Shocking dashcam footage raises concerns over roadway safety in Louisiana

ST. TAMMANY, La. (KALB) -Disturbing dashcam footage of an accident on June 10, involving a motorcyclist and an SUV is raising concerns from both drivers and motorcyclists across the state of Louisiana.

The incident occurred in the town of Slidell at an intersection on Gause Boulevard at Interstate 10. A bystander’s dashcam captured the incident as a motorcycle appears to slow at the intersection, while an SUV behind it does not. The SUV proceeds to crash into the motorcycle, eventually driving over it entirely. According to reports, the motorcyclist escaped from the accident with minor injuries. According to Slidell police, the driver of the SUV was distracted by dogs residing in the back seat of the vehicle.

Slidell police say they came to the decision to release the dashcam footage in order to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC) in 2021, there was a total of 678 fatalities and another 23,089 cases of significant injuries in connection to distracted driving in Louisiana alone.

According to a Louisiana AAA spokesperson, Louisiana has the third-highest rate of distracted driving in the nation. A survey conducted in 2019 ranked Louisiana as the 7th highest in the nation when it comes to distracted driving fatalities as well.

The LHSC states that the most common form of distracted driving is cell phone usage, but the definition of distracted driving includes any form of activity that takes a driver’s mind off of the task of driving. During the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, a bill was introduced that would expand the current iteration of law regulating phone usage on public roadways. SB98 by State Representative Patrick McMath, would outlaw drivers from having their phones visible and/or in their hands while operating a vehicle. The proposed law was shut down in House Chambers with a failing vote of 22 yeas and 71 nays.

Want to view previous coverage on this commonplace issue that has been commonly referred to as a “dangerous epidemic?”, click here.

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