Louisiana Ranks Fifth for Dangerous Driving in the U.S.

Bad news on our roads during this holiday season. A new survey shows Louisiana is among the states with the worst drivers. If you are hitting the roads for a holiday gathering, be sure you take extra precautions in the Bayou State.

This report comes from CarInsuranceComparison.com and it ranks Louisiana among the states with the worst drivers in the United States, based on traffic fatalities and risky driving behaviors.

Where Does Louisiana Rank

Louisiana places 5th in the nation. That puts us near the top of the list for dangerous driving conditions. This ranking is based on data involving crash death rates, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, and other factors linked to unsafe driving habits.

How Louisiana Landed in the Top Five

This study says Louisiana’s poor ranking is based on our high traffic fatality rate. The state recorded 1.43 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, placing it among the highest in the nation.

States Worse than Louisiana

The report puts New Mexico and Texas in a tie for the top spot for worst drivers. Montana and South Carolina are tied for 3rd.

What Contributes to the Fatality Rate

Several things play a part in this bad news for Louisiana. At the top of the list is speeding. But we also have a problem with impaired drivers on our roads. And roadway safety conditions are a factor. Another problem in Louisiana is drivers ignoring traffic laws.

Pedestrian and Cyclist Deaths Also Contribute

Louisiana also has a high ranking because of the number of deaths involving pedestrians and cyclists. That’s been a big problem in Shreveport this year.

The report found Louisiana had a pedestrian death rate of 2.54 per 100,000 people and a cyclist death rate of 0.47 per 100,000 people. Both figures are higher than the national average and contributed to the state’s poor overall performance.

Louisiana does not typically have the infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. We have very few bike lanes across the state.

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Top 10 Louisiana Parishes for Fatal Crashes

1. Caddo Parish – Leads the state in fatal crashes in 2025, with 46 deaths on local roads so far this year, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists.
2. Orleans Parish – Second highest with 45 traffic fatalities in 2025.
3. East Baton Rouge Parish – Also recorded 45 fatalities so far in 2025, historically among the top parishes for traffic deaths.
4. Calcasieu Parish – Reported 41 fatal crashes this year, making it one of the deadliest parishes on Louisiana highways.
5. Jefferson Parish – Shared fifth place with other large population parishes, with 27 fatalities so far in 2025.
6. Lafayette Parish – Also tallied 27 traffic deaths, tying for fifth among the 10 worst parishes.
7. Ouachita Parish – Recorded 25 fatal crashes in 2025.
8. Livingston Parish – Logged 24 fatalities on the road so far this year.
9. St. Tammany Parish – Had 21 fatal crashes in 2025, continuing regional safety concerns.
10. Rapides Parish – Rounded out the top ten with 19 fatal wrecks so far.