Fatal crashes in Louisiana
In 2024, 752 people died in 705 fatal crashes on Louisiana roads, 7.3% fewer than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 1.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
Louisiana ranks 19th of 51 by road deaths in 2024.
Road deaths in Louisiana since 1975
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads in Louisiana
I-10 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Louisiana from 2015 to 2024: 452, with 489 deaths. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (88 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 | 452 | 489 | 139 | Orleans, Calcasieu, Ascension |
| 2 | US 90 | 290 | 308 | 105 | Orleans, Jefferson, St. Mary |
| 3 | US 61 | 240 | 267 | 68 | East Baton Rouge, St. John The Baptist, Ascension |
| 4 | US 190 | 185 | 200 | 42 | St. Tammany, East Baton Rouge, St. Landry |
| 5 | State Highway 1 | 172 | 189 | 54 | Lafourche, Caddo, West Baton Rouge |
| 6 | I-20 | 161 | 178 | 48 | Ouachita, Caddo, Bossier |
| 7 | I-12 | 145 | 161 | 58 | St. Tammany, East Baton Rouge, Livingston |
| 8 | US 165 | 115 | 123 | 37 | Ouachita, Morehouse, Rapides |
| 9 | I-49 | 110 | 136 | 34 | Rapides, St. Landry, Natchitoches |
| 10 | US 167 | 107 | 117 | 30 | Lafayette, Vermilion, Rapides |
| 11 | US 71 | 98 | 106 | 32 | Caddo, Rapides, Grant |
| 12 | US 171 | 88 | 93 | 21 | Beauregard, Calcasieu, Caddo |
| 13 | State Highway 182 | 78 | 91 | 25 | St. Mary, Terrebonne, St. Landry |
| 14 | State Highway 16 | 74 | 81 | 33 | Livingston, St. Helena, Washington |
| 15 | US 80 | 73 | 78 | 23 | Ouachita, Bossier, Madison |
| 16 | State Highway 10 | 67 | 76 | 19 | Washington, Vernon, East Feliciana |
| 17 | State Highway 308 | 62 | 70 | 23 | Lafourche, Assumption, Ascension |
| 18 | State Highway 14 | 53 | 56 | 14 | Vermilion, Calcasieu, Iberia |
| 19 | State Highway 22 | 52 | 55 | 21 | Livingston, Tangipahoa, Ascension |
| 20 | I-55 | 50 | 55 | 15 | Tangipahoa, St. John The Baptist |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest counties in Louisiana
East Baton Rouge County had the most fatal crashes in Louisiana from 2015 to 2024: 677, with 716 deaths. 64 counties in Louisiana recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Baton Rouge | 61 | 677 | 716 |
| 2 | Orleans | 58 | 520 | 549 |
| 3 | Caddo | 38 | 374 | 398 |
| 4 | Calcasieu | 28 | 359 | 381 |
| 5 | Jefferson | 23 | 302 | 322 |
| 6 | St. Tammany | 30 | 301 | 317 |
| 7 | Tangipahoa | 28 | 300 | 319 |
| 8 | Ouachita | 27 | 263 | 276 |
| 9 | Lafayette | 31 | 260 | 269 |
| 10 | Livingston | 26 | 256 | 274 |
| 11 | Rapides | 25 | 228 | 242 |
| 12 | Ascension | 21 | 221 | 237 |
| 13 | Lafourche | 9 | 184 | 215 |
| 14 | St. Landry | 15 | 177 | 197 |
| 15 | Terrebonne | 15 | 154 | 171 |
| 16 | Acadia | 9 | 135 | 156 |
| 17 | Bossier | 19 | 128 | 135 |
| 18 | Iberia | 12 | 116 | 134 |
| 19 | St. Martin | 7 | 113 | 123 |
| 20 | Washington | 8 | 97 | 110 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen in Louisiana
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 315 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 8 pm to 9 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.0 percent, 298 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 132 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 265 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 279 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.6 percent, 120 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 138 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 160 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 216 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 192 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.2 percent, 92 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 144 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 222 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 194 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.3 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 154 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 119 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 157 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 200 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 207 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.6 percent, 117 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 119 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 165 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 231 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 245 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 165 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 162 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 256 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 297 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.6 percent, 267 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 95 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 154 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 242 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 315 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.2%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar8.0%
- Apr8.7%
- May9.1%
- Jun8.1%
- Jul8.0%
- Aug8.5%
- Sep9.0%
- Oct9.5%
- Nov8.0%
- Dec8.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Louisiana: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Louisiana | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 45% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 20% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 42% | 46% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 18% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 35% | 28% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Louisiana roads in 2024
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 475 | 63% |
| Pedestrians | 159 | 21% |
| Motorcyclists | 70 | 9.3% |
| Cyclists | 44 | 5.9% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 4 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Louisiana: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (4,545 in Louisiana).
| Louisiana | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 31% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 22% | 27% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 57% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 7.3% | 6.5% | about the same as the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 12% | 16% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,744 | 37% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 2,325 | 31% |
| Pedestrian | 1,330 | 18% |
| Rollover | 383 | 5.1% |
| Cyclist | 316 | 4.2% |
| Other | 293 | 3.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 75 | 1.0% |
| Not reported | 1 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Louisiana
Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type (10,876 vehicles).
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 3,974 | 37% |
| Pickups | 2,774 | 26% |
| SUVs | 1,936 | 18% |
| Motorcycles | 907 | 8.3% |
| Truck-tractors | 612 | 5.6% |
| Other trucks | 415 | 3.8% |
| Vans | 222 | 2.0% |
| Buses | 36 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road pages for Louisiana
Every numbered road in Louisiana with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Louisiana numbers come from
Every figure on this page is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I35 FRONTAGE" and "I-35" are the same road; frontage roads and ramps are left out of road counts). Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". The full method.