On the morning of March 24, a pedestrian was killed on an I-49 service road after being struck by a moving vehicle. The Louisiana coroner on the scene of the car accident pronounced the unidentified victim dead, although the driver of the vehicle was uninjured. Investigation into this tragic accident is ongoing.

According to Louisiana State Troopers, the 59-year-old driver was traveling southbound toward Roxanne Road when the pedestrian, who was allegedly walking in the road, was struck and killed on impact. The driver was wearing a seat belt and did not sustain any injuries. No damage to his vehicle has been reported.

Police are unsure whether alcohol or driving speed were factors in the car accident. Toxicology samples have been submitted to police labs and are currently being analyzed. The victim was said to have been wearing dark clothing and was allegedly walking on the street, in the same direction as moving traffic.

Louisiana, like most states, recommends a number of safety precautions for pedestrians. However, all of these stipulations are safety suggestions, not laws, and the burden of traffic safety always rests with the driver. In this case, more information will be required to determine the driver's culpability in this car accident, depending upon the results of the ongoing police investigation. Should the driver be found at fault due to negligence, the family of the deceased would likely be entitled to a claim of wrongful death, which could lead to financial restitution from the driver at fault in the accident.

Source: TheAdvertiser.com, "Pedestrian dies in crash on I-49 service road," March 24, 2013