Louisiana State Police suspect that fatigue caused a driver to veer onto the shoulder of Interstate 310 and kill two people last week, as reported at nola.com. A 65-year-old man from Metairie and a 59-year-old woman from New Orleans lost their lives in the collision.
According to investigators, the male victim pulled over to help the occupants of a Nissan Altima on the side of the highway. The female victim was in the back seat of the Altima. A vehicle traveling south veered onto the shoulder and struck the Altima from behind before pushing it off the highway. In addition to the two fatalities, five other people suffered injuries in the two-vehicle accident.
The driver that caused the crash and his passenger suffered minor injuries as well. Speed or driver intoxication were not factors, according to police. Investigators say fatigue caused the driver to crash into the stalled vehicle. Police expect charges against the driver soon.
A driver falling asleep behind the wheel is a common cause of fatal highway crashes. Unfortunately, two people lost their lives because a driver thought he was alert enough to continue driving. In tragic accidents like this, family members have legal recourse against the negligent driver for their loss.
Call us at 504-522-7885 if you would like a free case review with a personal injury attorney. We can help you if you suffer a tragic loss or injuries due to another person’s carelessness. Visit our web page for more information about our attorneys.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans injury lawyers