A Kaplan man escaped injury late Tuesday night after his vehicle struck a guardrail on Interstate 49, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Natchitoches Parish sheriff’s deputies and Louisiana State Police responded to the single-vehicle crash at approximately 10:20 p.m. on I-49 southbound, near mile marker 141, just north of Natchitoches.

Authorities said a 25-year-old Kaplan man was driving southbound in a 2019 Ford Flex when the vehicle veered off the left side of the roadway and hit a guardrail. Although the vehicle sustained heavy damage and its airbags deployed, the driver was wearing his seatbelt and was uninjured.

Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop E in Alexandria are investigating the cause of the crash. Deputy B. Desadier of the sheriff’s office assisted with traffic control at the scene.

State and local authorities remind drivers that wearing a seatbelt significantly reduces the risk of injury or death in a traffic crash.

Motorists traveling through the area are urged to reduce their speed, avoid distractions, and remain alert while emergency crews clear the roadway.

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