The Lone Star State and Bayou State share a dubious distinction, because according to an insurance company survey, they are the two most dangerous states in the Union, in terms of motor vehicle accidents.
Texas moved from fourth to first on the list, and it is the only state among the top fifteen in all five categories, including drunk driving, speeding, and fatalities per miles driven. In fact, there has been at least one motor vehicle accident fatality on a Texas roadway every day for the last 55,000-plus consecutive days, a period covering sixteen years. Here in Louisiana, failure to obey traffic signals and distracted driving are among the primary culprits, and the Bayou State also ranks near the top (or the bottom, depending on your perspective) in terms of fatalities per miles driven.
South Carolina, North Dakota, Delaware, New Mexico, Nevada, Alabama, Arizona and Montana are the other top-ten most dangerous states. [Read more…] about Buckle Your Seat Belt In Texas And Louisiana
Auto Accident
Prison Sentence Closes The Book On Area Police Chase
An area man was held accountable for his actions in a high-speed police chase that occurred in Lafayette last summer, but when are police officers held accountable for their conduct in similar situations?
U.S. District Judge Dee Drell sentenced 32-year-old Kevin Abshire, of Maurice, to 24 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm. In June 2015, Mr. Abshire passed very close to a Lafayette Police Department officer who was directing traffic after an accident. When officers ordered him to pull over, Mr. Abshire accelerated. Officers pursued him, and Mr. Abshire eventually crashed in the Ridge Road area. After subduing him, officers found a shotgun in Mr. Abshire’s vehicle which turned out to be unregistered.
He must serve three years of supervised release after he completes his two-year prison term. [Read more…] about Prison Sentence Closes The Book On Area Police Chase
"Fatal Accident" At Area High School
Local authorities hope that a “vehicle crash” outside a local high school will make a strong impression on area teenagers.
With Homecoming coming up at Monroe Neville High School, Louisiana State Police and other first responders descended on campus to give students a demonstration about what can happen in alcohol-related vehicle crashes. The “injuries” ranged from mild to severe; one passenger was ejected from a vehicle and “declared dead at the scene.” LSP officers explained that one of the “drivers” was impaired and would face several criminal charges, including DUI manslaughter. Area schools, including Neville, have staged similar vehicle crash demonstrations in each of the last three years.
“We are trying to teach them you can make a better choice than driving home and getting involved in something like this,” said Troop F Public Information Officer Michael Reichardt. [Read more…] about "Fatal Accident" At Area High School
Runaway Car In Youngsville
Four people were seriously injured after a possibly reckless driver crashed through the front doors of the Post Office in downtown Youngsville.
The driver – whose name was not released – apparently hopped a curve, smashed through the doors, barreled through the lobby, and eventually came to rest against the front counter. One victim was pinned between the car and the counter for quite some time before first responders arrived. Authorities believe that the other three victims were all postal workers or post office patrons.
The crash is still under investigation. [Read more…] about Runaway Car In Youngsville
A Tragic End To A Family Vacation
An 11-year-old boy was killed in a car crash as he returned to Lafayette from a trip to Alabama.
The wreck occurred in Foley, as Cameron Bailey was on the way home with a family friend from a vacation in Orange Beach. According to police, a male driver in a red pick-up truck, whose name was not released, apparently suffered from a medical emergency just before he swerved into oncoming traffic. Five other people were injured, including the SUV driver.
Mr. Bailey would have been in the sixth grade at Our Lady of Fatima School this fall. One of his former teachers at the school said that the people he came into contact with “will never forget Cameron’s smile.” [Read more…] about A Tragic End To A Family Vacation
Feds Launch Probe Following Driverless Car Crashes
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is demanding answers from Tesla after its vehicles’ auto pilot feature allegedly failed in two separate incidents.
In May, 40-year-old Joshua Brown was killed when his Tesla Model S sedan apparently failed to distinguish a beige-colored tractor-trailer from the bright sky and did not apply the brakes. After the car passed under the trailer at full speed and its roof sheared off, it drove off the road, crashed through at least two fences, and finally slammed into a pole. Apparently, the air bag never deployed. The manufacturer has until August 28 to produce data concerning its vehicles’ Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems. [Read more…] about Feds Launch Probe Following Driverless Car Crashes