Lafayette was the scene of a horrific three-vehicle car collision last week, one which resulted in the fatality of a seemingly innocent driver who was declared dead at the scene. This increase in road fatalities and sheer number of car accidents has led to an inflated rate of insurance for Louisiana drivers.
It is true that Louisiana drivers pay more for car insurance, on average, than any other state in the nation. Louisiana drivers pay $1,280 per year on average for car insurance; this is 30 percent more than the national average. Another statistic shows that Louisiana has some of the most dangerous roads in the nation with three people killed for every 200,000 miles driven. This factors into the high insurance rates currently paid by Louisiana drivers.
Cost of car repairs comes into consideration as well since Louisiana is the tenth most expensive state for car repairs. Also, the population has grown since the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina ten years ago and the increase of vehicles on the roads could make them more crowded and therefore more dangerous. However, it is likely that reckless motorists are mostly to blame for the inflated insurance costs. Careless driving, a form of negligence, is behind a large percentage of fatal accidents and injury-producing wrecks in Louisiana.
High insurance costs are bad news for most Louisiana motorists. However, it should be taken as a heed to caution for most drivers on Louisiana roads today. Since insurance companies have dubbed Louisiana one of the most dangerous (and therefore most expensive) states to live and drive in, drivers need always be aware of their surroundings.
Awareness could turn a very serious accident into a small fender-bender or a non-event if even one driver exercises caution, good judgment and obedience to the law. Still, when accidents happen due to the negligence of another, it may be beneficial to pursue legal advice from a professional attorney.
Source: fox8live.com, “Louisiana drivers paying more for insurance to ride on dangerous roads,” Rob Masson, Aug. 31, 2015