Who Is at Fault When a Driver Changes Lanes on West Esplanade Avenue and Causes a Crash?

West Esplanade Avenue gives drivers plenty of reasons to change lanes. The divided roadway runs past neighborhoods, businesses, side streets, U-turn openings, access roads, and major boulevard intersections.

A driver may be trying to reach a turn, move around slower traffic, or get across several lanes after entering West Esplanade. When that move is made too quickly or without enough room, a sideswipe or more serious crash can happen.

Last-Second Lane Changes Can Put Two Vehicles in the Same Space

Louisiana law requires drivers to make sure they can move left or right with reasonable safety before changing lanes. Drivers are also required to signal before making lane changes.

Problems can happen when someone realizes too late that they need to reach a turn lane or U-turn opening, or get into another lane before an intersection.

Because the median separates eastbound and westbound traffic, drivers leaving businesses or side streets are typically forced to turn right, even if that’s not the direction they need to go. They then have to merge left, sometimes quickly, to reach a U-turn before they can travel the other way.

Making an unsafe lane change to reach the nearest U-turn can put other drivers at risk, even if waiting for the next opening is inconvenient.

Backed-Up or Slow-Moving Lanes Can Trigger Sudden Lane Changes

Traffic on West Esplanade does not always move at the same speed in every lane. A turn lane may back up, a driver may slow for a business entrance, or congestion may cause one lane to move much more slowly than the lane beside it.

When that happens, some drivers may try to move around the slowdown at the last second. If they change lanes without checking their mirrors or blind spot for a vehicle already beside them, the result can be a sideswipe or a more serious collision.

Access Roads and Business Entrances Add More Merging Traffic

Many stretches of West Esplanade have access roads, parking lots, and business entrances alongside the main roadway.

Vehicles entering from those areas may be traveling more slowly than through traffic, while drivers already on West Esplanade may be moving over to reach an entrance or upcoming turn. When several vehicles are trying to merge or change lanes within the same short stretch, each driver needs to make sure the lane they are entering is actually clear.

Is the Driver Who Changed Lanes Always at Fault?

Not necessarily.

The driver leaving a lane has an important responsibility to make sure the move can be made safely, so an unsafe lane change may be strong evidence of fault. But the other driver’s actions can still matter.

For example, responsibility could be shared if one driver begins changing lanes while another driver is simultaneously moving into the same lane, or if a driver accelerates and closes a gap after another vehicle has already begun a safe merge.

Louisiana’s comparative fault rules allow responsibility for an accident to be divided when more than one driver contributed to the crash. Determining how much responsibility each driver bears can be complicated, and the outcome often depends heavily on the available evidence.

What If Both Drivers Say the Other Vehicle Changed Lanes?

Lane-change crashes often leave both drivers telling very different stories.

The location of the damage can sometimes help show how the vehicles came together. A scrape running along the side of one vehicle may tell a different story than damage concentrated around a front corner. Dashcam footage or nearby video can be especially useful when it shows which vehicle crossed a lane line.

If there is a dispute over who caused a lane-change accident, speaking with a car accident attorney as soon as possible can help with identifying and preserving evidence before it becomes harder to obtain.

Get Help After a West Esplanade Avenue Car Accident

A lane-change crash can look simple until the other driver denies moving over or an insurance company tries to divide fault between both drivers.



Donald D’Aunoy Jr. represents people injured in car accidents throughout Metairie and Jefferson Parish. If you were hurt in a crash on West Esplanade Avenue, contact Lawyer Don at (504) 508-6414 to discuss what happened and what options may be available.