| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 6500 | 2017-06-29 | Statewide | Drive Sober and Make Safe Decisions This Independence Day Weekend |
| HEADQUARTERS NEWS RELEASE June 29, 2017 Drive Sober and Make Safe Decisions This Independence Day Weekend BATON ROUGE – With the Fourth of July weekend approaching, Louisiana highways will be filled with citizens as well as visitors from out of state celebrating America’s independence. Unfortunately, this will be a sad reminder for five families in our state who lost loved ones in crashes during the 2016 July Fourth weekend. One of those lives lost was Sterlington Police Officer David Elahi, who was tragically struck and killed while on duty by an impaired driver. In conjunction with the July Fourth holiday weekend, Troopers will be participating in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Louisiana State Police and local law enforcement agencies across the state will be working together to remove impaired drivers from roadways through patrol efforts and DWI checkpoints. They will also be making sure that occupants of all ages are properly restrained in their vehicles. The fact remains that the Fourth of July weekend is one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to impaired driving. To make sure you and your loved ones have a safe and memorable time this weekend, Troopers ask that you follow these safety tips while on our roadways: · Designate a sober driver ahead of time before you start the party. · If you become intoxicated, do not drive for any reason. · Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, or use public transit. · Try NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app that allows you to call a taxi or friend, and identify your location so you can be picked up. · If someone you know has been drinking, stop him or her from driving. Take their keys, take them home, or help them arrange a sober ride. · Always make sure EVERY occupant in the vehicle is buckled up. Remembering and using these simple tips while traveling will greatly increase your chances of arriving at your destination safely. LSP will be targeting driving behaviors such as impaired driving, speeding, unrestrained occupants, aggressive driving, and distracted driving. We also ask motorists to please obey the “Move Over” law! If you see an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder with its emergency lights activated, please reduce your speed and change lanes to give first responders room to operate safely. Following this law will help keep first responders safe while they are assisting others on our highways. Troopers will ticket drivers who choose not to follow these laws. Up to date travel information, including road closures due to crashes or construction, may be obtained a variety of ways including: § Dialing 511 from any phone in Louisiana · Visiting www.511la.org · Utilizing the free “Way to Geaux” app on your smartphone · Following the Louisiana State Police Facebook and Twitter pages (www.facebook.com/LouisianaStatePolice) (https://twitter.com/LAStatePolice) Troopers throughout Louisiana also urge every citizen and visitor to report any hazardous situation or impaired driver to the nearest Troop by dialing *577 (*LSP) from a cellular phone, or 911 to your local law enforcement agency. Let’s all work together to keep our highways safe so everyone can enjoy a memorable Independence Day weekend! Contact Information: | |||
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