Lake Charles Car Accident Statistics [2024 Updated]

Car accidents are an unfortunately common occurrence and can result in costly vehicle repairs, serious personal injury, and fatalities in the worst cases. Learning of the Lake Charles car accident statistics can help drivers understand where and why these accidents occur, in their city, parish, and state. While some accidents are unavoidable, it’s important for all drivers on the road to be as safe as possible.

You can learn a lot about car collisions in Calcasieu Parish and the state as a whole by reviewing data gathered by the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS). This data can explain common driver actions prior to a collision, the effect of alcohol and seatbelt use in fatal crashes, and other useful information.

Motor Vehicle Collisions in Calcasieu Parish and Lake Charles

In Calcasieu Parish in 2023, there were 1,711 suspected injury crashes, making up 4.49% of all suspected injury crashes in Louisiana. In Lake Charles specifically, there were 888 suspected injury crashes, causing 1,396 injuries. There were 1,195 crashes in the city that had no apparent injuries.

Calcasieu Parish reported 42 fatalities in 40 fatal crashes, while Lake Charles had eight fatalities from seven fatal crashes.

Alcohol-Related Car Collisions in Lake Charles

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol limits a driver’s ability to make quick reactions or rational decisions. This makes accidents more likely. Driving under the influence is a crime, and individuals can be charged regardless of whether they caused an accident.

In Lake Charles, two of the fatal crashes involved alcohol, while 48 of the 888 suspected injury crashes involved alcohol. Of the 1,195 accidents that had no apparent injuries, 45 involved alcohol.

Collisions in Calcasieu Parish Compared to Louisiana

There were 1,711 suspected injury crashes in Calcasieu Parish, compared to 38,143 in the entire state in 2023. Of the suspected injuries sustained in the parish, there were:

• 1,850 injured drivers
• 707 injured passengers
• 53 injured pedestrians
• 39 injured bicyclists

There were 42 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents in the parish, compared to 811 in the state. These fatalities included:

• 28 driver fatalities in the parish, compared to 506 in the state
• Five passenger fatalities, compared to 122 passenger fatalities in the state
• Eight pedestrian fatalities in the parish, compared to 145 pedestrian fatalities in the state
• One bicyclist fatality, compared to 34 bicyclist fatalities in the state

The rate of suspected injury crashes in Calcasieu Parish per 100,000 licensed drivers was 56.88, compared to the state rate of 1,268.00. For every 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the parish suspected injury crash rate was 3.08, while the state rate was 68.65.

Calcasieu Parish had a fatal vehicle crash rate of 1.33 per 100,000 licensed drivers, compared to 25.10 in the state. The fatal crash rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was .07, compared to the state’s rate of 1.36.

Drivers in Calcasieu Parish and Louisiana Accidents

The greatest percentage of drivers involved in crashes, both in the state and the parish, were drivers aged 25 to 34. This age group made up 22.83% of drivers in crashes in Calcasieu Parish and 22.09% of drivers in Louisiana. The next most common age group for drivers involved in collisions was those aged 35 to 44.

In both the state and parish, the primary driver violations were moving violations such as improper passing, disregarding traffic signs, or failing to stay in a lane, which made up 13.8% of crashes. The primary violations in Calcasieu Parish were carelessness, negligence, inattentiveness, and erratic driving, which made up 19.13% of crashes.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Rate of Car Accidents in Louisiana?

A: The rate of car accidents in Louisiana in 2023 was 831.36 suspected injury crashes per 100,000 people and 16.46 fatal crashes per 100,000 people. Louisiana has one of the highest rates of fatalities per population compared to other states. The state had a rate of 68.65 suspected injury crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled and a 1.36 fatal crash rate.

Q: Where Do Most Fatal Car Accidents Occur?

A: Most fatal car accidents in Louisiana in 2023 occurred on highways, with 60.80% of fatal crashes occurring on a state or U.S. highway. 43.18% occurred on state highways, and 17.62% on U.S. highways. 17.35% occurred on interstates, and 12.05% occurred on city streets. More fatal crashes occurred in urban locations than in rural locations in Louisiana, with 437 urban fatal crashes and 318 rural fatal crashes.

Q: How Many Car Accidents Are There in Louisiana?

A: In Louisiana in 2023, there were approximately 104,310 vehicle crashes causing only property damage, 38,143 suspected injury crashes, and 755 fatal crashes.

In the suspected injury crashes, there were 60,329 suspected injuries to individuals. In the 755 fatal crashes, there were 811 fatalities, including 506 driver fatalities, 122 passenger fatalities, and 145 pedestrian fatalities. There were 1,279 vehicles involved in fatal car accidents. There has been a decrease in the number of crashes reported since 2022.

Q: What Is the Number One Leading Cause of Vehicle Accidents in Louisiana?

A: Some of the leading causes of vehicle accidents in Louisiana include:

• Disregarding traffic signs
• Failing to remain in a driving lane
• Improper turning or passing

These made up 13.8% of driver violations in accidents. 13.36% of driver violations were due to inattentive, negligent, or erratic driving practices. Driver violations made up 17.82% of the total fatal crashes, compared to 13.73% of the total suspected injury crashes. Negligent driving made up 17.10% of total fatal crashes.

What To Do After a Car Accident in Lake Charles

While it’s always important to drive cautiously and defensively, this will not always prevent collisions. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Lake Charles that was not your fault, you deserve compensation for the financial losses you’ve sustained. Contact The Roach Law Firm to see how we can help.