La. traffic deaths drop to lowest level since record keeping began

Tuesday, Oct. 4
October 4, 2011
Leanda Boudreaux Hebert
October 6, 2011
Tuesday, Oct. 4
October 4, 2011
Leanda Boudreaux Hebert
October 6, 2011

Traffic deaths in Louisiana last year dropped to their lowest level since Louisiana State University started reporting such data in 1984. The recently completed Louisiana Annual Traffic Records Data Report shows that 720 people were killed and 68,700 were injured in crashes in 2010.


Last year was the third consecutive year that deaths declined on Louisiana’s roads. Last year’s fatalities dropped 12.6 percent from the previous year’s count of 824. Injuries dropped 6.9 percent from the 2009 total of 73,900.


Besides the number of actual deaths dropping, the rate of deaths per 100 million miles traveled also fell to their lowest level. In 2010, 1.6 traffic deaths occurred for every 100 million miles traveled in Louisiana compared to a rate of 1.8 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 2009. Measuring deaths per miles traveled is a universal method for recording such data.

The recently completed annual traffic report for 2010 was compiled under the direction of Helmut Schneider, PhD. of the Highway Safety Research Group of LSU’s E.J. Ourso College of Business. The research is funded by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The Highway Safety Research Group began maintaining crash data in 1984.


“2010 marks the third year in a row in which Louisiana has experienced a reduction in highway deaths. Through the efforts of troopers, deputies, officers and, most importantly, the general public, we hope to see this trend continue in 2011,” said State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson. “We must continue to work collectively to embrace highway safety and change the culture in Louisiana.”


Louisiana’s 2010 traffic fatalities represent a steep decline of 273 deaths since the state reached its record high fatality rate of 993 in 2007.

These improvements didn’t just happen by themselves. The trend toward fewer deaths and injuries is a result of many factors such as safer vehicles and roads, more careful drivers, education programs, strong laws, seat belt use and vigorous enforcement of traffic laws.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and our partners have been involved in all aspects of highway safety and we will continue these efforts that are helping save hundreds of lives.

The commission provides grants to State Police and local agencies to conduct special patrols and checkpoints dedicated to DWI and seat belt enforcement. In recent years, the commission has also increased advertising and other education programs directed toward younger drivers.

Schneider estimates that traffic crashes in 2010 cost Louisiana citizens $5.32 billion, which translates to $1,853 for every licensed driver in Louisiana.

The 2010 data also found that:

  • Alcohol-related fatalities accounted for 43 percent of all 2010 crash deaths, five percentage points lower than in 2009.
  • Officers made 31,065 DWI arrests.
  • About 81 percent of driver fatalities involved lack of seat belt use, alcohol or aggressive driving.
  • Light trucks and vans were involved in 45 percent of fatal crashes, passenger cars in 33 percent, motorcycles in 8 percent and large trucks in 5 percent of such crashes.
  • Drivers in alcohol-related crashes are overwhelmingly males.
  • Fifty-eight percent of drivers killed were reported not wearing a seat belt.
  • There were 75 people killed in motorcycle crashes in 2010, a sharp decrease from 104 in 2009.
  • A person is killed in a crash in Louisiana every 12 hours, 9 minutes, 55 seconds.

Additional details about the 2010 Traffic Records Data Report can be viewed at the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission website, http://lahighwaysafety.org, or at the Highway Safety Research Group website, http://lhsc.lsu.edu.