Louisiana Traffic Deaths Hit 5-Year Low in 2024

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL-FM) - There's a bit of good news when it comes to traffic fatalities in Louisiana. The numbers are trending in the right direction.

Louisiana Fatalities Reach 5-Year Low

According to a new report by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, the number of people killed on Louisiana roads in 2024 dropped to its lowest level in five years.

While traffic deaths have leveled off nationally from their Covid-era numbers, Louisiana's fatality numbers appear to be dropping at a faster rate than the rest of the country.

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In 2024, 753 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana, a 7.2% reduction according to the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS) at LSU.

Across the country, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says fatalities dropped 3.8% in 2024.

Comparing Louisiana and National Road Safety Trends

Louisiana's 2024 fatality rate (people killed per 100 million miles traveled) was at an all-time low of 1.37. The national rate in 2024 was 1.20.

While Louisiana's fatality rate is still above the national average, it's improved significantly. If you look back just 10 years ago, the state's rate was 41.7% higher than the national rate. In 2024, that national gap was narrowed to 14.2%.

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LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman applauded Louisiana's record low fatality rate "shows we are moving in the right direction, but we still have work to do. There are still too many people dying because of impaired drivers and non-seat belt usage. We will not be satisfied until our rate reaches zero."

Impact of Seat Belt and DWI Enforcement

In 2024, 261 people who were not wearing seat belts were killed in crashes, compared to 302 in 2023.

Louisiana also saw a decrease in drunk driving deaths. According to CARTS, 161 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver in 2024, an 18.3% decrease from 2023. Concurrently, DWI arrests increased by 4.3% in 2024, with law enforcement officers arresting 13,675 people.

Breakdown of 2024 Crash Fatalities

The 2024 Louisiana crash data also shows the following:

• 69 people were killed in motorcycle crashes, representing a 28.9% decrease from 2023 and an all-time low in Louisiana.
• 44 bicyclists were killed, compared to 35 in 2023.
• 161 pedestrians were killed, compared to 147 in 2023.
• 102 people were killed in interstate crashes, representing a 26.6% reduction from 2023.
• 14 children ages 12 and under were killed in crashes, compared to 25 in 2023.