Every time you get behind the wheel of your car, you face the risk of being in an accident. As your mom or dad probably told you when you were first learning how to drive, it doesn’t matter how safe of a driver you are – it’s the other drivers you have to look out for to avoid an accident.

And in Louisiana, your risk of getting into a serious or even deadly car crash may be higher than most other places in the U.S. A 2018 survey found that Louisiana ranked 7th in the nation for deadliest roads, with 777 deaths per 100,000 people. Fatalities on our roads have been on the rise for the last decade, according to the Highway Safety Research Group at LSU.

So, what are Louisiana’s most dangerous roads, and how deadly are they?

Louisiana’s 10 Deadliest Roads

Data from 2022 shows the most dangerous roads in Louisiana based on the number of recorded 2,162 fatal accidents in Louisiana between 2018 – 2020.

  1. I-10 E from Exit 231A to 239B
    • in this 4.7 mile stretch of road, there were 13 fatal accidents, resulting in 13 Fatalities, 2.8 Crashes Per Mile
  2. Blues Hwy. from Hanks Dr. to Delcourt Ave.
    • in this 4.7 mile stretch of road, there were 11 fatal accidents, resulting in 11 Fatalities, 2.3 Crashes Per Mile
  3. I-12 W from Exit 7 to Exit 4
    • in this 4.2 mile stretch of road, there were 12 fatal accidents, resulting in 12 Fatalities, 2.4 Crashes Per Mile
  4. US-190 from Lobdell Ave. to Rushmore Dr.
    • in this 4.9 mile stretch of road, there were 10 Fatalities, 2.0 Crashes Per Mile
  5. US-61 from Briarwood PI. to Ascension Parish Rd.
    • in this 4.8 mile stretch of road, there were 9 fatal accidents, resulting in 10 Fatalities, 1.9 Crashes Per Mile
  6. US-165 from Center St. to S. Park Dr.
    • in this 3.3 mile stretch of road, there were 9 fatal accidents, resulting in 10 Fatalities, 2.8 Crashes Per Mile
  7. US-61 from Blount Rd. to Samuels Rd.
    • in this 4.0 mile stretch of road, there were 8 fatal accidents, resulting in 11 Fatalities, 2.0 Crashes Per Mile
  8. Walker South Rd. from Burgess Ave. to Crotwell
    • in this 3.6 mile stretch of road, there were 8 fatal accidents, resulting in 8 Fatalities, 2.2 Crashes Per Mile
  9. US-61 from N. Atlanta St. to Shrewsbury Rd.
    • in this 4.3 mile stretch of road, there were 7 fatal accidents, resulting in 9 Fatalities, 1.6 Crashes Per Mile
  10. I-10 from Exit 194 to Exit 187
    • in this 4.5 mile stretch of road, there were 7 fatal accidents, resulting in 7 Fatalities, 1.6 Crashes Per Mile

The worst road, the I-10, sees an enormous amount of traffic, connecting the four of the largest cities in the state – Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans  – as well as connects Louisiana to Texas and Mississippi. Between the commuters, tourists, and long-haul truckers, there’s a lot of vehicles on the road. And the more traffic there is, the more likely it is that crashes will occur.

Primary Causes of Accidents and Traffic Deaths in Louisiana

So what can you do to avoid accidents when you can’t avoid taking these roads? Practice safe driving habits as much as you can. The same factors that cause crashes on less trafficked roads are in effect here, just on a more massive scale.

  • 78% of all fatal traffic accidents in Louisiana in 2017 included one of the following factors: alcohol, aggressive driving, distraction, or failure to wear a seatbelt, according to data collected by LSU’s Highway Safety Research Group.
  • In 2017, more than 40% of all motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana were alcohol-related, according to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
  • In 2018, Louisiana ranked 9th in the nation for most drunk driving-related deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, up from 10th in 2017.
  • An average of 38 Louisianans die and 5,400 are injured annually due to distracted driving, according to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
  • In 2015, 52% of all victims of fatal traffic accidents in Louisiana were not wearing seat belts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • In 2019, Louisiana was ranked as having the 4th worst drivers in the nation by CarInsuranceComparison.com’s annual survey, in particular for drivers’ failure to obey traffic signals.

If You’ve Been Injured in an Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault, We Want to Help

We can’t make other drivers stop drinking and driving or obey the speed limit, but when they act recklessly and put you or your loved ones in harm’s way, we are here to help you get the compensation you need.

Whether you were hit on I-90, or in the parking lot at Rouses Market, your injuries are real. Contact us today for a free consultation, and if you decide to hire us, you don’t pay unless we win.