Louisiana
Louisiana achieves record 88.4% seatbelt usage rate
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana has achieved its highest-ever seatbelt usage rate at 88.4%, with officials crediting a remix of Lafayette music artist Cupid’s hit song “Cupid Shuffle” for helping drive the numbers.
The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission partnered with Cupid on a Valentine’s Day video promoting seatbelt safety to celebrate the record-high usage rate. The collaboration features a remix of Cupid’s international hit with new lyrics emphasizing the importance of wearing seatbelts.
“Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than, ‘I want you to wear your seat belt,’” said LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman. “And no one has ever expressed that more musically than Cupid.”
Jingle credited with driving usage rates
At LHSC’s request, Cupid remixed “Cupid Shuffle” with new words for a 2018 public service announcement called “Now Click.” The jingle has gained momentum and is credited with helping Louisiana achieve the record usage rate, according to an LHSC 2025 observational survey.
“I mean, every time the commercial comes on the radio, I get a call or a text from somebody saying, ‘I just heard you on the radio,’” Cupid said. “I’m like, ‘What song?’ They say, ‘The Click It song.’”
Freeman said the jingle is “catchy and fun, and I’d give Cupid another gold record if it were up to me.”
“There’s absolutely no doubt that this jingle has gotten into the heads of young drivers, reminding them to buckle up, and I’m certain it has saved lives,” Freeman said.
The video is available on YouTube and LHSC’s social media pages.
Personal connection drives artist’s involvement
Cupid said he decided to create the jingle for LHSC because seatbelt safety is a cause close to his heart.
“I had a cousin who I played football with who passed away in a car accident, and I just felt that it was something that needed to be done,” he said. “He was one of my closest friends, and (he and some friends) were leaving a football game, had a car accident, car flipped over, and everybody in the car was OK except him.”
Cupid also has a son who recently started driving.
“You’ve got to know every time he gets in that car, I’m nervous,” he said. Cupid’s son knows the jingle, “so that lets me know that we’re doing the right thing.”
Cupid said he felt it was right to give back to the community using his successful music career.
“Sometimes you’ve got to step out and help the community out and use your power and music to be able to touch people all over,” Cupid said. “At the end of the day, you have lessons, and you have blessings, and you take those lessons to try to create blessings for other people.”
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Louisiana
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.
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