Fatal car crashes in New Orleans, Louisiana
From 2020 through 2024, 312 people died in 297 crashes on streets and highways inside New Orleans, Louisiana.
That is 17.2 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, below the Louisiana rate of 18.6 and above the US rate of 12.1.
I-10 (Service Road) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 76, killing 80.
Hit-and-runs made up 22% of fatal crashes here, against 9% statewide.
In 2024, 59 people were killed, 16% more than in 2020 (51).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 362,701 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (297 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Louisiana 18.6, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 35% of all deaths here
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 Orleans Parish; the dots are crashes inside New Orleans city limits.
The deadliest roads in New Orleans
I-10 (Service Road) leads with 76 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.
| # | Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 Service Road | 76 | 80 |
| 2 | US-90 Chef Menteur | 65 | 67 |
| 3 | I-610 | 10 | 10 |
| 4 | SR-39 | 9 | 9 |
| 5 | SR-47 Hayne Blvd | 7 | 8 |
| 6 | SR-428 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | I-510 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | SR-3021 | 4 | 6 |
| 9 | US-61 | 4 | 4 |
| 10 | St Bernard Avenue | 3 | 4 |
Deaths by year
When crashes turn deadly
67% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 10 pm to 11 pm.
Sunday had the most fatal crashes (62), and 36% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, October was the worst (31 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in New Orleans, next to Louisiana and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | New Orleans | Share | Louisiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 47 | 16% | 25% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 56 | 19% | 30% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 15 | 5% | 13% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 64 | 22% | 9% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 110 | 35% | 19% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 43 | 14% | 10% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 25 | 8% | 4% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 13 | 4% | 6% | 7% |
After a crash in New Orleans
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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..
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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)).
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Who pays
Louisiana is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
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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.
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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).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Louisiana. Both take under a minute.
County around New Orleans
| County | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish | 314 | 17.3 | 111 | 362,701 |
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.