If you are like many people in Louisiana, you might wonder how safe the roads and highways are. A look at records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration give some insight into this for a variety of groups, including motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
In East Baton Rouge Parish between 2013 and 2017, a total of 251 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Of those, 95 were either on a motorcycle, on a bicycle or on foot. Bikers represented 29 of the deaths, cyclists represented 12 of the deaths and pedestrians represented 54 of the deaths.
Statewide, the number of motorcyclists killed every year in that five-year period ranged from a low of 83 in 2014 to a high of 96 in 2017. In those five years, 115 people on bicycles were killed in automobile accidents. Pedestrian fatalities rose first from 97 in 2013 to 105 and then 106 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2016, 127 people on foot lost their lives in car accidents. Fortunately the number dropped slightly in 2017 to 111 but still remained higher than the previous years. Overall deaths in all vehicular accidents across Louisiana rose every single year from 2013 to 2017, starting with 703 deaths in 2013 and culminating with 760 fatalities a mere five years later.
These statistics highlight the risks that people across Louisiana face on a daily basis despite widespread awareness about safe driving practices. If you would like to learn more about how to seek help for yourself or a loved one after an accident, please feel free to visit the motorcyclist, bicyclist and pedestrian accident assistance page of our Louisiana personal injury website.
