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June 30, 2023 - With record numbers of vehicles expected to hit the road this Independence Day holiday, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is sponsoring “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” to protect travelers from people who insist on driving while impaired.
Law enforcement agencies across Louisiana will deploy extra patrols during Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over to spot impaired drivers and get them off the road through Wednesday, July 5. Anyone found to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be arrested, LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said.
“From 2017 to 2021, 18 people died on Louisiana roads during the July Fourth holiday because someone made a choice to be an impaired driver,” Freeman said. “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is all about taking that choice away from impaired drivers and making our roads safe for the rest of us.”
During that five-year span, another 513 people in Louisiana were seriously injured during the Independence Day holiday in crashes involving alcohol, according to the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU.
Travel experts AAA predict that gas prices that are lower than last year will entice 43.2 million people across the country to drive to their destinations during this year’s Independence Day holiday. This would set a record for Fourth of July travel.
Freeman noted that the combination of a long holiday weekend and heavy traffic volume is even more reason to get impaired drivers off the road.
“We can’t fix the record-breaking holiday traffic or the record-breaking Louisiana heat,” Freeman said. “But our law enforcement partners across the state will be out in force, looking for impaired drivers, and taking them to jail to make our roads safer.”
Here are some tips for a safe July Fourth celebration from NHTSA:
- One alcoholic beverage could be one too many if you’re driving.
- If you plan on having even one drink, find a designated sober driver beforehand. Don’t count on making a designated driver decision after you’ve been drinking.
- If you’re not drinking, volunteer to be a designated sober driver for others. You literally could be a lifesaver.
- Remember that even legally prescribed drugs can turn you into an impaired driver. Any substance that affects your reasoning, judgment, reactions, or alertness will change the way you drive a car. Don’t take a chance — get a sober ride home if you’ve been drinking or taking any drugs.
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