The Hair-Raising Reason America's Longest Bridge Requires The Rescue Of Terrified Drivers Fairly Often

If you've taken a vacation to New Orleans to see unmissable things like Bourbon Street, the French Quarter, or to snack on some beignets at Cafe Du Monde, you may have had occasion to cross the longest bridge in America. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or the Causeway Bridge as it's sometimes called, stretches from the New Orleans suburb of Metairie to the lakeside retreat of Mandeville with its wonderful food, waterfront trails, and great shopping. This bridge goes on for 23.83 miles, making it one of the top 10 longest bridges in the world. Construction of the Causeway Bridge began in 1948, and it opened to traffic in 1956. Later a second span (or parallel segment) was added because of the bridge's popularity and ability to shorten travel times. 

If you like visiting places that hold records, you may want to cross the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway for its length alone. However, you could end up in a traffic jam because of terrified drivers. In fact, people often begin to panic on the bridge, particularly while on the 8-mile span where you can't see the shore on either side. Police frequently have to help out those who cannot bring themselves to continue the crossing. The bridge, which has two spans, with one going in each direction, can be pretty frightening to cross, even for those who don't have a deep fear of bridges. As one commenter on Reddit explained, "The first time I drove to New Orleans I didn't know this was coming or existed and it was truly just fifteen minutes of pure panic." Of course, if you get stuck behind an accident or a driver that is too scared to continue and needs rescuing, you can be in a real (traffic) jam. 

Although the pictures of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway may not appear that intimidating, actually being on this bridge is a bit different. The side barriers aren't very high, particularly on the southbound side (which was built first) because cars and trucks were smaller in the past. Plus, you may be used to bridges with more structure and cables overhead. This bridge has nothing but a few metal bars between you and the lake. In addition, cars on the bridge sometimes drive quite slowly so that passengers can take pictures, but this can create traffic. On the other hand, some people may go above the 65 miles per hour speed limit, making conditions hazardous. Weather can make this bridge treacherous as well, whether it's morning fog or high winds. Unfortunately, because of these factors, car crashes do occur on the Causeway Bridge.

However, there are ways to be safer as you cross a bridge like this. First, it's a good idea to check the weather. If it's foggy, make sure to stay in your lane and use low beams. Also, steer clear of reckless mistakes on your trip, like looking at the GPS instead of the road or driving in bad weather, and make sure your car is in good condition and contains emergency supplies. The bridge does have some pull-off areas for emergencies, but if you need to stop, make sure to signal first, and stay in your car with the hazard lights on. If you do start to panic, slow, deep breaths can help. If you get into an accident while on the bridge, you should stay in your car (as the bridge doesn't have a shoulder) and call for help.