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Fatal car crashes in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From 2020 through 2024, 278 people died in 260 crashes on streets and highways inside Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

That is 25.2 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the Louisiana rate of 18.6 and above the US rate of 12.1.

US-61 (Iness) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 51, killing 53.

Hit-and-runs made up 20% of fatal crashes here, against 9% statewide.

In 2024, 39 people were killed, 33% fewer than in 2020 (58).

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 220,907 · checked October 2, 2026

278

people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (260 crashes)

25.2

deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Louisiana 18.6, US 12.1)

92

pedestrians killed, 33% of all deaths here

27%

of fatal crashes involved a driver police reported as drinking

Where the fatal crashes happened

Each dot is one crash that killed at least one person, placed at the coordinates in the police report. The outline is East Baton Rouge Parish; the dots are crashes inside Baton Rouge city limits.

one fatal crash, 2020-2024 a large truck was involved (17)

The deadliest roads in Baton Rouge

US-61 (Iness) leads with 51 fatal crashes in five years. Roads are counted by the name in the crash report; a highway's frontage roads and ramps count toward it.

#RoadFatal crashesDeaths
1 US-61 Iness 51 53
2 I-12 23 26
3 US-190 Iness 14 15
4 I-10 13 14
5 SR-67 13 13
6 I-110 11 13
7 SR-30 6 7
8 SR-37 5 5
9 SR-73 5 5
10 SR-426 4 4

Deaths by year

When crashes turn deadly

70% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 8 pm to 9 pm.

Sunday had the most fatal crashes (57), and 40% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.

By month, January was the worst (26 crashes across the five years).

What was involved

Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Baton Rouge, next to Louisiana and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.

FactorBaton RougeShareLouisianaUS
Speeding was a factor
a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions
46 18% 25% 28%
A driver had been drinking
police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver
70 27% 30% 26%
A large truck was involved
a truck over 10,000 lbs
17 7% 13% 13%
Hit-and-run
a driver left the scene
53 20% 9% 7%
Pedestrians killed
share of all deaths
92 33% 19% 18%
Motorcyclists killed
share of all deaths
22 8% 10% 15%
Bicyclists killed
share of all deaths
17 6% 4% 3%
Teens (15-19) killed
share of all deaths
16 6% 6% 7%

After a crash in Baton Rouge

  1. Get the crash report

    Statewide copies come from Louisiana State Police (LSP) Traffic Records Unit, cost Online: $11.50 per report plus $2.50 + 2.5% card fees. At a Troop office: $16.50 (certified check, company check or money order), or $16.50 plus $2.50 + 2.5% by credit card. and are usually ready "Please allow fifteen (15) working days after the crash before submitting a request for reports or photographs." Fatality crashes: 60-day wait for photo requests, and fatal crash reports can only be bought in person at a Troop office..

    How to get a Louisiana crash report

  2. Know your deadline

    Louisiana gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 (Acts 2024, No. 423, eff. July 1, 2024)).

    Work out your date

  3. Who pays

    Louisiana is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.

    Louisiana car accident laws

  4. If you were partly at fault

    If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your share, and you recover nothing at 51% or more. That rule applies to crashes on or after January 1, 2026; for earlier crashes Louisiana's old pure comparative rule applies.

    The rule and its statute

  5. The other driver’s minimum coverage

    The legal minimum liability coverage in Louisiana is $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 per crash and $25,000 for property (15/30/25).

    Every state’s minimums

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for Louisiana. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim

County around Baton Rouge

CountyDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
East Baton Rouge Parish 427 18.9 125 453,022

About these numbers

FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days. It leaves out the far larger number of crashes that only injured people. Places are as coded in the report: a crash on a county road just outside city limits counts for the county, not the city. Rates use the Census 2024 population estimate and the five-year average.

All sources and methods