Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards recently signed onto a five-year plan designed to achieve one objective: reduce serious accidents on the highway by 50% by 2030. The move came as preliminary data reveal that 971 drivers died in crashes on highways statewide in 2021. That marked a 17% increase over 2020 – making it the largest one-year increase on record for the state.
Proposal will use electronic equipment to monitor speeding
State data indicate several factors contribute to nearly all traffic fatalities, namely distracted driving, not wearing a seatbelt and road conditions.
To try to improve safety, the state will employ technology, starting with the installation of cameras along I-10 between Baton Rouge and Lafayette to track speeders. Officials hope to expand electronic enforcement in dangerous areas, such as the spillway bridge between LaPlace and Kenner, which has seen more than 60 serious accidents over the past year.
Driving dangerously in Baton Rouge and New Orleans
Recently published statistics on the most dangerous cities for drivers merit the proposed safety initiatives. Baton Rouge and New Orleans rank No. 2 and No. 9, respectively, in that category. Drivers in the state capital experience, on average, a collision about once every seven years. New Orleans drivers have fewer fatal collisions, despite the city’s high rate of tourism.
Despite increased concern for safety in Louisiana, there remains the possibility of an accident on the state’s highways every day. The effects of a motor vehicle accident can range far and wide and remain permanent, whether physically, emotionally or financially. Attorneys with experience in personal injury law can advise the injured and their families on their options for pursuing compensation after an accident caused by the negligence of another party.