Speeding Kills. And it Costs in Acadiana and Louisiana
Do you ever find yourself suddenly worried about the speed limit when passing through certain small towns? An exhaustive analysis by Governing Magazine found that there’s good reason for that. And, you will want to keep your eye on your speedometer in several small Louisiana towns in Acadiana, according to a survey by Governing Magazine.
The personal injury attorneys at Joseph Joy and Associates have represented many clients injured due to the negligence of a speeding and hazardous driver. Speeding is dangerous and linked to an increased risk of accidents. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in 2017, speeding killed 9,717 people, accounting for more than a quarter (26%) of all traffic fatalities that year. It is against the law to speed and speed limits are put in place to protect all of us on the road. According to the agency, forty-nine-percent, just about half, of the speeding drivers in fatal crashes in 2017 were not wearing seat belts. Speeding also affects your safety even when you are driving too fast for road conditions, such as during bad weather, when a road is under repair, or in an area at night that isn’t well lit.
Writer Eric Barker of Business Insider Magazine asks a valid question: Do traffic tickets really reduce accidents? His answer:
“Yes. They significantly reduce accidents and non-fatal injuries. They may not reduce fatalities, however. Looks like tickets have a bigger impact at night and on female drivers.”
If a ticket prevents an accident and especially an accident with personal injury, then it is an effective deterrent. It is against the law to speed. All municipalities have a duty to do what they can to promote public safety. They also have a responsibility to make sure their speed gauges are calibrated and accurate.
The Governing Magazine analysis found that some local governments, small ones especially, rely heavily on fines and punitive fees to fund their administrative costs. Their analysis found 840 local governments across America with unusually high revenue from fines (such as speeding tickets and other moving violations) as well as court fees, amounted to greater than 10 percent of the government’s total revenue, or $100 per adult resident.
Nearly 100 of these cities are in the Acadiana region, on popular roads like I-10, I-45, I-55, I-59, and I-65. According to the survey, one town to watch the spedometer in is Henderson in St. Martin Parish. Henderson, as we all know, is located adjacent to the I-10 and on the Atchafalaya Basin. It raked in a whopping $1,108,368 in revenue from fines and forfeitures in 2018, which accounted for 84.7% of the town’s total revenue for that year. This amounted to $768 dollars per resident of Henderson. This information was culled from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s online repository of local governments’ financial reports. Here are some more interesting statistics about revenues generated by Acadiana municipalities, according to Governing’s research:
Henderson, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $1,108,368
Total General Revenues: $1,309,258
Share of General Revenues: 84.7%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $1,108,368
Total Per Adult Resident: $768
Grand Coteau, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $256,535
Total General Revenues: $642,260
Share of General Revenues: 39.9%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $256,535
Total Per Adult Resident: $341
Maurice, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $208,989
Total General Revenues: $542,908
Share of General Revenues: 38.5%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $208,989
Total Per Adult Resident: $181
Scott, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $310,114
Total General Revenues: $1,756,570
Share of General Revenues: 17.7%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $310,114
Total Per Adult Resident: $45
Duson, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2017
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $215,815
Total General Revenues: $1,273,970
Share of General Revenues: 16.9%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $215,815
Total Per Adult Resident: $173
Carencro, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $461,136
Total General Revenues: $2,572,337
Share of General Revenues: 17.9%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $461,136
Total Per Adult Resident: $74
Sunset, Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2018
General Fund Fines and Forfeitures: $345,169
Total General Revenues: $889,320
Share of General Revenues: 38.8%
Fines and Forfeitures (All Funds): $345,169
Total Per Adult Resident: $169
Pearl River, LA. on I-59 makes revenue similarly, with fines and forfeitures accounting for 50.6% of the town’s total revenue in 2018, amounting for $369 per resident. The cities of New Orleans, Gretna, and Westwego all make the list as well, making between $150 and $249 per resident in this way in 2018. These numbers all include revenue from court fees, which can result from a myriad of incidents, and will often require you to appear in court in one of these towns in person.
Speeding causes avoidable accidents and personal injuries. Please respect the speed limits. It could save your life and prevent personal injuries. If you or a loved one is injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, the legal team at the Lafayette law firm of Joseph Joy and Associates has decades of experience, and can get you the compensation you deserve if you have been injured due to no fault of your own. Call (337) 232-8123 to reach Joseph Joy and Associates.
