Intersections are common accident sites, including serious crashes like head-on or T-bone collisions. Intersection accidents can cause severe injuries and major financial or personal losses. In Lafayette, certain intersections see more crashes, injuries, and fatalities than others. Some of the most dangerous intersections in Lafayette include Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Broussard Road with Johnston Street, as well as Pinhook Road at Kaliste Saloom Road and West Congress Street at Bertrand Drive.
Which Lafayette Intersections Keep Showing Up in Crash Reporting
According to the LSU Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety, notable figures in Lafayette Parish crash data from one recent year include the following:
- 2,570 suspected injury crashes, which caused 4,030 suspected injuries
- 28 fatal crashes, which involved 30 fatalities (18 driver fatalities)
- 7,880 property damage only crashes
Furthermore, Lafayette Parish had 3,610 intersection crashes in one recent year, including nine fatal crashes and 1,088 suspected injury crashes. Some of the most dangerous intersections in Lafayette include:
Ambassador Caffery Parkway at Johnston Street
The intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Johnston Street is in a busy commercial area with strip malls, big stores, and the Acadiana Mall nearby. The Louisiana Department of Transportation has suggested adding signalized J-turns on Johnston Street near this intersection. This would help reduce conflicts between cars coming from side streets and those driving along Johnston Street.
Johnston Street at East Broussard Road
Johnston Street and East Broussard Road/West Broussard Road have had many serious accidents. Officials say the intersection’s design allows for traffic conflicts that can cause crashes like T-bone collisions. As a result, the Louisiana Department of Transportation has proposed major improvements to the intersection and nearby roads. These changes would include the following:
- New islands leading up to the intersection from each direction
- A center island that blocks travel along Broussard Road through the intersection
- Signalized J-turns at both far ends of the intersection
The proposed redesign of the Johnston Street and Broussard Road intersection would reduce conflicts between straight- and left-turning vehicles by eliminating left turns off Broussard Road and funneling vehicles to safer, signalized J-turns down Johnston Street.
Pinhook Road at Kaliste Saloom Road
The intersection of Pinhook Road and Kaliste Saloom Road also runs through a light commercial area dotted with several hotels branded for nearby Lafayette Regional Airport, attracting visitors unfamiliar with the area’s traffic patterns and customs. As a result, commercial traffic combined with people traveling to and from the airport can increase the risk of accidents.
West Congress Street at Bertrand Drive
West Congress Street at Bertrand Drive sits next to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s athletic facilities and Ochsner University Hospital. As a result, the intersection sees an influx of young drivers and attendees of UL-Lafayette sporting events, increasing the risk of accidents caused by distracted driving or inexperience behind the wheel.
Why Lafayette Has No Official Public List of Its Worst Intersections
In recent months, Lafayette government officials have declined to publish or share crash data, claiming federal law prohibits them from doing so. Specifically, officials point to a federal statute that bars disclosing traffic reports or data for discovery or as evidence in a court proceeding, or for any other purpose in a lawsuit. However, the law does not prohibit other uses of the data.
The law applies to roads eligible for federal funding, which includes some of Lafayette’s major roads. However, safety advocates contend that publishing such data would enable the creation of visual maps that could identify dangerous intersections in the parish.
What to Do If You Crash at a Lafayette Intersection
Prompt action after a crash at a Lafayette intersection can protect your legal options to pursue financial recovery for injuries and losses. Some of the steps that injured people should take after Lafayette intersection accidents include the following:
- Report the accident to law enforcement and request a copy of the police crash report.
- Notify your auto insurance provider as soon as possible.
- Seek prompt medical attention to identify injuries you may have sustained in the crash and follow your doctor’s treatment plan or recovery instructions.
- Obtain copies of your medical records from treatment and rehab.
- Collect your income statements if you miss time from work to calculate your lost earnings.
- Keep any receipts, bills, or invoices for expenses related to your medical treatment or vehicle repair/replacement.
- Avoid discussing the accident or your personal injury claim on social media.
- Do not sign anything from an insurance company or agree to give a statement until you have first spoken to an attorney.
Finally, a crash victim should contact a car accident lawyer immediately to learn how Louisiana law may affect their right to compensation.
Talk to a Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer About Your Intersection Crash
When you get hurt in an auto collision in an intersection, you may sustain serious, life-altering injuries. You deserve to seek financial recovery from the driver or drivers responsible for causing the accident. Let our determined legal team advocate for you.
Our firm has a proven record of recovering compensation for clients in motor vehicle accident cases, including a $1 million recovery for an 18-wheeler crash and $30,000 recovered for another client in an auto accident claim. Although our past success does not guarantee similar results in future cases, our record reflects our hardworking approach to pursuing financial relief for injured car accident victims.
Our dedication has earned us the trust and respect of the clients we serve. As one satisfied client wrote in a five-star review about working with us:
“If you are in need of an attorney, don’t hesitate to call the Thibeaux Law Firm. You will get an attorney who truly cares about your well-being, is understanding, and is a man of integrity.”
– Shaylonda Thorn
Learn more about your legal rights if you suffered injuries in a car crash in Lafayette Parish. Contact The Thibeaux Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a caring Lafayette car accident lawyer. Your case review is fully confidential, and you pay no attorney fees unless we successfully resolve your matter.
