Traffic volume fell sharply in 2020, yet more people died on U.S. roads. The difference matters because traffic counts alone do not tell us how dangerous a trip will be. Speed, impairment and whether an occupant is restrained can change the outcome of a crash even when the road looks open. What the 2020…
Defensive driving is not timid driving. It is the habit of leaving yourself enough time and space to respond when another driver makes a mistake. On Louisiana roads, that usually means controlling following distance, scanning well beyond the vehicle ahead, and refusing to let another driver’s speed or aggression dictate your own decisions. The…
A first DWI arrest can start two separate proceedings in Louisiana: a criminal prosecution and an administrative driver’s-license case. If someone was injured in a collision, a civil claim may proceed as well. Each has its own purpose, evidence, and deadlines. If you were arrested, speak with a criminal-defense lawyer about the charge and…
Marijuana legalization and marijuana-impaired driving are related questions, but they are not the same question. Research can measure changes in crash rates after a law changes. A Louisiana injury claim still has to determine whether a particular driver was impaired, whether that impairment affected the driving and whether it contributed to the collision. That…
Louisiana’s child-restraint law follows a progression from rear-facing seats to harnessed seats, boosters, and finally an adult belt that fits correctly. Age matters, but the child’s size and the manufacturer’s limits matter too. The four restraint stages in Louisiana The current requirements appear in La. R.S. 32:295. If a child fits more than one…
The Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report 2024 reports 706 fatal crashes and 753 fatalities statewide in 2024. That same Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report 2024 notes 161 people died in DWI (BAC>=0.08) crashes and 261 vehicle passengers died not wearing a seat belt. Statewide totals describe road safety trends. They cannot establish what caused…
A quick headlight flash can communicate several messages: dim your high beams, check your own lights, watch for a hazard, or slow down because police are ahead. When the message is a speed-trap warning, the act raises two separate questions. Is the communication protected by the First Amendment? And did the driver violate a…
A red-light camera can help establish when a vehicle entered an intersection. Whether it improves safety is a broader question: a program can change the number and severity of crashes, and ticket revenue alone tells us little about either. Louisiana sets requirements for camera signs and for challenging a mailed citation. If someone was…