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, earning a spot on the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous bridge over water. 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. It is reported that police have had 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, as reported by those who have first-hand experience. A viral video of the bridge posted by @UponArriving on TikTok collected several comments expressing fear of the bridge that seemingly never ends. "Never again, it was horrifying," one user said. "Went over it during a horrible storm and we couldn't even see but couldn't stop either literally thought we were going to die," another commented.

Additionally, 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-mile-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. Fog can be dangerous — in fact, the Causeway's official website shares tips on how to drive in the fog due to its common, dangerous occurrence between October and March. If it's foggy, make sure to stay in your lane and use low beams. 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, the Causeway Police (yes, the bridge has its own dedicated police force!) recommends staying behind your vehicle on the right-side curb and dialing their department at *27.