Many in Baton Rouge may not understand the responsibility one assumes when they agree to driver others around in their vehicles. Drivers take on the duty of not only making sure that their own actions do not endanger their passenger, but also that those passengers take advantage of whatever safety measures are available to them (such as wearing their seat belts). An argument might be made that adult passengers should be responsible enough to ensure that they themselves are buckled in, yet when children are involved, it is up to the driver to make sure that they are properly secured.
A failure to do so (coupled with potentially negligent behavior on the part of a driver) can produce results like those seen in a recent crash that occurred on Interstate 55 in Tangipahoa Parrish. Authorities say that a woman was exiting the freeway in her SUV when she lost control of the vehicle. After leaving the road, the SUV rolled several times before coming to a stop. The three children traveling in the vehicle (none of whom were wearing seat belts) were ejected during the crash. One of them (a 15-year-old boy) died from his injuries, while the other two children are currently listed as being in critical condition.
The children’s relationship with the driver was not reported, yet it may be reasonable to assume that it was close. Yet even in those cases where vehicle passengers have a close relationship with their drivers, they may need to commence legal action against those drivers if they have issues in getting their accident expenses covered. Those needing to do so may first want to consult with an experienced attorney.
