Kleinpeter Boutwell

New cars are packed with safety technology. But for older drivers, that technology isn't always helping, and sometimes it's making things worse.

Research shows that drivers ages 55-75 take their eyes off the road 8+ seconds longer than younger drivers when using in-vehicle touchscreens. And many older drivers simply aren't using advanced driver assistance systems features at all, because the learning curve is steep and the naming is inconsistent across brands. More info in our recent blog:

What the Research Shows About Senior Driver Safety and Car Technology - Kleinpeter Boutwell Senior driver safety in the age of modern vehicle technology raises important questions. Here's what the latest research shows for Louisiana drivers.

The e-bike boom is not going away, and ridership will continue growing. These vehicles offer genuine benefits and are a meaningful part of a greener transportation future. But realizing that future safely means taking the risks seriously, demanding better safety standards, and making sure the rules governing e-bikes reflect that they are fast, powerful vehicles that deserve the same serious attention we give to any other motorized form of transportation. https://bit.ly/4eeWIWt

Some states are starting to regulate e-bikes in the absence of any federal laws. Connecticut passed sweeping e-bike safety legislation in 2025, and New Jersey recently enacted what's been called the strongest e-bike law in the country, with age limits and permit requirements across all classes. Does your state have e-bike laws? Check here:

Electric Bike Laws by State (Updated 2026) | U.S. Ebike Guide Explore updated 2026 U.S. ebike laws by state — Class 1, 2 & 3 regulations, licensing rules, and trail access. Stay compliant wherever you ride.

Louisiana residents are dying as pedestrians at nearly twice the national rate. To help bring those numbers down, here is what you can do as a pedestrian to prevent injury or death: https://bit.ly/4n0Ew58

The most underreported e-bike story isn't the crashes. It's the battery fires caused by exploding lithium-ion batteries. They happen in apartments, storage rooms, and garages, where the bikes are charging overnight. These fires burn at extremely high temperatures and are very difficult to extinguish once they start.

As e-bikes proliferate, so do deadly fires blamed on exploding lithium-ion batteries Federal officials are considering a crackdown on defective lithium-ion batteries that power hoverboards, scooters and motorized bicycles because of a rash of deadly fires caused by exploding batteries.

Louisiana families are paying more than ever for insurance. And while rates continue to skyrocket, insurance companies are reporting massive profits.⁠
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Learn more from Real Reform here:
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One detail that tends to get lost in the e-bike safety conversation: the median age of injured riders is significantly higher than that of traditional cyclists, suggesting that many older adults are taking on vehicles capable of 20 to 28 mph without fully accounting for how different that experience is from riding a conventional bike.

Electric Scooter and Bike Accidents Are Soaring Across the U.S. Electric bikes and scooters have soared in popularity in recent years, but a UCSF study has found that accidents stemming from these "micromobility" vehicles have also soared.

The rest of the country cut pedestrian deaths by 11% last year. Louisiana barely moved — dropping just 2.5% while posting one of the highest fatality rates in the nation.

Pedestrian Deaths in Louisiana Barely Budged in 2025. Here’s What the Data Shows - Kleinpeter Boutwell Pedestrian deaths across the U.S. dropped 11% in early 2025, but Louisiana barely moved. Here's what the data shows and what the state is doing about it.