Louisiana: Highway Safety Improvement Program 2021 Annual Report

NHTSA · 2021 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This document is the 2021 Annual Report for Louisiana’s Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), submitted to the Federal Highway Administration. The report addresses the state’s progress toward its "Destination Zero Deaths" goal, motivated by a significant 14% increase in annual fatalities from 727 in 2019 to 828 in 2020. This rise, occurring despite reduced traffic volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, marked the first time in over a decade that fatalities exceeded the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) target of halving deaths by 2030. The report details administrative structures, project implementation methodologies, and safety performance across five SHSP emphasis areas: impaired driving, occupant protection, infrastructure and operations, young drivers, and distracted driving. The methodology relies on data-driven network screening using state-specific Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) integrated into the Crash Analysis Tool (CAT Scan). Louisiana employs a two-tiered implementation approach: statewide Emphasis Area Teams create data-driven action plans, while nine Regional Safety Coalitions (RSCs) develop regional safety plans. The HSIP funds are allocated through competitive applications and specific subprograms, including the Local Road Safety Program (LRSP) and the Safe Routes to Public Places Program (SRTPPP), each receiving approximately $3–5 million annually. Infrastructure projects are prioritized based on safety benefit-cost ratios derived from Districtwide Safety Investment Plans and the Roadway Departure Implementation Plan. The state also updated its crash reporting system to align with the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) 5th Edition and developed a new Crash Data Query Tool to enhance project-level safety analysis. Key findings and activities include the installation of approximately 530 miles of cable barriers statewide, with an additional 161 miles under construction, totaling an investment of roughly $113 million. Louisiana finalized 14 Local Road Safety Plans, targeting parishes where over 90% of local road crashes occur. In the non-motorized sector, a statewide pedestrian crash study was completed to inform predictive models for the SRTPPP. For occupant protection, the 2019 seat belt usage rate was 87.5%, and over 6,000 children received assistance at fitting stations in 2020. Educational programs reached nearly 110,000 students regarding young driver safety, while impaired driving initiatives expanded No Refusal Programs and established a new DWI court in St. Landry Parish. The state achieved a 95% attainment rate for SHSP action steps in 2020, with unmet goals largely attributed to pandemic-related restrictions. The significance of this report lies in its documentation of Louisiana’s systemic response to rising fatality rates through enhanced data infrastructure and targeted countermeasures. By integrating advanced predictive modeling, expanding local road safety planning, and implementing large-scale infrastructure improvements like cable barriers, the state aims to reverse the upward trend in fatalities. The report highlights the critical role of coordination between state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement in executing the SHSP. It also underscores the need for continued data quality improvements and the upcoming 2022 SHSP update to address emerging safety challenges and ensure compliance with federal performance targets.

Key finding

Louisiana experienced a 14% increase in highway fatalities in 2020, reaching 828 deaths, which surpassed the state's Strategic Highway Safety Plan target despite the implementation of various safety improvement programs.

Methodology

dataset

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• incidence prevalence

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource