deceased at the scene of the accident as well.
It could take some time for authorities to confirm whether impairment was a factor in this fatal car accident, as is suspected. In the meantime, the families of the passenger and second driver are not required to await the conclusion of the official investigation before filing wrongful death claims against the estate of the wrong-way driver. As long as they have enough evidence to demonstrate negligence, the court may consider an award of damages permissible under state law.