Louisiana Auto Driving Laws
Driving Offenses
Vehicular Homicide
Under R.S. 14:32.1 of Louisiana driving law, vehicular homicide is the
killing of a human by an operator of any motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or
other means of conveyance, whether or not there is any intent to cause death or
great bodily harm.
Penalties for violations of these Louisiana traffic laws include fines of not
less than $2,000 nor more than $15,000 and imprisonment for not less than two
years nor more than 20 years. At least one year jail time will be mandatory.
Vehicle Negligent Injury
Under R.S. 14:30.1 of Louisiana driving law, vehicle negligent injury is
inflicting any injury by an operator of any motor vehicle, aircraft,
water-craft, or other means of conveyance when the offender is under the
influence of alcohol or drugs and/or the offender's blood alcohol concentration
is 0.10% or more.
Penalties for violations of these Louisiana traffic laws include fines of not
more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
First Degree Vehicle Negligent Injury
Under R.S. 14:39.2 of Louisiana driving law, first degree vehicle negligent
injury is inflicting of serious bodily injury by an operator of any motor
vehicle, aircraft, water-craft, or other means of conveyance when the offender
is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and/or the offender's blood alcohol
concentration is 0.08% or more.
Penalties for violations of these Louisiana traffic laws include fines of not
more than $2,000 or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.
Reckless Driving
Under Louisiana driving law, if you operate a vehicle in a criminally
negligent or reckless manner, you are committing a crime punishable by a fine
and jail.
Hit and Run Driving
Under Louisiana driving law, if you are involved in or cause an accident, you
are required by law to stop, identify yourself and render reasonable aid.
Failure to do so may result in a fine and time in jail.
Flight from an Officer
Under Louisiana driving law, a motor vehicle driver who refuses to stop,
knowing a police officer has given a signal for him to stop, has committed a
crime punishable by a fine and time in jail.
Losing Your Driving Privileges
The following is a list of various violations of Louisiana driving law for
which your driving privileges will be suspended:
- Conviction of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
- Failure to stop for a school bus loading or unloading children.
- Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor
vehicle.
- Any felony committed while operating a motor vehicle.
- Failure to stop and render assistance at an accident, in which you were
involved, that results in the injury or death of a person.
- Three convictions of reckless driving committed within a 12 month period.
- Unlawful use of a driver's license.
- Making a false statement or concealing a material fact on an application for
a driver's license.
- Failure to answer a traffic law charge.
- Driving in violation of a driver's license restriction.
- Refusal to take alcohol analysis test when arrested for DWI, or after
submitting to the test where the results show a BAC level of 0.10% or more for
those 21 years of age or older or 0.02 % or more for those younger than 21 years
of age.
- Failure to comply with the financial responsibility law when required.
- Committing an offense in another state which, if committed in this state,
would be grounds for suspension or revocation.
- Altering information on the license.
- Driving with a suspended driver's license.
Under Louisiana driving law, the surrender of an individual's actual driver's
license will not be required to begin the period of suspension and/or
disqualification. In accordance with Louisiana traffic laws, the suspension
and/or disqualification dates can be given:
- upon receipt of the individual's most current operator's license (in-state
or out-of-state),
- upon expiration of the operator's license, on the date a statement of
non-possession is received,
- after the expiration date the prior suspension or disqualification, or
- 30 days after the date of the notice of suspension, depending upon the
individual record.
EACH conviction of driving under suspension will cause your suspension period
to be extended for one year. Driving while your license is suspended will be
cause for arrest, a court fine and/or time in jail.
In accordance with Louisiana driving law, upon expiration of any suspension
period, a reinstatement fee will be required before your driving privileges can
be reinstated.
For More Information
Louisiana Department of Transportation
(Source: StateDrivingLaw.com)