What are the laws?

What are the laws?

Some of the most common traffic violations include:

  • Driving Without a Valid License - No person can drive or operate any motor vehicle in Louisiana unless they have been issued a license to so do.
  • Careless Operation - Failure to operate a motor vehicle in a manner that does not endanger the life, limb, or property of any person.
  • Improper Passing on the Left - When passing a vehicle traveling in the same direction, drivers should pass in the left lane at a safe distance. Drivers should not drive on the right side of the road until the vehicle is safely overtaken.
  • Improper Passing on the Right - Passing on the right is only permitted when the vehicle to be overtaken is making, or about to make, a left turn.
  • Improper Lane Usage - On a roadway divided into two or more lanes for traffic, vehicles must be driven practically within a single lane, and cannot be moved from the lane until the driver is certain such maneuvers can be performed safely.
  • Following Too Closely - Drivers cannot follow another vehicle "more closely than is reasonable and prudent". Motor trucks are prohibited from following within 400 feet of another vehicle, when traveling on a highway.
  • Failure to Signal - A person who intends to turn right or left must give a continuous signal of their intention during at least the last 100 feet being traveled by the turning vehicle.
  • Failure to Yield - Drivers must yield at all yield signs and four-way stops , and also a rail-highway grade crossing.
  • Improper Backing - A vehicle can only be reversed when their movement can be made with reasonable safety and not interfere with other traffic.
  • Following Emergency Vehicles - Drivers cannot follow any authorized emergency vehicle, traveling in response to an official call of duty, closer than 500 feet. Additionally, vehicles should not be drove or parked within the block where an emergency vehicle has stopped in answer to an official call.
  • Headlight Failure - Every motorcycle must be equipped with at least one, but no more than two, working headlamps. All other motor vehicles must be equipped with at least two working headlamps, at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle.
  • Speeding - Drivers cannot drive a motor vehicle at a speed greater than what is "reasonable and prudent under the conditions."
  • Driving Without Valid Insurance - Every motor vehicle registered in Louisiana (with a few enumerated exceptions) must be covered by an automobile liability policy.
This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other citations that people could receive in Louisiana.

What are the Consequences of Traffic Violations in Louisiana?

If your appearance is required in court for a traffic ticket and you fail to appear, you could be assessed additional fees; have a warrant issued for your arrest; and your driver's license could be suspended. Louisiana will suspend the driver's licenses of motorists with multiple traffic violations. Fines are the most common penalty associated with a traffic citation, but certain offenses may carry additional penalties.

For Example:
When a person is convicted of careless operation that causes the death of a human being, the offender can be ordered to serve up to:

  • 250 hours of court-approved community service; and
  • their driver's license could be suspended for two years.

A driver who fails to yield at a railroad grade crossing will be:
  • fined up to $250 and/or
  • receive up to 30 days of imprisonment for a first offense.

    • A second offense can result in:

      • a fine of up to $500 and/or
      • imprisonment for up to 90 days, as well as a requirement to attend a one-day safe driver's course within 180 days of adjudication.


The Norris Law Group Fights Traffic Charges in Shreveport-Bossier

If you received a traffic citation in Shreveport, Bossier City, or a surrounding area in Louisiana, consult The Norris Law Group to discuss the long-term consequences for your driving record. Call 318-771-7000 or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation.