What Are The Most Common Causes Of Car Accidents In Louisiana?

Every year, car accidents disrupt countless lives, leaving behind injuries, property damage and emotional trauma. Even a simple day out on the road can turn into a nightmare in a short amount of time.

There is a lot about living in Louisiana for Lake Charles residents to take pride in. Unfortunately, the safety of our roads is not one of them. Drunk drivers, distracted drivers and other reckless, dangerous motorists routinely kill and gravely injure innocent people in violent car accidents.

Forbes recently examined fatal car accident data for each state and the District of Columbia, then ranked them by six types of preventable collisions per capita:

• Drunk driving
• Distracted driving
• Phone use while driving
• Drowsy driving
• Wrong-way driving
• Failure to obey traffic signs or signals

Forbes assigned each state a score for these metrics and an overall score out of 100. The higher a state’s score, the more deadly accidents it had. The study ranked Louisiana the second-most-dangerous state in which to drive out of the entire country with a score of 89.32. Only Texas, with a “perfect” score of 100, came out worse.

Understanding why these incidents happen can help those know what to do next even under intense circumstances.

Distracted driving

One of the main reasons for car accidents is distracted driving. With smartphones everywhere, drivers often take their eyes off the road to text, check social media or adjust GPS settings. In fact, 97% of Americans report having a cell phone as of 2021. These distractions increase the chances of accidents, so people need to focus on their driving to avoid serious consequences.

Speeding

Driving too fast is a major factor in accidents. Speed limits are set to keep everyone safe on the road, and ignoring them not only puts the speeding driver at risk but also endangers others. Managing speed responsibly is important to make sure safety features can work effectively.

Impaired driving

Another common cause of accidents is impaired driving, often due to alcohol or drugs. Driving under the influence affects judgment, coordination and reaction time. The consequences go beyond legal issues since they can lead to tragic accidents. Choosing a designated driver or using alternative transportation methods can prevent the dangers of impaired driving.

Reckless driving

Reckless driving includes dangerous behaviors like aggressive tailgating and weaving in and out of traffic. These actions not only increase the chances of accidents but also create a hostile driving environment.

Weather conditions

Intense weather, such as rain, snow or fog, significantly affects road safety. Reduced visibility, slippery surfaces and unexpected obstacles make driving more challenging. Adapting driving habits to match the weather, such as slowing down or increasing following distance, is important.

Understanding the common causes of car accidents is important for promoting safer driving habits. By educating themselves, drivers can help better understand the dangers facing them on the road.

Louisiana’s Troubling Road Safety Statistics: What the Numbers Reveal

An article about the study noted that Louisiana ranked third-worst for deaths caused by distracted driving, with 3.74 such collisions per 100,000 licensed drivers. The Pelican State also ranked in the top 10 for fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers (13.44 per 100,000 licensed drivers) and drowsy drivers (1.92/100,000). The consistently poor figures across several categories were what gave Louisiana such a low ranking.

The chances that you or somebody you love will get into a life-threatening car wreck with a negligent driver are still thankfully low. But such tragedies do happen. So do collisions that you survive but are left with painful injuries that cause long-term disabilities. Nobody should have to pay huge hospital bills and lose their ability to earn a wage because of somebody else’s thoughtless decisions behind the wheel.

Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC. is dedicated to helping victims of car accidents seek justice and compensation. If you or a loved one has been impacted by a negligent driver, contact us today to learn about your legal options.