Longtime residents of Baton Rouge have seen the city’s highways become filled with traffic. This has led to congestion, and it can take people much longer to get across town. The increase in vehicles has also led to an increase in the potential for a motor vehicle accident. More cars and trucks on roadways make it more important for motorists to observe safe driving habits. One person not paying attention can have a serious impact on t...

Many people in Louisiana and throughout the Gulf region make their living working on boats or oil rigs. Whether it is a small fishing boat or an offshore drilling platform, there are many dangers that may arise. The BP oil spill highlights how quickly some of these problems can become too big to handle, and result in death and serious injuries for workers. When one of these maritime accidents happens, officials want to know what caus...

When oil booms hit, the number of injuries and deaths rise. Louisiana saw this when the rush began in the state in 2008. In 2009, three men died, then two men in 2010, followed by one death in 2011. There were many others whose lives were spared, but they suffered injuries that had a major effect on their lives. However, when shale development lessens, the injuries and deaths do as well. There has not been a death reported in Louisiana in over on...

In his testimony before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Don Marcus, International Secretary-Treasurer of the Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P), stated that many maritime accidents are due to fatigue caused by insufficient crews as a result of lax regulations that favor competition over safety. Marcus cited the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) decision to pu...