Car crashes are one of the top causes of both injury and preventable death in Louisiana. The state consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous for pedestrians and experiences plenty of crashes related to distraction and drunk driving.
Ultimately, the Baton Rouge area tends to report a high number of crashes annually when compared with more rural communities around the state. Certain streets have noticeably higher crash rates than others. The following are the most dangerous places to drive in the Baton Rouge area.
Five locations experience the most crashes
According to Collision research reviewing the crashes in Louisiana between 2018 and 2020, there are a few particularly dangerous locations where more crashes occur or where crashes tend to be more severe.
When looking at the crashes reported in 2021, six streets saw far more crashes than other roads in the area. Burbank Drive between Lee Drive and Bluebonnet Drive was the sixth most dangerous road, with more than 200 wrecks reported each year. Highland Road had even more crashes in between Perkins Road and Airline Highway, giving it fifth place on the list.
The fourth most dangerous road was Staring Lane between Perkins Road and Highland Road, followed by O’Neal Lane between Harrell’s Ferry Road and I-12. Nicholson Drive takes second place, as it averages more than a crash a day throughout the year. The most dangerous stretch of road in Baton Rouge is the second most dangerous road in the state. Blues Highway between Hanks Drive and Delcourt Avenue saw dozens of crashes and 11 fatalities between 2018 and 2020.
I-12 and many of the roads connecting to it are of particular concern for motorists, although US-190 and US-61 both also saw quite a few fatal collisions. Many of the worst collisions reported in the area involved a driver under the influence.
Drivers in Baton Rouge can’t always avoid the most dangerous roads, but they can focus more on safety when traveling on particularly hazardous streets. Knowing where crash risk is highest can potentially help motorists take the necessary steps to reduce their personal risk levels overall.