Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:170

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels and ferries; synonymous with the word "street". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
  • Railroad: means a carrier of persons or property upon cars, other than streetcars, operated upon stationary rails. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels, and ferries; synonymous with the word "highway". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1

A.  The provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 32:168 and La. Rev. Stat. 32:169 shall not apply to crossings of public roads by house tracks, switch tracks, industry tracks, and plantation tracks, since the intention is that such provisions apply only to tracks over which trains are operated at high speed; also such provisions do not modify or repeal any parochial or municipal ordinance relating to signs or signals at public railroad crossings.

B.(1)  The provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 32:168 requiring the sounding of a bell, whistle, or horn by a locomotive engine when it approaches a street or highway crossing shall not apply to crossings in the Old Metairie railroad corridor in Jefferson Parish between Airline Highway and the 17th Street Canal when train activated flashing light signals and gates are installed and operating at those crossings, and such soundings in the corridor are hereby prohibited except in cases of emergency.

(2)  After train activated flashing light signals and gates are installed and operating at crossings in the Old Metairie railroad corridor in Jefferson Parish between Airline Highway and the 17th Street Canal, a railroad company or its employees shall not be liable to any person or other entity for civil damages for injury or death of persons or damage to property which occur due to failure of an oncoming train to sound an audible warning approaching or at such crossings.

Added by Acts 1982, No. 669, §1; Acts 1990, No. 983, §1.