Lafayette – From Aug. 19 through Sept. 7, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Louisiana’s Destination Zero Deaths (DZD) will be working alongside state and local law enforcement to deter drunk driving and prevent tragedies during the Labor Day holiday weekend. The message is clear: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
During the 2024 Labor Day holiday (6 p.m. Aug. 30 - 5:59 a.m. Sept. 3), there were 505 traffic crash fatalities nationwide. Of these 505 fatalities, 34 percent (170) involved a drunk driver. Seventy-seven percent of the impaired drivers killed had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or higher.
Among drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday in 2024, 40 percent of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of 0.08 or higher.
“We want the communities we serve to understand that it’s the first priority to keep people safe, so DZD and our law enforcement partners are asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Ron Czajkowski, Transportation Safety Coordinator for DZD — Acadiana. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it kills. We encourage a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help law enforcement protect the community and put an end to this dangerous behavior.
If a driver intends to drink during a Labor Day festivity, he or she should plan ahead for a safe ride home by securing a designated driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. They shouldn’t wait until after drinking to plan how to get somewhere, DZD — Acadiana said. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment and endangers others on the road.
If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact 911 or your local law enforcement’s emergency response number.
For more information on impaired driving, visit NHTSA.gov/Drunk-Driving. If you have any questions, please contact Ron Czajkowski at rczajkowski@ planacadiana. org or (337) 806-9367, or Ashley Moran at [email protected] or (337) 806-9364.
