Truck accident statistics for Ouachita Parish, Louisiana (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Ouachita Parish by year

Truck accident deaths fell from 4 in 2020 to 2 in 2021, rose to 6 in 2022, fell to 3 in 2023 and rose to 6 in 2024. The highest count was 6, shared by 2022 and 2024; the lowest was 2 in 2021. The 2024 count was 2 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths involving large trucks was 13.3% in 2020, 5.7% in 2021, 15.8% in 2022, 10.7% in 2023 and 22.2% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 30, 35, 38, 28 and 27 in those respective years. The highest truck accident share occurred in 2024, while the lowest occurred in 2021.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Ouachita Parish truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 14.3%. People in other vehicles accounted for 15 deaths, or 71.4%, the largest person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 3 deaths, or 14.3%. These categories describe the people killed in qualifying truck accidents.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, including pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. That grouping can include occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, such as parked vehicles. It should not be read as a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in Ouachita Parish involved 23 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) numbered 10 and represented 43.5% of those trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 13. The number of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 0.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Each entry in the trucks table counts vehicles. A truck accident can involve multiple large trucks, so these figures are distinct from the 21 fatal crashes and 21 deaths recorded for the period. The truck-tractor share likewise describes the large trucks involved, rather than a share of crashes or people killed.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Counts are trucks, not crashes. One crash can involve more than one large truck.

How the fatal truck crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) recorded 6 deaths (28.6%); head-on, 4 (19.0%); rear-end, 4 (19.0%); and sideswipe, 1 (4.8%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 6 deaths (28.6%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, such as a pedestrian, cyclist, parked-vehicle or fixed-object impact, or a rollover. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separately, truck accident deaths in single-vehicle crashes numbered 5 (23.8%); two-vehicle crashes accounted for 12 (57.1%); and crashes involving three or more vehicles accounted for 4 (19.0%). Crash configuration counts vehicles involved and is separate from manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded truck accident deaths numbered 7, or 33.3%, with 7 recorded for I-20. Interstate identification requires ROUTE=1 and a parseable interstate route number in TWAY_ID. The listed route count represents the packet's route-coded subset, rather than a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 10 deaths (47.6%), while nighttime accounted for 11 (52.4%). Urban locations recorded 14 deaths (66.7%), and rural locations recorded 7 (33.3%). Work-zone deaths numbered 1. These figures describe deaths in qualifying crashes during 2020 through 2024; the work-zone figure does not count trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Louisiana and the United States

The average annual truck accident death rate was 2.6 per 100,000 residents in Ouachita Parish, compared with 2.4 in Louisiana and 1.6 nationally. The parish rate was higher than both comparison rates. The corresponding death counts for 2020 through 2024 were 21 in the parish, 561 statewide and 27,553 across the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, using the sum of annual Census population estimates for the period. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The parish's separately displayed 2024 population estimate of 158,746 is not the denominator used for this rate. No neighboring county rates are supplied in the packet.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

About these figures

NHTSA's FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. For readers searching "truck accident lawyer," these counts are grouped by crash location, not the deceased person's residence.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File and may be revised. Rates divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[9][6][7][8]