Impaired Driving
In Louisiana, operating a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol or other impairing substances remains a major cause of vehicle crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities. According to LSU Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety data, in 2022, 31% of the motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana were alcohol-related, and the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities was 261. In 2023, the percentage of alcohol-related crashes in Louisiana decreased to 30.1% but remains a critical issue. The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2023 is estimated at 244.
State and local law enforcement officials work year-round to identify impaired drivers and get them off our roads. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission supports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign to combat impaired driving. LHSC provides support to law enforcement agencies to conduct sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the year.
UPCOMING ENFORCEMENT WAVES
Christmas/New Year
December 13, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Mardi Gras
February 21 – March 4, 2025
Independence Day
July 2 – 6, 2025
Labor Day
August 15 – September 1, 2025
RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF "NO REFUSAL WEEKENDS"
No Refusal Implementation - Resources and Legal Support
Officer Protocol for Implementing No Refusal
EMS personnel tips for DWI investigations
Approved list of specimen collection kits from LSP Crime Lab
No Refusal Initiative - A Tool for Law Enforcement Officers (Video)
OTHER IMPAIRED DRIVING RESOURCES
NHTSA Impaired Driving - High Visibility Enforcement Toolkit
Supreme Court guidance for DWI checkpoints as a result of State of Louisiana vs. Jackson
Sobriety Checkpoint Action Plan (Document Download)
Luke Niforatos (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Presentation - YouTube Video
The Impact of Marijuana Legalization (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Presentation Slides
Joey Jones (North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory) 2023 Impaired Driving Symposium Slides
Promoting Positive Traffic Safety Culture Presentation Slides (Jay Otto)
Marijuana: What You Need to Know (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Presentation Slides
Kevin A. Sabet, PhD. (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Presentation - YouTube Video
