LHSC urges fans to "stay in the game" by not drinking and driving

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Dec. 26, 2024 – Only one team in the Sugar Bowl matchup on New Year’s Day can advance in the college football playoffs, but the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission wants all fans at the Superdome and those watching at home to “stay in the game” by not drinking and driving.


“When we say we want you to ‘stay in the game,’ that means we want you to have fun and enjoy yourself, but you should not be drinking any alcohol if you’re going to be driving,” LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said. “Instead of drinking, consider being a sober ride home for friends or family members who have been drinking.”


The scene in New Orleans is certain to be festive as the Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting play to see who will continue in the national championship tournament. “I’m sure there will be some alcohol consumed in the Dome and by people watching the game on TV,” Freeman said. “But if driving is in your future that evening, stick with water or soft drinks.”


Law enforcement officers across Louisiana will be looking for and arresting impaired drivers through New Year’s Day as part of Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, Freeman said. Anyone with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or above is considered impaired and cannot legally operate a motor vehicle. Even at a lower BAC level, a driver may not be able to safely operate a vehicle.


Motor vehicle crashes involving impaired drivers actually hurt and kill hundreds of people every year, Freeman said, and the problem is amplified during holidays. 


“During the New Year’s holiday from 2019 through 2023, 18 people were killed and 277 were injured in crashes involving drivers who had been drinking alcohol,” Freeman said, citing data from the Center for Analytic and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU. “That is tragic and unacceptable.”


Some people believe they can safely have a drink or two before driving, but just one drink can slow a person’s reactions and alter their senses, turning them into an impaired driver. If someone knows they will be drinking that night, they should plan ahead to secure a sober ride home, before the alcohol clouds their judgment, Freeman said.


If you are hosting a Sugar Bowl party, make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available, Freeman said. Ask some of your non-drinking guests if they can serve as a designated driver for anyone who has had too much to drink.


“We love designated drivers because they truly are life savers,” Freeman said. “By giving just one impaired driver a ride home, a designated driver could be saving multiple lives.”

Mark Lambert

Lambert Media

mark@lambert-media.com

225-937-8113

www.lambert-media.com

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