Louisiana to address crossover crashes with new median barriers

Louisiana is installing new highway median barriers in the hopes of reducing the number of fatal crossover accidents.

2013-02-16

February 16, 2013 (Press-News.org) When we head out on the road, most of us know where to watch for potential car accident threats -- we look ahead of us to see that we aren't following too closely, and behind us to make sure we won't be rear-ended if we need to stop or slow down. At intersections, we watch traffic just in case another driver decides to run a red light or blow through a stop sign.

However, there is another car accident threat that a lot of people don't always internalize. On divided highways, many accidents are caused when a driver loses control and crosses over the median, hitting vehicles in the oncoming lanes of traffic.

One of the best ways to prevent these "crossover" accidents is to install median barriers in high-risk areas. Median barriers can be made of a number of different materials, but cable barriers are some of the most popular in Louisiana. The barriers work by deflecting vehicles that leave their lanes and enter the median.

344 miles of barriers planned

In an attempt to improve traffic safety, the Louisiana Department of Transportation recently announced that it would be spending approximately $55 million to build 344 miles of cable median barriers on Interstate highways throughout the state. The barriers, which are planned for Interstates 10, 12, 30 and 55, will be installed between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2016.

Once completed, the initiative will represent a huge step forward for highway safety in Louisiana. Currently, there are only about 81 miles of cable median barriers in the state.

The move is being made in the wake of a number of high-profile crossover accident deaths. In 2008, an 8-year old girl was killed when her family's vehicle was struck by a truck that crossed the median. In 2011, four people were killed on I-10 when a pickup crossed the median and hit their vehicle head-on. The survivors of some of those accident victims have been working with state lawmakers to push for the installation for additional cable median barriers.

Liability in crossover accidents

After a crossover accident, it is important for injured victims and the families of those who were killed to take steps to protect their legal rights. In most cases, they will be able to bring personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits against the negligent driver who was responsible for causing the crash.

In some cases, victims may also have a cause of action against the government entity responsible for maintaining the road where the accident occurred. The government has a responsibility to maintain roads in a reasonably safe manner. When they do not, they may be held liable if accidents occur because of that failure.

After an accident, be sure to talk to an experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney who can evaluate the circumstances of the crash and help you understand all of your options for moving forward.

Article provided by Bohrer Law Firm, LLC
Visit us at www.bohrerlaw.com

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