BATON ROUGE — Representatives from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said Wednesday that the growing problem of pedestrian safety in Louisiana is as much a health, equity and quality of life concern as it is a traffic issue.

According to the LHSC, more pedestrians than passengers have been killed in motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana over the last decade. 

DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet said everyone deserves to cross the street while feeling safe, but the state has consistently ranked at the bottom of safety polls, ranking the second highest among all 50 states for pedestrian deaths  per capita in 2021. Ledet said that 161 pedestrians were killed in Louisiana roadways in 2024. 

"That's a nine-and-a-half percent increase from 2023," he said at the Lod Cook Alumni Center on LSU's campus. 

Ledet said that to combat this, DOTD has been investing in education programs, as well as expanding the Complete Streets Program to "improve walkability and accessibility" across the state. 

"We've also been implementing traffic honing measures like speed bumps, roundabouts and narrow lanes in high risk areas," Ledet added. 

He continued, saying that they have also teamed with law enforcement statewide to implement high visibility crosswalk patrols. 

"All of these efforts are making a difference, but there's still more work to be done," Ledet said.