April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted driving has emerged as a significant concern on Louisiana roads, posing a serious risk to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike. It includes any activity that shifts attention away from driving to something else. Common distractions include using a cell phone, eating, and managing a navigation system. You see it every day in New Orleans: people using cell phones, eating, grooming, and using built-in infotainment systems while driving. However, what may seem like harmless actions can have devastating consequences, leading to severe m ..read more

Slip and fall accidents in New Orleans often occur in grocery stores, malls, apartment complexes, and job sites. Victims often suffer brain injuries by hitting the ground or other hard surfaces. This can lead to potential long-term complications, including behavioral changes, personality shifts, emotional disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. Seeking legal help is essential If you or a loved one suffered a head or brain injury in a slip and fall on someone else's property, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other related expenses. An experienced pe ..read more

Front crash prevention systems are not foolproof. Recent research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed key insights into the performance of front crash prevention systems. These systems play a crucial role in reducing car accidents, particularly rear-end collisions. However, IIHS studies have uncovered a notable disparity in their effectiveness across different vehicle types. Front crash prevention systems typically consist of forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB). The forward collision warning alerts drivers of impending rear-end crash ..read more

Tips to be a safer driver and prevent car accidents. Drivers with bad habits – dangerous habits – are out on the roads every day. These are the drivers who ignore speed limits and get into road rage incidents. Drivers who have had too much to drink or who are distracted when behind the wheel, whether they are eating or they are looking at their phones. Many times, it’s these drivers who cause car accidents that leave people seriously hurt. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, more than half of survey respondents admitted to risky driving be ..read more

While the holiday season in New Orleans brings joy and festivities, it also carries an increased risk on the road due to the prevalence of drunk drivers causing serious and fatal car accidents. "The year-end holiday period from Thanksgiving through New Year's is always one of the most dangerous times on U.S. roads and highways," says the National Road Safety Foundation, which states that this added danger on the road comes from "the increased risk comes from a combination of factors that include impairment from alcohol and drugs." Drunk driving soars higher during holidays Drunk driving accid ..read more

Who is liable for injuries when fog causes a major crash? Thick patches of "super fog" rolling onto New Orleans area highways have contributed to two deadly multi-car pileups in the past few weeks. On Nov. 7, a dense cloud of fog and smoke from nearby fires resulted in a fatal crash and serious multiple-car accidents on I-10 in New Orleans. On Oct. 23, fog and smoke from a marsh fire caused a 160-vehicle pileup on I-55 that resulted in 8 deaths and scores of injuries. Typically, in a Louisiana car accident, victims are entitled to compensation from the at-fault party. But when a crash is ca ..read more

Distracted driving is causing thousands of fatal car accidents across the U.S., and the situation is getting worse in states like Louisiana. A new study says Louisiana has some of the most distracted drivers in the country. Since 2019, the number of distraction-related car accidents has increased by 57 percent in Louisiana - from 583 such crashes to 920 accidents last year. Meanwhile, fatal distracted driving accidents are up by 10 percent over the same period, with 311 deadly accidents in 2019 and 344 last year, state data says. "Distracted driving is particularly dangerous because it divert ..read more

A concussion can happen even if you didn't hit your head in a car accident. Car accidents in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana can result in a wide range of severe and debilitating injuries, and among the most common are concussions, a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Detecting these head injuries after a crash can prove challenging, as their symptoms might not manifest immediately. With National Concussion Awareness Day falling in September, this month is an ideal time to familiarize yourself with the warning signs associated with concussions. At The Law Offices of John S. Williams ..read more

Increasing the speed limit results in more car accidents, according to a recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety to determine the impact of increasing or decreasing the speed limit on the number of car crashes. "Our study analyzed before-and-after data on a dozen roadways that raised or lowered posted speed limits and found no one-size-fits-all answer regarding the impact of these changes," said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation. "However, it is critical to consider the safety implications when local transportation authorities conte ..read more

Statistics show drivers need to do a better job of sharing the road. The fatal bicycle accident rate in New Orleans greatly outpaces that of every other major U.S. city and the nation as a whole, according to a new five-year analysis of traffic accidents. The national average is 2.7 fatal bicycle accidents per 1 million residents. But in New Orleans, on average, there were 9.9 bicyclist deaths per 1 million residents over the last five years. The rate demonstrates an 11% increase in fatal crashes compared to the period of 2012-2016. Recent bicycle accidents in and around New Orleans include ..read more