Louisiana Car Insurance Guide
(Cheap Rates + Best Companies)

Louisiana Statistic Summary

Road Miles 61,419

Registered Vehicles 3,772,692

State Population 4,659,978

Most Popular
Vehicle F150

Percentage of
Uninsured Motorists 13

Driving Deaths Speeding: 2,124 Drunk Driving: 2,471

Average Premiums Annually

Liability: $775.83 Collision: $414.36 Comprehensive: $215.17

Cheapest Provider: USAA

Officially named after King Louis XIV, Louisiana’s geography boasts coastal wetlands, prominent rivers, salt domes, oil fields, marshes, mountains, and beautiful ocean shorelines. Louisiana is home to over 4.5 million people, is often referred to as the “Duck Capital of the America”, and hosts one of the largest jazz festivals in the world.

Louisiana is the also called the true melting pot of the United States as it has some of the most diverse cultures in the world — but whether you’re French, Canadian, African, or Irish, one thing is certain if you want to drive a vehicle in Louisiana: you must have car insurance.

With more than three million registered vehicles on the road and 13 percent of those drivers uninsured, it’s certainly a smart move to purchase a great car insurance policy.

We know finding the right car insurance policy can be a pain in the neck – but don’t go away because you’re in the right place! This a comprehensive guide to Louisiana car insurance. In this guide, we cover types of car insurance, car insurance laws, rules and risks of the road, safety laws and more.

So buckle up – by the end of this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to find the cheapest policy that fits you and your family’s needs and lifestyle.

Louisiana Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

We want to start with the basics: what types of car insurance are required, and what are some good options to add to your basic policy? We definitely don’t want you to overpay for your car insurance, but we also want to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. If you’re all about saving money, we’ve got you covered.

Before we get into insurance coverage options and requirements, let’s talk a little bit about Louisiana’s car culture. This will help give you a better understanding of what kinds of vehicles are insured the most.

Lousiana’s Car Culture

Louisiana has some of the worst public transportation systems in the country, so locals prefer to drive themselves around most of the time. Like most of the other deep south states, Louisiana drivers love their trucks and SUVs.

According to The Hartford, car culture is big in Louisiana and antique and hot rod enthusiasts put on regular shows and events. The NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans occasionally features professional auto racing and offers an opportunity for ordinary drivers to race their own vehicle on a 2.75-mile track at any speed they’d like.

The state of Louisiana is also rich in oil and is home to one of the world’s largest ports.

Louisiana Minimum Coverage

Let’s get back to the basics: what is minimum coverage?

Every driver in Louisiana must have minimum liability insurance coverage for their vehicle. Drivers can absolutely have more insurance than just the minimum amount required, and in fact, this is highly recommended.

Why is car insurance so important to have? Louisiana is an at-fault car accident state.

Louisiana is one of 38 states in the U.S. to be considered as an at-fault state. Simply put, you are at fault for any car accident you cause.

You, as the driver, are responsible to call up your insurance company and file a claim to help cover the costs of any damages incurred from the accident you caused. In other words, if you break it, you buy it, and cars are not an inexpensive thing to repair or buy.

Car insurance money can run out really fast, especially if you’ve been involved in a multi-car pileup. Not many people can afford to finance (or pay for) vehicle damages and medical bills – that’s where insurance steps in.

Minimum liability car insurance is there to act as a safety net — you probably won’t die if you fall into it, but you’re going to have injuries. In the same way, minimum car insurance isn’t going to protect you from every possible cost out there.

Louisiana’s minimum liability insurance requirements are:

• $15,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle
• $30,000 for total bodily injury or death liability in an accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle
• $25,000 for property damage per accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle

In total, the state requires a minimum policy worth $70,000.

Forms of Financial Responsibility

What is a form of financial responsibility? This is just a really fancy term for “proof of insurance”. Ever heard those words spoken by a police officer before? Louisiana law states that any time you are asked by a law enforcement officer to hand over your proof of insurance, you must comply.

Acceptable forms of proof of insurance are:

• Valid liability insurance ID cards
• Copy of your current car’s insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (a temporary form of car insurance)
• Electronic insurance card

If you drive without proof of insurance, you are breaking the law.

According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, driving without insurance — or being involved in a crash without insurance — can result in the imposition of a fine of $500 to $1,000, plus the suspension of driving privileges, impoundment of a vehicle, revocation of registration, or cancellation of license plates.

What’s more, if you drive without insurance in Louisiana, the state’s “No Pay, No Play” law may also prohibit you from collecting certain amounts after a car accident, even if the other driver is at fault; specifically:

• the first $25,000 in property damages
• the first $15,000 in personal injuries

Don’t drive without proof of insurance, and definitely, don’t drive without insurance.

Premiums as a Percentage of Income

Louisiana’s annual per capita disposable income was $37,787 in 2014. This is the average amount of money made by Louisiana residents. 

Louisiana drivers paid an average of $1,364.17 for one year of car insurance. This means drivers paid 3.61 percent of their total income directly to their car insurance company. 

If you divide this number by 12, drivers pay about $113 per month for car insurance. Ouch. Countrywide, Americans on average pay around $981 per year for car insurance, so Louisiana’s car insurance is significantly higher.

When we look at surrounding states like Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi, Louisiana still has the highest cost for car insurance, but these state rates are close behind.

Over the last three years, Louisiana’s average car insurance rate has increased by about $90.

CalculatorPro

Core Car Insurance Coverage in Louisiana

The data above is pulled directly from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Because this data was pulled in the year 2015, you should expect car insurance rates to be higher today.

In 2014, the countrywide average for full coverage car insurance was $981.77. The average rate in 2014 for Louisiana car insurance coverage was $1,364.17. 

That’s a crazy difference. While it’s important to have minimum liability coverage on your vehicle, it’s smarter to carry full coverage car insurance. In the case of an accident, you’ll be so thankful you’re not paying out of pocket to cover accident expenses.

Next, let’s talk about additional coverage types.

Additional Liability Coverage in Louisiana

The additional coverage types listed above are optional in the state of Louisiana. However, it’s still important to carry them. But why?

It’s against the law to be an uninsured driver, but that doesn’t stop people from trying to drive without car insurance.

Thirteen percent of all Louisiana drivers are uninsured: this means that these drivers do not have car insurance at all. Louisiana is ranked 20th in the U.S. for uninsured drivers.

If an uninsured driver causes an accident and you are involved in that accident, chances are, the uninsured driver is going to owe you money to cover the costs of property damages (and possibly medical bills). Because the uninsured driver is uninsured, he or she may go bankrupt while trying to pay for your damages.

This is where uninsured motorist coverage walks in the door like a superhero coming to save the day.

But wait, there’s more!

What are loss ratios and why do you care about them? Simply put, loss ratios are how we measure a company’s financial strength. The ratios shown above tell us how many filed claims were paid, i.e., 91.66% of filed uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance claims were paid in 2014. That’s a pretty good number, but what does it mean overall?

When you’re looking at a company’s loss ratio percentages, keep an eye out for two things. Make sure the loss ratio percentage isn’t under 50 percent or over 100 percent.

If the ratio is too low (under 50 percent) the company probably overpriced their premiums or hasn’t gotten as many claims as they anticipated.

If the loss ratio percentage is too high (over 100 percent) the company might be paying too many claims (some of which could be fraudulent). This means that rates will be on the rise to make up for the unprofitable period.

Add-ons, Endorsements, and Riders

Insurance is a tricky subject. There are many policies to choose from. If you’re interested in learning more about add-ons, endorsements, and extra coverage, take a look at the list below. Click on each link to learn more.

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Pay-As-You-Drive or Usage-Based Insurance

Add one, or add them all. The choice is up to you.

Male vs Female Rates in Louisiana

Did you know gender, marital status and age can affect your car insurance rate? Men usually pay more for car insurance than women do.

The younger you are, the more you will pay for car insurance. Usually, if you keep a clean record, your rate will decrease after you turn 25.

Cheapest Rates by ZIP Code

Where you live also has a lot to do with your car insurance rate.

Louisiana’s cheapest ZIP codes are spread out among a number of cities.

According to these lists, New Orleans has the most expensive car insurance rate in all of Louisiana, and this makes sense, considering it’s the largest city in Louisiana.

Cheapest Rates by City

You’ve seen the cheapest car insurance rates by ZIP code, but now it’s time to find your rate by city. Look for your city in the tables below.

Hornbeck is one of the smallest cities in Louisiana, whereas New Orleans is the largest city in the state.

Now that we’ve talked a little bit about what can affect your car insurance rate, let’s move on and discuss car insurance company ratings.

Best Louisiana Car Insurance Companies

With literally hundreds of car insurance companies out there, it’s difficult to know which one to choose. No one has time to sift through websites and rating pages all day, so that’s exactly why we put together a list of some of Louisiana’s best car insurance companies.

In this section, we will talk about AM Best ratings, customer satisfaction ratings, and customer complaints. After reading through this section, we are confident you’ll know which insurance company is right for you.

The Largest Companies Financial Rating

The table above shows the financial ratings for the top ten largest car insurance companies in Louisiana. AM Best ratings are another way we measure a company’s financial strength.

As you can see, these companies all have an AM Best rating of an A or higher. All of them have decent loss ratio percentages as well – above 50 percent and below 100 percent.

Companies with Best Ratings

In 2018, J.D. Power conducted an overall satisfaction survey and ranked car insurance companies based on five key factors: interaction; policy offerings; price; billing process and policy information; and claims.

With the exception of USAA (a company that services military members and their families), Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee was ranked number one in overall customer satisfaction.

The states included in this region are Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Companies with Most Complaints in Louisiana

The data about company complaints below is from the NAIC.

Every company gets complaints – it’s inevitable. How a company handles a complaint is what really matters.

Cheapest Companies in Louisiana

According to this list below, USAA and State Farm Mutual Auto have the cheapest auto insurance in Louisiana.

Commute Rates by Companies

Did you know that how far you drive every day can affect your car insurance rate?

Car insurance companies know that the more you drive, the more likely you are to get into an accident.

Most of these companies have pretty reasonable rates based on miles. The rates are only a couple of hundred dollars more a year if you are someone who drives a little farther each day.

Coverage Level Rates by Companies

If you choose to carry more coverage than the minimum required, sometimes car insurance companies will give you a break on your rate.

Credit History Rates by Companies

Credit can also affect your car insurance rate. If you have poor credit, you will most likely pay hundreds to thousands of dollars more a year for your car insurance policy.

According to Experian, Louisiana has one of the lowest credit scores in the U.S.

The average credit score in the U.S. in 2017 was 675. Louisiana’s average credit score was 650. This puts Louisiana on the list of the top ten states with the lowest credit scores.

With Allstate, having a poor credit history can raise your rate by about three thousand dollars. Yikes! Want to prevent this from happening? Don’t miss credit card payments, and keep your credit utilization low.

Driving Record Rates by Companies

Driving record: this might be the number one factor car insurance companies care about. Your record reflects behavior and car insurance companies want to know if you are a safe driver or if you are a reckless driver.

Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, but getting a traffic ticket or being convicted of a DUI are things that are 100 percent avoidable and unnecessary.

If you get just one speeding violation, your rates are likely to increase by up to $1000 or more. Drinking and driving is against the law, but if you violate this law, be prepared to take a major hit when it comes to your car insurance rate.

Number of Insurers in Louisiana

What is the difference between a domestic insurer and a foreign insurer?

Domestic insurance laws are formed under the laws of the state of Louisiana. Foreign insurance laws are formed under the laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S.

Louisiana State Laws

This post is about car insurance – so don’t be overwhelmed. We know that understanding and remembering every single state law ever written can be daunting, but because we’re talking about driving and car insurance, we think it’s important to explain Louisiana state car insurance and driving laws.

If you want to avoid car accidents, tickets, and fines, pay attention to this next section as we discuss topics like high-risk insurance, windshield coverage, auto fraud, and more. The following information and statistics are cited from the NAIC, the IIHS, and responsibility.org.

First, let’s discuss car insurance laws in Louisiana.

Car Insurance Laws in Louisiana

As you now know, every driver in Louisiana must have car insurance – that’s non-negotiable. But who decides what kinds of laws car insurance companies must follow? Good question. We’re glad you asked.

According to the NAIC, State laws have a considerable influence on auto insurance. Each state determines the type of tort law and threshold (if any) that applies in the state, the type and amount of liability insurance required, and the system used for approval of insurer rates and forms.

• Accident Judgements: Drivers who are involved in an accident must enter into an installment agreement with the OMV. They must also maintain the SR-22 policy for three years from the date the installment agreement ends
• DWI Convictions: Motorists convicted for driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or above must purchase the insurance for three years from the date of arrest
• Affidavit of Arrest: Drivers who refuse a blood alcohol test will be automatically arrested and will be required to maintain the insurance for three years following the date of arrest
• Notice of Violation: Drivers who fail to maintain minimum liability insurance must present evidence of insurance within three days of an accident, or they may receive notice of non-compliance

Drivers must maintain Louisiana SR-22 for three years. The SR-22 may be dropped at that time provided there was no lapse in coverage.

Low Income Car Insurance Program

At this time there is not a government-assisted insurance program for families with low incomes, however, if you’re discouraged by this and you’re still looking to save a few bucks on your Louisiana car insurance policy, ask your provider if they carry these discounts and if you are eligible for them:

• Multi-car discount
• Military discount
• Veterans discount
• Homeowners discount
• Good driver discount
• Student discount

California, New Jersey, and Hawaii are the only states in the U.S. with a government-assisted car insurance program.

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Louisiana

What is automobile insurance fraud?

According to the IIHS, insurance fraud can be “hard” or “soft.” Hard fraud occurs when someone deliberately fabricates claims or fakes an accident. Soft insurance fraud, also known as opportunistic fraud, occurs when people pad legitimate claims.

The IIHS also says that the Insurance Research Council reported that “Auto insurance fraud and claim buildup added between $4.9 billion and $6.8 billion to closed auto injury claim payments in 2007.”

Worried about getting caught for insurance fraud? Don’t pad your claims and don’t fake an accident.

If you know someone who has committed insurance fraud or you need to contact the Louisiana State Insurance Department, you can visit their website at www.ldi.la.gov, follow them on Twitter @LAInsuranceDept, or give them a phone call at 1-800-259-5300.

Statute of Limitations

When filing claims, you can’t wait 20 years from the time of your accident to finally call up your insurance company and ask for a check to cover property damage and/or medical bills. The statute of limitations prevents this from happening.

According to Louisiana state law, you have one year from the date of your accident to file and resolve a claim for personal injury and property damage.

One year can fly by pretty fast, so if you’ve been in a recent accident, file your claim so you’re not stuck paying out of pocket for those medical and property damage expenses.

Louisiana State-Specific Laws

Every state has its own set of weird driving laws. We thought we’d include those in this section.

Louisiana revised statute 32:300.4 states that it is “unlawful for the operator or any passenger in a motor vehicle to smoke cigarettes, pipes, or cigars in a motor vehicle, passenger van, or pick-up truck, when a child who is required to be restrained in a rear-facing child safety seat, a forward-facing child safety seat, a booster seat, or a motor vehicle’s safety belt as required in R.S. 32:295 is also present in such vehicle, regardless of whether windows of the motor vehicle are down.”

Taxi drivers are prohibited from making love in the front seat of their taxi during their shifts.

For more info about car insurance laws, visit the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.

Vehicle Licensing Laws

What do we mean when we refer to vehicle licensing laws? These are laws that cover topics like how old you need to be to get your license, what type of license a driver needs when to renew your license and more.

First, let’s talk about REAL ID laws.

Real ID

What exactly is a REAL ID?

By October 1st, 2020, all Louisiana residents will be required to carry a REAL ID with them while traveling domestically on an airplane. Residents will need the REAL ID to get through airport security.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Louisiana

Paying for something you can’t see the immediate benefits of kind of stinks — especially when you’re wallet keeps crying itself to sleep every night because it feels empty inside.

Regardless of your near-empty wallet, you have to know by now that driving without car insurance is against the law in the state of Louisiana, and if you do so, you will be facing some serious penalties.

The first time you are caught driving without car insurance, you’ll have to pay some serious green.

• Fine: $500 to $1000
• If in a car accident, fine plus registration revoked and driving privileges suspended for 180 days

Let’s review what kind of proof of insurance is accepted in the state of Louisiana:

• Valid liability insurance ID cards
• Copy of your current car’s insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (a temporary form of car insurance)
• Picture of proof of insurance on your smartphone

Anytime a law enforcement officer pulls you over and requests to see your license, proof of insurance and registration, you must hand it over to him or her. Failure to do so can result in your car being impounded, your license plates removed and a yellow sticker will be attached to your rear windshield. You have three days to provide proof of insurance.

As you can see, purchasing car insurance is usually a much cheaper option than not having car insurance.

Teen Driver Laws

In the state of Louisiana, you must be at least 15 years old to start driver’s education classes. However, there are requirements that must be met before turning 16 years old and getting a restricted driver’s license.

Look below at the chart for teenage driver laws.

Here are some rules for teen drivers with restricted licenses.

Driver License Renewal Procedures

In the state of Louisiana, every driver must renew his or her license every six years.

Is proof of adequate vision required at every renewal?

• Drivers under the age of 70 years old must provide proof of adequate vision when renewing a license in person
• Drivers 70 years old and over must provide proof of adequate vision at every renewal

Are drivers allowed to renew licenses online or by mail?

• Drivers under the age of 70 may renew a license online or by mail every other renewal
• Drivers 70 years old and older are not permitted to renew a license by mail or online

Now that we’ve covered driver license renewal procedures, let’s move on to new resident procedures.

New Residents in Louisiana

According to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles, once you move to Louisiana from another state, you have just 30 days to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license.

When applying for a Louisiana driver’s license at the Office of Motor Vehicles, you will need the following documents:

• One primary document
• Social Security Number
• Proof of residency
• Photo license from the last state of issuance

If the applicant does not have the photo license, an official driving record from the last licensing state listing the applicant’s personal information and driver’s license number is required.

Before or right after you move to Louisiana, you’ll want to make sure to contact your insurance provider and let them know you need Louisiana car insurance.

The minimum liability insurance requirements are as follows:

• $15,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle
• $30,000 for total bodily injury or death liability in an accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle
• $25,000 for property damage per accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle

Remember, some insurance providers do not have insurance policies in certain states.

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS)

Negligent or “reckless operation” of a vehicle is a crime in Louisiana. The offense is defined as driving in a “criminally negligent or reckless manner.” In other words, a person can be convicted of reckless operation for driving in a way that a reasonably careful person would know is dangerous.

In Louisiana, reckless operation of a vehicle is a misdemeanor. The possible penalties for a violation are:

• First offense: A first reckless operation conviction carries up to 90 days in jail and/or $200 in fines
• Repeat offense: For a second or subsequent reckless operation conviction, the driver faces ten days to six months in jail and/or $25 to $500 in fines

Motorists who are convicted of three reckless operation offenses within a period of 12 months are looking at a 24-month license suspension.

Louisiana Rules of the Road

Not knowing the rules of the road could cost you your license, money, and maybe even your life or someone else’s. In this section, we want to talk about seat belt laws, car seat laws, speed limit laws, and ridesharing.

Buckle up, Buttercup. We’re about to get started.

Fault vs No-Fault

As we previously discussed, Louisiana is an at-fault state. This means that if you cause an accident, you are fully responsible to cover the costs of damages and medical bills which resulted from that accident. You may have caused an accident that leads to 25 people being injured and 16 cars were totaled. Guess what?

You’re still responsible one way or another.

This is exactly why having more insurance than the minimum amount that is required is highly recommended. No one wants to pay for damages out of pocket.

Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children and adults aged between 3-33 years old. Luckily, the proper usage of seat belts, child restraints, and/or car seats can protect you and your children in the event of a collision.

Are you aware of Louisiana’s seat belt and car seat laws? Louisiana wants drivers (and passengers) to be safe while on the road. Look at this chart below if you are unsure of seat belt laws in Louisiana.

Louisiana also wants small children to be safe while riding in a moving vehicle. Check out the Louisiana car seat laws below.

Protect your little riders; if you don’t, you’re looking at paying a fine of $100 plus fees the first time you break one of these laws.

Another rule to pay attention to regarding riding in a vehicle:

It is against the law to ride in the cargo area of a pickup truck. Please note that insurance will not cover your claim if you have been in an accident while riding in the cargo area.

You will not be covered if the following applies:

• people 12 and older if the truck is being moved on a non-interstate highway
• parades moving less than 15 mph
• emergencies if the child is with an adult in the cargo area
• emergencies while moving on an interstate highway

Keep Right or Move Over Laws

Let’s talk about keep right or move over laws in the state of Louisiana.

Left lane driving is only allowed for passing or turning left. However, there are exceptions to this law. On multilane highways keep right except to pass. Move right if blocking overtaking traffic.

According to AAA, state law requires drivers approaching any stationary emergency vehicle, including tow trucks, displaying flashing lights and traveling in the same direction, to vacate the lane closest if possible to do so, or slow to a reasonably safe speed.

Speed Limit Laws in Louisiana

The following information is pulled from the IIHS.

Below are the maximum speed limit laws for the state of Louisiana.

Ridesharing

Have you ever heard of ridesharing? Ridesharing insurance is required when you are employed for companies like Uber or Lyft and you drive people around for your job.

If you are looking for ridesharing insurance in Louisiana, check out the following insurance providers:

• Allstate
• USAA
• Geico
• State Farm

Please keep in mind that some insurance companies may refuse to insure you if you are in the ridesharing business.

Automation on the Road

What is automation on the road?

According to the IIHS, automation involves using radar, camera, and other sensors to perform parts or all of the driving tasks on a sustained basis instead of the driver. One example is adaptive cruise control, which continually adjusts the vehicle’s speed to maintain a set minimum following distance.

Features such as automatic braking, which acts as a back-up if the human driver fails to brake, or blind-spot detection, which provides additional information to the driver, aren’t considered automation under this definition.

Driving automation is not limited to vehicles that drive themselves without human interaction but includes technologies that vary in technical capability.

Louisiana doesn’t currently have any laws about automation, but this might change in the near future as technology advances.

Safety Laws

If you haven’t paid attention thus far, make sure you read this next section on Louisiana safety laws. It can be daunting to read about DUIs, distracted driving laws, and impaired driving laws, but it’s important to know about these laws so you know what to avoid while driving.

DUI Laws

In the year 2017, there were 212 alcohol-related traffic fatalities. Similar to many other states, Louisiana has strict DUI laws.

Please see the chart below for the penalties for drinking and driving.

If you get caught drinking and driving a fifth time in Louisiana, the consequences will be the same as if it were your fourth offense.

These penalties aren’t inexpensive; don’t drink and drive. Every time you drink and drive you risk your own life as well as other driver’s lives on the road.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

Currently, there are not any laws about doing marijuana while driving, but this doesn’t mean you can’t be pulled over for driving under the influence.

Law enforcement officers can pull you over for what is called “impaired driving.”

If you are caught driving under the influence or driving while impaired, you could have to pay expensive fines and even face some jail time. If and when your insurance company gets wind of these charges, your car insurance rate will increase.

Distracted Driving Laws

Technology has become a helpful tool, but it’s also been destructive – especially when it comes to distracted drivers and texting and driving. Look at the table below to learn more about distracted driving laws.

According to the IIHS, all Louisiana learner’s permit holders, irrespective of age, and all intermediate license holders are prohibited from driving while using a hand-held cellphone. All drivers younger than 18 are prohibited from using any cellphone.

All drivers, irrespective of age, issued a first driver’s license are prohibited from using a cellphone for one year. The cellphone ban is secondary for novice drivers ages 18 and older.

AAA says school bus drivers may not use cell phones while driving. Drivers are banned from using a wireless telecommunications device to access, read, or post to a social networking site.

Driving in Louisiana

The following data is cited from NHTSA Crash Report by State, Responsibility.org, and Data USA.

Now that we’ve covered the rules of the road, car insurance laws, and safety laws, it’s time to talk about Louisiana’s risks of the road.

What are some of the risks to owning and operating a vehicle in Louisiana?

From crash reports to traffic fatalities and vehicle theft, we’re going to cover it all in this next section. After all, if you could avoid being in an accident, wouldn’t you want to know how to avoid it?

Vehicle Theft in Louisiana

Did you know that some cars are more stolen than other cars?

Below is a list of vehicle car theft trends in the state of Louisiana. The year with the vehicle is just the most popular model year stolen.

According to the table above, Chevy pick-up trucks are some of the most-stolen vehicles in Louisiana.

If you’ve got the right kind of insurance and are or have been a victim of car theft, you shouldn’t have to worry because your car should be replaced under the right policy.

This next list is pulled directly from the FBI. It shows the cities in Louisiana where vehicle theft occurs the most. You’ll notice that some of these cities show zero theft. That’s no error – that’s correct! See if you can find your city in the list below.

Now that we’ve covered vehicle theft, it’s time to get into something a little more depressing: traffic fatalities.

Road Fatalities in Louisiana

It’s good to know road fatality rates in the state you live in, not because it’s a particularly fun fact, but because they can help you avoid accidents and possibly even save your life.

In this section, we want to discuss what kinds of factors affect traffic fatality rates. Does the weather have anything to do with traffic fatalities? Are certain cars more likely to get into an accident than others? What about EMS response time?

We will discuss these factors and more soon, but first, let’s look at the weather as it pertains to road fatalities.

Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition and Light Condition

According to this list, most of these fatalities occurred in broad daylight without any weather conditions. A few of them occurred in the rain, and even less occurred in the snow.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County

This list and a few more below are pulled from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Traffic Fatalities: Rural vs Urban

Are traffic fatalities more likely to happen in rural environments or in the city?

Usually, more fatalities happen in rural environments because it takes longer for an emergency service to get to a victim. However, some cities have a higher fatality rate because there are more cars on the road, which means more accidents are likely to occur, resulting in a higher fatality rate.

Fatality by Person Type

Did a person or vehicle type affect the Louisiana fatality rate?

According to this chart above, passenger cars were involved in traffic fatalities the most.

Fatalities by Crash Type

Accidents involving a roadway departure resulted in the most traffic fatalities in Louisiana.

Five-Year Fatality Trend For The Top 10 Counties in Louisiana

Here’s the five-year traffic fatality trend for the top ten largest counties in Louisiana.

East Baton Rouge Parrish had 65 road fatalities in the year 2017.

Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

Speeding is another major factor when it comes to traffic fatality rates.

Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC = .08+) by County

Drunk driving is another horrible thing that claims the lives of thousands of Americans each year. Louisiana has one of the highest alcohol-impaired fatality rates in the country. There were 212 traffic deaths in 2017 which resulted from alcohol in one way or another.

Please don’t drink and drive. Every time you choose to disregard this law, you risk your life and the lives of other drivers on the road.

Teen Drinking and Driving

Teenage driving is a scary thing, but when you put alcohol into the hands of a brand new driver, bad things are bound to happen.

Let’s look at some statistics for teen drinking and driving. According to responsibility.org, in 26 states and D.C., under-21 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100,000 population were at or below the national average of 1.2 deaths per 100,000 population.

Louisiana’s average is slightly above the national average at 1.3 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100,000 population. Louisiana is ranked 45th in the U.S. for under-18 DUI arrests.

EMS Response Time

Arriving seconds too late or seconds early can often mean the difference between life and death when it comes to EMS response time.

Don’t be discouraged by these numbers even though they seem kind of high. Usually, it takes a little longer to reach a victim in a rural area than it does to reach one in an urban area because cities are more populated with EMS services.

While we’re on the subject of transportation time, let’s move on to some transportation and car ownership statistics.

Transportation

Have you ever wondered how many cars people in your state own?

Car Ownership

According to Data USA, on average, Louisiana residents own a total of two cars. The orange bars represent Louisiana’s average while the gray bars show America’s average.

Commute Time

Data USA also says by using averages, employees in Louisiana have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 2.68 percent of the workforce in Louisiana have “super commutes” in excess of 90 minutes.

Commuter Transportation

Most Louisiana drivers commute alone every day to work. Ten percent carpool to work, and 3.34 percent of Louisiana residents work from home.

Traffic Congestion in Louisiana

According to Inrix, New Orleans is the 137th most traffic-congested city in the world.

Now that we’ve covered all there is to know about Louisiana car insurance, it’s time to start shopping for your very own car insurance policy. Even if you already know about Louisiana car insurance or you already have a policy, it’s still good to review all of the discounts and special perks you can get just by having more coverage than what is required.

If you’re curious to know what your Louisiana car insurance rate will be, use our free tool by entering your zip here in the box below.

Happy shopping.