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The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says that the state set a record in 2020 for the fewest motor vehicle crash injuries.
That same same year, however, also produced the most fatalities in Louisiana in a dozen years, they report.
64,500 people injured in crashes in Louisiana last year represent the lowest number of injuries since the state began compiling detailed statistics in 1988, according to the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU.
Crashes involving motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians killed 828 people. That is the highest number of deaths in a single year since 2008.
These Louisiana statistics are in line with national figures that show a sharp increase in fatalities even though fewer drivers were on the road in 2020 because of the pandemic, they report.
“Fewer cars led to fewer injuries in 2020. However, less traffic led to more speeding, and too many people were not wearing their seat belts, which always leads to more fatalities,” said Lisa Freeman, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. “It’s truly tragic because many of those fatalities could have been prevented if drivers would obey the speed limit and everyone would buckle up.”
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, research suggests that even with fewer drivers, those “who remained on the roads engaged in more risky behavior, including speeding, failing to wear seat belts, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
“It is not a coincidence that people who don’t wear a seat belt are more likely to be killed in a crash,” Freeman said. “Wearing your seat belt is still the best way to protect yourself in a vehicle.”
Other findings include:
• The number of fatalities in crashes with a known blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher remained above 30 percent from 2019 to 2020.
• Bicycle crash fatalities increased by more than 54 percent, and bicycle injuries decreased by 21 percent.
• Motorcycle crash fatalities were down by nearly 6 percent, and motorcycle injuries decreased by nearly 11 percent.
Nearly a year and a half since Hurricane Laura made landfall in Southwest Louisiana, the region is continuing to recover.
Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corp. (SLEMCO) suffered extensive damage to its facilities and operations in Laura, with tens of thousands of residents left without power as the storm moved through.
The company’s hurricane recovery efforts are continuing, with FEMA announcing Monday that it’s awarding an additional $3,554,489.88 for efforts in South Louisiana.
The reimbursements include:
• $1,377,859.11 to the Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corp. (SLEMCO) to repair power generation, transmission, and distribution facilities throughout Acadia Parish in response to Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share.
• $2,176,630.77 to SLEMCO to repair power generation, transmission, and distribution facilities throughout Lafayette Parish in response to Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share.
All funding will be delivered to the State of Louisiana, according to Congressman Clay Higgins. The state is then responsible for disbursing the funds to each sub-recipient.
“We continue to prioritize hurricane recovery efforts for South Louisiana,” said Higgins. “Over $2 billion has been delivered in response to Hurricanes Laura and Delta, and we continue to push for additional recovery resources.”
“This is welcome aid, but there is still more work to be done to get places like Lake Charles back on their feet,” added Senator Bill Cassidy.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office’s litter abatement crew continues to work around the parish. During the month of November they worked 13 days, picking up 276 bags of trash, 10 tires and a recliner.
CROWLEY – Notre Dame had three players score in double figures and the Pios cruised to a 57-41 victory over Gueydan Monday in their season opener at A.B. Dore Gym.
Zach Lamm and Teddy Menard each scored 13 points and Parker Faust added 10 to lead the charge for the hosts.
Menard erupted for nine points in the opening frame and Lamm added eight in a 21-point outburst for the hosts that put them in front 21-10.
Faust, a freshman, drained a pair of shots from beyond the arc in the second frame, but the Bears matched the Pios point-for-point with each team scoring 10.
Ian Savant, Lamm and Nick Swacker each knocked down 3-pointers in the third quarter and the Pios extended their cushion to 47-29.
The Bears outscored the hosts 12-10 in the final frame.
In addition to the leaders, Swacker scored seven points and Jackson Casanova added six. Grady Faulk and Savant rounded out the Pios’ offense with four points apiece.
Carsyn Simon paced the Bears with a game-high 22 points.
CHS Ladies edge Elton
ELTON – Mya Lastrapes scored eight big fourth-quarter points to help the Crowley Ladies break open a tight game and slip away with a 37-30 victory over Elton Monday evening.
The Ladies led by as many as 12 in the third quarter (22-10) but the hosts rallied in the final frame to get within three (27-24) with just over four minutes remaining.
Lastrapes scored the Ladies next four baskets to push the lead to five (35-30 before Macy Butler’s shot in the paint late in the frame sealed the victory.
Senior guard Taylor Perkins led all scorers with 13 points, including seven in the second half.
Lastrapes followed with nine points, Butler added six, Martayshia Guidry had five and Spiritual Guidry had four.
Gents come up short
ELTON – The Crowley Gents got off to a sluggish start Monday and never were able to recover in a 51-30 setback to the Elton Indians.
The Gents were outscored 24-4 in the first quarter and trailed 34-11 at the break.
Elton pushed its lead to 44-19 after three quarters before the Gents outscored the Indians 11-7 in the final frame.
Chris George was the lone Gent to score in double figures with 12 points. Cam’Ron Scott followed with six points, James Collins and Travonta Ben each scored three and Omar Butler, Trevon Flugence and Rasheed Charles each finished with two.
Lady Rebels slip past Barbe
LAKE CHARLES – Marlie Boudreaux scored just four points Monday, but her layup with 12 seconds left proved to be the determining factor for the Lady Rebels, who slipped past Class 5A Barbe, 54-53.
The two teams went back-and-forth all game long.
The game was tied 25-25 at the half and the Lady Rebels took a slim 37-36 lead after three quarters.
Gracie Miller kept the Lady Rebels within striking distance in the final frame by scoring 10 of her game-high 27 points in the final eight minutes.
Makenzi Oliver added 14 points in the victory, Caitlyn Boudreaux had six, Marlie Boudreaux added four and Myra Carlson finished with three.
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