Louisiana drivers need to be careful at all times, and certainly during Memorial Day weekend. The National Safety Council is estimating that 439 people will die and an additional 50,500 people will be seriously injured around the country in a motor vehicle accident some time during the Memorial Day three-day weekend.
The National Safety Council has seen an increase in the number of traffic fatalities in recent months. It found that motor vehicle accident fatalities rose 8 percent between 2014 and 2015. Many of these deaths occurred during the summer months, beginning with the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. About 9,570 people died between May 24 and Aug. 31 in 2014.
Many commercial vehicle drivers will be on the road as well. As the economy improves, unemployment is down and gas prices have decreased, more truck drivers have been on the road. Additionally, more accidents are caused in the summer due to speeding and alcohol consumption. If the estimate is accurate, the Memorial Day weekend in 2016 will be the most tragic since 2009’s Memorial Day weekend in which 462 people were killed in fatal car accidents.
Truck accidents can be especially devastating because these commercial vehicles dwarf the size and weight of passenger cars. A person who has been injured in such an accident that was caused bu a distracted or impaired trucker may want to have the help of a lawyer in seeking compensation from the driver for medical expenses and other losses. In some cases the trucking company itself can be held financially responsible as well.
