Police do not yet know who caused fatal accident on Hwy 171

It is not always easy to assign 100 percent of the blame in an accident to one party. More often, the actions of more than one driver make up the circumstances that cause an accident. This could be the case in a fatal accident that recently occurred on Louisiana Highway 171.

Two motorcycle riders were traveling south on the highway. Police believe the two men were driving at speeds well above the posted speed limit. This could have contributed to the tragedy that was about to occur as they approached an intersection on the highway. Another driver heading north was attempting to make a left turn off Louisiana Highway 171.

The two motorcycles and the vehicle collided. Not surprisingly, the riders were thrown off their motorcycles by the impact. One man suffered injuries considered severe, and he was taken to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.

The other man struck two more vehicles as his momentum carried him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of a northbound vehicle was treated for minor injuries.

Investigators have not yet made a determination regarding who is at fault in this fatal accident. Until that determination is made, it is unknown whether any charges will be filed. If it is determined that the fault is shared by the vehicle driver and each motorcyclist, that will not preclude the family of the deceased victim or the other injured motorcyclist from pursuing civil actions. The state of Louisiana subscribes to the legal doctrine of comparative fault, in which the court will assign a percentage of liability to each party. Any damages awarded will be reduced by that percentage.

Source: kplctv.com, “Victim identified in fatal motorcycle accident“, Lee Peck, July 12, 2014