Lake Charles Road Safety Overview

Lake Charles, LA has just over 79,000 residents, comprising about 1.7% of Louisiana’s population. But, according to the statistics maintained by the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS) at Louisiana State University, the city had 2.2% of the state’s traffic crashes.

This difference might not seem huge. But this number means Lake Charles has about 750 more car accidents every year than it should have based on its share of Louisiana’s population.

The news is not all bad, though. Lake Charles also has fewer fatal accidents than expected for its population. Thus, even though drivers in Lake Charles crash more often, they tend to get injured rather than killed.

Lake Charles Car Crash Statistics

Louisiana does not release detailed traffic statistics on a city level. Instead, the state provides statistics by police agency. In Lake Charles, the state provides crash statistics reported by the Lake Charles Police Department.

But the city straddles two interstate highways, I-10 and I-210. Crashes on these highways are investigated by Troop D of the Louisiana State Police. Troop D also reports its annual crash numbers, but since the unit covers nearly 5,500 highway miles in five counties, it does not separately report the collisions that happen in Lake Charles.

Nevertheless, you can infer some important trends using city, county, state, and highway crash statistics. These trends include:

Crash Outcomes in Lake Charles, Louisiana

The Lake Charles Police Department (LCPD) investigated 3,320 traffic crashes in 2022. Bear in mind that this number does not include any collisions on I-10 or I-210 since Troop D reports their crashes separately.

As a result, you can assume these numbers under-report the total number of car accidents.

Nevertheless, the crashes reported by the LCPD included:

• 5 fatal crashes
• 34 serious injury crashes where at least one person required an ambulance
• 276 minor injury crashes where at least one person had a visible, non-incapacitating injury
• 580 crashes where at least one person complained of pain but had no visible injury
• 2,425 crashes where no one reported any injuries

These numbers show that just under 27% of people involved in traffic crashes in 2022 suffered injury or death. The statewide average was just under 29%. This means that Lake Charles crashes were less likely to injure or kill motorists than collisions in the state as a whole.

Dangerous Times To Drive in Lake Charles

CARTS provides a county-level report of when crashes happen by the time of day and the day of the week. According to this report, Lake Charles car accident numbers peak between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Almost 25% of crashes in the city happen during these three hours. This report reflects the severe effect of congestion during the afternoon commute on crash numbers.

The most dangerous day to drive in Lake Charles was Friday. Nearly 17% of crashes in Lake Charles happened on Friday, even though it only accounts for 14% of the days in a week. By contrast, it was safest to drive on Sunday, with only 11% of crashes happening on that day.

How Do Lake Charles Crashes Happen?

Most collisions in Lake Charles occurred for only a few reasons. Rear-end and side-impact crashes accounted for 64% of the city’s crashes in 2022.

As reported by CARTS, the most common type of crash in Lake Charles in 2022 was a rear-end collision. These accidents happen when one vehicle smashes into another from behind. Rear-end crashes can cause severe injuries to the neck and chest. The whipping forces you experience can also cause a concussion.

These collisions occur due to:

• Distracted driving
• Tailgating
• Speeding

Distracted driving has been a growing problem for several years due to smartphone use while driving. A simple calculation shows that at highway speeds of 55 miles per hour, your vehicle travels over 80 feet per second. During a brief one-and-a-half-second glance at your phone, you drive over 120 feet without looking at the road.

The second-most common type of crash in Lake Charles, according to CARTS, was a side-impact collision. These crashes happen at intersections when one driver fails to yield the right of way to another driver.

Some common scenarios for these crashes include:

• Disobeying stop signs or red lights
• Proceeding out of turn at a multi-way stop
• Turning left across the path of an approaching vehicle

These crashes can result in serious or even fatal injuries. Manufacturers did not design seat belts and airbags to protect you when you get struck from the side. You could slide parallel to the seat belt into the side window, door, or door post, injuring your abdomen, chest, or head. Worse yet, the impact could push the door into the passenger compartment and crush you.

Dangerous Roads in Lake Charles, LA

According to CARTS, most crashes in Lake Charles occur on city streets rather than highways. Specifically, 71% happened on city streets, while only 29% happened on state and interstate highways. Of the crashes reported on city streets, 61% occurred at intersections and 29% between intersections.

You can infer from these numbers that road safety in Lake Charles is at its lowest at intersections on city streets. Conversely, you have a much lower risk of a crash while traveling on state or interstate highways.

Some places where you should exercise extra caution include:

• Sale Rd. between Prien Lake Rd. and Nelson Rd.
• L’Auberge Rd/Nelson Rd.
• Country Club Rd.
• Lake St. south of Sale Rd.
• Ryan St.
• 12th St.
• 18th St.
• Prien Lake Rd. east of Lake St.
• The intersection of Sale Rd. and Lake St.
• The intersection of University Dr. and Lake St.
• The intersection of Sallier St. and Ryan St.
• The intersection of 12th St. and Common St.

These represent both the busiest and most dangerous roads in Lake Charles.

Navigating Lake Charles Roads Safely

Most crashes in Lake Charles result from rear-end collisions. Make sure you follow other vehicles at a safe distance. And when someone tailgates you, move aside and let them pass. It’s also important to exercise caution at intersections and always wear your seat belt. By following just these few tips, you can navigate the roads in Lake Charles safely.