Distracted Driving Louisiana: Cell Phones Major Cause of Accidents

SHREVEPORT, LA - Chances are you have used your phone while driving a car. It's a big mistake and is directly related to accidents across Louisiana.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and state officials are hoping to get the message out about paying attention while you are driving.

Department of Transportation Secretary Joe Donahue says preliminary data from 2024 shows that distracted driving wrecks resulted in 180 deaths and more than 1200 injuries in Louisiana.

Donahue says "that's 180 empty seats at dinner tables and 1,295 families whose lives were turned upside down and countless friends and loved ones left grieving or caring for someone who may never fully recover."

What Is the Biggest Cause of Distracted Driving?

The experts say cell phones are a major contributor.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple urges parents to set an example of not using a phone while behind the wheel.

"If children see you using a phone while driving or texting while driving, it's just a natural progression. So model good behavior for your kids.”

Louisiana Highway Safety Commission executive director Lisa Freeman says she plans to ask lawmakers to pass a measure to require hands-free operation of cell phones in cars. She says this would allow police officers to ticket drivers who use a hand held cell phone while driving.

"States who have gone in that direction over the last several decades have really seen tremendous results."

The National Highway Safety Administration Says These Are the Top 5 Distracted Driving Problems:

1. Cell Phones

2. Eating

3. Grooming

4. Daydreaming

5. Sleepiness

More than 3,000 people are killed in the U.S. every year as a direct result of distracted driving.