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Aug. 14, 2025 - Drunk drivers can add “get pulled over and arrested” to the list of bad things that can happen when you drink and drive, during the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Labor Day campaign.
The campaign, which runs through September 1, makes federal funds available to law enforcement agencies for extra patrols to spot impaired drivers. Drunk driving is a serious threat to travelers in Louisiana, and law enforcement officers will arrest those drivers suspected of being impaired.
A first-time conviction for driving a vehicle while impaired in Louisiana can result in a maximum incarceration of six months and a fine of approximately $1,000, not including court costs and attorney fees. Third-time offenders face up to five years in prison, fines of up to $2,000, and the seizure and sale of their vehicles upon conviction.
While a DWI arrest and conviction have serious, long-term consequences, they’re nothing compared to the dangers drivers face if they drive while intoxicated. In fact, the greatest risk drunk drivers pose is to themselves, LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said.
“In 2023, 244 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Louisiana,” Freeman said. “More than 70% of those fatalities were the drivers, themselves.”
Nationally, 511 people died in crashes during the 2023 Labor Day holiday, and 36% of those fatalities were in crashes that included an impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For all of 2023 –– the latest year for which verified statistics are available –– 12,429 people across the country were killed in drunk-driving crashes. According to NHTSA, that represents one person killed in a drunk-driving crash every 42 minutes.
Traffic is usually heavy during the Labor Day holiday as friends and families take end-of-summer trips. LHSC administers the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the holiday to protect those travelers, Freeman said.
“Eight people died in crashes on Louisiana roads during the 2023 Labor Day holiday, and four of those deaths involved an impaired driver,” she said. “Imagine how many lives could be saved over the years if we could eradicate impaired driving. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is one way to move toward that goal.”
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