A Baton Rouge man died in a wreck that seriously injured two others when he crashed head-on into their vehicle. The crash, on May 5, is just one of several recent incidents blamed on drag racing.
The driver and passenger of the car that was struck were both wearing seat belts but still received serious injuries. The racing driver was not restrained and was pronounced dead at the scene. Blood samples were taken to test the drivers for impairment, but the results have not yet been released.
The second vehicle in the race has not been identified, and police are still hoping their investigation will turn up more information.
Problem Behavior
Drag racing on roads that are open to regular traffic is extremely dangerous, but people continue to do it. Another crash that killed a woman in West Baton Rouge later in May was also blamed on racing.
In that case, one of the racing vehicles (two pickup trucks) failed to avoid another vehicle that was in their path. It clipped that vehicle and overturned. One of the passengers was ejected and killed. The second racer in that incident fled the scene and police are still looking for the vehicle, reported to be a white truck with Florida plates.
More recently, a twenty-year-old driver was killed and his two passengers injured when the car they were in went off the road and struck a light pole. That early June crash was blamed by eyewitnesses on racing, although Baton Rouge police have not confirmed this.
Stiff Penalties
In Louisiana, drag racing on public roads is strictly prohibited, and the punishment for a first offense includes a fine and possibly a short jail term. When someone is injured or killed as a result of racing, the punishment immediately increases to include a prison term of up to five years.
These measures help deter potential racers, but street racing continues to be a popular and potentially fatal pastime for some drivers.
Baton Rouge Car Accident Lawyer
Unfortunately, many of the victims in street racing crashes are not racers themselves. They’re passengers in racing vehicles, occupants of other vehicles not involved in the race, and pedestrians who just get in the way of reckless drivers.
When you or someone close to you has been harmed by another driver—regardless of the circumstances—it’s important to turn to a legal team with the right experience. The attorneys at Spencer Calahan Injury Lawyers understand auto accident law, and we give every client a free consultation to discuss the details of his or her case.
Call us at 225-387-2323 or contact us online through the form below to schedule yours.
