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PORT ALLEN, LA, July 1, 2025 - Louisiana law enforcement officers are looking for and arresting impaired drivers so this Independence Day holiday can include freedom from being hit by a drunk driver during the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman was joined in a campaign kickoff by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert P. Hodges, and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Jeff Bergeron. The Tuesday morning event took place at the Old Ferry Landing in Port Allen.
From 2019 to 2023, 339 people were injured or killed in alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes during the July 4 holiday in Louisiana, according to the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU. That’s more alcohol-related injuries and deaths in Louisiana during that period than other major holidays, including Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Labor Day.
With record-high July 4 traffic expected across the country –– 61.5 million people on the road, according to AAA –– LHSC recognizes the value of high-visibility enforcement, which allows law enforcement patrols to work overtime in identifying impaired drivers and removing them from our roadways. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over remains in effect through Sunday, July 6, Freeman said.
“It’s an honor for me to support Louisiana's law enforcement agencies and prosecutors during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign,” Murrill said. “If you choose to drink and drive in Louisiana, you will be arrested and prosecuted. In today’s world with Uber and Lyft, there is absolutely no excuse for impaired driving. It’s just not worth it.”
Col. Hodges said impaired driving “remains one of the most preventable yet devastating threats to public safety on Louisiana’s roadways.”
“Louisiana State Police stands firmly with our partners in supporting the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, because high-visibility enforcement and public education save lives,” Col. Hodges said. “We urge all motorists to make responsible choices: never drive impaired, plan ahead, and help us protect the residents and visitors of this great state.”
Sheriff Bergeron said his office is “committed to keeping our roads safe, which is why we fully support the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Impaired driving puts lives at risk, and our deputies work hard to identify and remove dangerous drivers to protect the families of West Baton Rouge Parish.”
Any motor vehicle driver with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher is legally intoxicated, but motor skill impairment can begin after just one drink. Freeman noted that highway safety advocates “have done a terrific job of getting the word out across the state that drinking and driving is unacceptable.”
“It’s simple: If you drink and drive during this holiday, we have law enforcement officers spread out across the state,” she said “Those officers will spot you and take you to jail. It’s the best way to keep innocent people safe on the roads.”
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