Why Has the Veterans Boulevard and Cleary Avenue Intersection Drawn Attention for Car Accidents?

Regional transportation planners have had their eye on the intersection at Veterans Boulevard and Cleary Avenue for years. Although it does not look like an especially complicated crossroads, there are a few features that can increase the risk of a crash, particularly when drivers are distracted, impatient, or trying to make it through a changing light.

Cleary Crosses Veterans in Two Stages

Like many major travel arteries in Metairie, Veterans Boulevard is divided by a wide median, so drivers traveling north or south on Cleary do not cross the entire boulevard in one continuous movement.

Instead, they pass through one side of Veterans, enter a short section of Cleary within the median, and then continue through the second signalized crossing.

That middle section is relatively short, so only a handful of vehicles can fit there at once. When traffic crossing Veterans on Cleary begins to build, vehicles can quickly fill the space between the two signalized crossings.

If a driver enters the crossing when the short section between the signals is already full, their vehicle could end up stopped in an active travel lane while waiting for traffic ahead to move.

That does not mean backups cause every crash here, but driver impatience can lead to reckless decision-making, and the limited space between the signals gives drivers less room for error.

Cleary Drivers Have Limited Turning Options

Drivers approaching Veterans on Cleary can continue straight or turn right, but left turns are prohibited in both directions.

That simplifies some of the traffic pattern, but it also means a driver who misses the signs or tries to make an illegal left turn could move into a path other drivers are not expecting.

At a busy intersection, an unexpected movement can quickly lead to an accident, particularly if drivers who technically have the right of way aren’t paying close attention.

Veterans Carries Several Lanes of Through Traffic

The intersection may be simpler than some others along Veterans, but drivers on Cleary still have to cross a wide boulevard with several lanes of traffic moving east and west.

Drivers traveling north or south on Cleary may be tempted to accelerate when the first signal turns yellow in an effort to clear both sides of Veterans before the signals change.

There’s a real risk for serious T-bone or rear-end accidents if a driver enters late in the signal cycle, misjudges when traffic will begin moving, or fails to notice stop or slowed traffic ahead.

The same is true for vehicles turning right from Cleary and merging onto Veterans, especially when surrounding traffic is moving faster than expected.

Pedestrians Have a Long Crossing

Marked crosswalks are present on Cleary, but pedestrians still have to cross a wide roadway with several lanes of traffic.

Drivers turning right from Cleary may be watching for a gap in Veterans traffic while a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk. Pedestrians also have to account for traffic moving through two separate sides of the divided boulevard.

Even When Signals and Signage Seem Clear, Fault Can Still Be Complicated After a Crash

After a collision at Veterans and Cleary, fault may depend on details such as which signal was active, whether a driver attempted to enter the center section when it was already full, whether someone made a prohibited left turn from Cleary, or whether a vehicle was traveling against the direction of traffic on Veterans.



The Law Office of Donald D’Aunoy Jr. represents drivers, passengers, and pedestrians injured in car accidents throughout Metairie. If you were injured in a crash at Veterans Boulevard and Cleary Avenue or elsewhere in the area, contact Lawyer Don at (504) 508-6414 to discuss what happened and what legal options may be available.