Last Wednesday morning, a pickup truck collided with a school bus at the Fillmore Street and Canal Boulevard intersection. Fortunately, no children were onboard the bus at the time of the vehicle collision. In a story at wdsu.com, both the bus and the four-door pickup suffered significant damage in the accident.
According to New Orleans police, the pickup truck ran a red light at the intersection. An investigation is ongoing, but police do not suspect alcohol or drugs as factor in the automobile crash.
Whether intentional or accidental, running red lights is a cause of serious injuries and death. Each year in the United States, vehicles running red lights cause approximately 1,000 wrongful deaths and approximately 90,000 personal injury lawsuits. There is a higher occurrence of red light crashes in the daytime as compared to night.
Drivers often speed through an intersection as they approach a yellow light, and they often speed through long after the light turns red. Their need to rush to get somewhere puts other drivers at risk. Other drivers just simply are not paying attention as they approach an intersection. Distractions inside the vehicle cause them to ignore the red light.
Some states have installed red light cameras in hopes of deterring careless driving at intersections. It is a start, but no substitute for attentive and careful driving.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans injury lawyers