New Orleans Motor Vehicle Accident Law Blog

This blog has previously alluded to the fact that many truckers who pass through the New Orleans area are subject to federal hours of service regulations, which are also commonly referred to as the "rest rules."

In an effort to prevent truck driver fatigue, and as their name implies, these rules limit the amount of time a trucker can be making deliveries before he or she must legally pull over and take an extended break.

The National Safety Council, which pushes and promotes nationwide personal safety initiatives, has declared April Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The declaration comes in the wake of some bad news that the number of fatalities on this nation's roadways is on the rise. More than 40,000 people died in car accidents over the last year, which marks a 6 percent increase in traffic fatalities since 2015. The National Safety Council believes that the ongoing presence of distracted drivers on the road is at least partially to blame for the increase in the number of deaths.

A previous post talked about how March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Thus, this is a good time to remember the victims of serious head injuries. New Orleans, Louisiana, residents who suffer from brain injuries often have to go through a lot, simply to function in daily life. And, even more so, just to be able to return to work and support their families.

For example, victims may experience symptoms, like loss of memory, seizures and periodically feeling faint or dizzy, as well as other symptoms. Although, medication and therapy can help, there is no guarantee that these symptoms will subside. A person may have to live with them for the rest of their lives and, to the extent possible, figure out how to manage them.

Our blog has often reported about how important it is for Louisiana motorists to keep a sharp eye out for other drivers and be mindful of the safety of others while they are traveling on the road. As a recent tragic case that happened in Covington, a city not too far from New Orleans, illustrates, the warning to pay attention applies equally when a driver is navigating through a parking lot.

According to reports, a child died after being hit in a parking lot by a pickup truck driver who apparently did not see the child. The accident happened in broad daylight while the child was low to the ground near a parked car in the parking lot, playing or otherwise doing what children tend to do. Apparently, the child's parents were nearby but may have been distracted while they were in the store.