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Louisiana

Most recently reviewed March, 2008.

Aggressive Driving Laws
None
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Cell Phone Driving Laws

Crash
Data
Collected

Preemption Laws

Handheld Ban

Texting Ban

All Cell Phone Ban

Enforcement

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers
  Yes          
Sources: American Automobile Association (AAA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Child Passenger Safety Laws

Child Restraint Required
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Adult seat belt Permissible
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Maximum Fine
First Offense

<1 (or <20) in a rear-facing child safety seat; 1 - 3 (or 20 - 39) in a forward-facing child safety seat; 4 - 5 (or 40 - 60) in a child booster seat

6 -12 (or >60)

$50

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Drug Impaired Driving Laws

Per Se Laws for Drugs
(Forbidding Prohibited Substances in
Driver's Body)

DEC/DRE Programs
(Providing Law Enforcement Training)

 

 Yes

Source: State Highway Safety Offices.

Drunk Driving Laws

Admin. License
Suspension on
First Offense

Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension

Increased Penalties for High Blood Alc. Concentration (BAC)

Open Container, Repeat Offender Laws

Vehicle and License
Plate
Sanctions

Ignition Interlocks

Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity

90 days After 30 days .15 Open Container (does not meet federal standard) Vehicle Confiscation Yes, for all convictions Yes
Sources:Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

Learner Stage

Intermediate Stage

Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis)

Special Cell
Phone Provisions

Min.
Age
(Yrs./
Mos.)

Duration
(Mos.)

Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Nighttime Driving Restriction

Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members
exempt)

15

6

 16 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. None 17 None  
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) , American Automobile Association (AAA) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Helmet Laws

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

All Helmet Law

Partial Law

All Helmet Law Repealed

2004

 

  

<12
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Mature Driver Laws

General Population Length of Renewal (Yrs.)

Provisions for Mature Drivers

4

No mail renewal for >70
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Seat Belt Laws

Type of Law

Who is Covered
(Yrs.)

In What Seat

Maximum Fine
First Offense
Primary

>13

Front

 $25
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Segway Laws

Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths

Permitted on Roads

Helmets Required

Minimum Age

Pedestrian Laws Apply

Sidewalks and bicycle paths

Yes on highways w/ speeds up to 35 mph

 

 

 
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Offices.
Sobriety Checkpoint Laws

Checkpoints Conducted?

Comments

Yes

State Supreme Court guidelines allow checkpoints
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed Limit Laws

Rural Interstates

Urban Interstates

Other Limited Access Roads

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

70 70 70 70 55-70 55-70

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed and Red Light Cameras

State Law

Loca-
tion

Viola-
tions

Citation Issued to Whom

Liability

Image

Tradi-
tional Enforce-
ment Penalties

Records/ Points/ Penalties

Defenses

Privacy
No

Two cities have red light camera pilot programs.

Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Work Zone Speed Limit Laws

Multiple of Original Fine

Violations Affected

Workers Must Be Present

1.5X

Speeding

Yes
Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Offices.