With a population of 227,470, Baton Rouge is the second most populous city in Louisiana behind New Orleans and, as of 2022, the 103rd largest city in the United States. The INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard identifies Baton Rouge as the 27th most congested city in the country and among the top 500 most congested cities in the world. With population and congestion on the rise, car accidents are increasing as well.

The high level of traffic crossing through Baton Rouge means that numerous intersections frequently see incidents ranging from road rage and aggressive driving to crashes that block lanes and cause injuries. If you live or work in Baton Rouge, here are the top three most dangerous intersections you need to know:

1. Nicholson Drive & West Lee Drive

Nicholson Drive is the northern half of Louisiana Highway 30 (LA 30), a long corridor connecting downtown Baton Rouge to the neighboring towns of Brittany and Gonzales. It is one of the city’s most traveled and most frequently congested roads.

Residents of Baton Rouge know Nicholson Drive as one of the most dangerous roads in Baton Rouge. One of the hot spots for traffic accidents on this long stretch of road is the intersection at Nicholson Drive and West Lee Drive, just a few miles from Louisiana State University (LSU).

The leading causes of accidents at junctions like this one are failure to stop at red lights, failure to yield the right of way, and attempting to run yellow lights.

In response, the city of Baton Rouge has pledged to widen Nicholson Drive to a four-lane divided highway from LSU to the Parish line, citing safety concerns and a desire to improve driving conditions for students and other road users in the area. According to city officials, construction is set to begin in 2024.

2. O’Neal Lane & I-12

O’Neal Lane is located at the eastern edge of Baton Rouge. It intersects with Interstate 12 near the Ochsner Medical Center. Traffic overflow from I-12 regularly results in congestion around the highway entrance and exit ramps.

Despite the divider separating northbound and southbound traffic on O’Neal Lane, the constant flow of traffic between the interstate highway and the five-lane road is a frequent source of collisions and accidents, resulting in approximately 350 yearly incidents.

Accidents at highway ramps, such as those found at this intersection, frequently involve passenger cars attempting to merge and semi-trucks in the right lane. Studies have shown that traffic accidents rank among the leading causes of death in Louisiana and that dangerous road geometry is an aggravating factor in fatal incidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic collision in the city of Baton Rouge or anywhere else in Louisiana, contact our team of Baton Rouge car crash lawyers as soon as possible. Our qualified lawyers have the expertise to protect your rights, prove the at-fault parties are liable for your injuries, and get the compensation you deserve.

3. Burbank Drive & Gardere Lane

Burbank Drive is located on the other side of Louisiana Highway 30, connecting LSU and Highlands/Perkins to South Baton Rouge. According to Google Maps traffic data, the intersection at Burbank Drive and Gardere Lane is one of the most frequent hotspots for slow traffic in Baton Rouge, particularly between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

As an intersection between a 5-lane and a 4-lane road, the steady flow of sustained traffic significantly increases the chances of collisions and traffic accidents. The most common types of accidents at this type of intersection are:

  • Rear-end impacts
  • Head-on crashes
  • T-bone collisions
  • Pedestrian and cyclist impacts

OpenDataBR, a data reporting project maintained by the Baton Rouge Police Department, has recorded and archived 1,641 traffic incidents on Burbank Drive between 2010 and 2020. These numbers translate to approximately 164 traffic accidents a year, most of which occur at intersections such as this one at Gardere Lane.

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This content has been reviewed by Chad Lederman, Director of Legal Operations at our New Orleans office.