Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct multiple checkpoints on Thursday, March 23 in Lafourche Parish. Seat belt and DWI checkpoints will be conducted during the evening hours at various locations throughout the parish. These checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.

During seat belt checkpoints, deputies focus on checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations. During DWI checkpoints, deputies look for drivers who are possibly impaired while checking for other traffic safety issues.

Sheriff Webre reminds citizens to designate a driver if you are going to drink. Motorists suspected of DWI who refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test will lose their driver’s license for one year (first offense). For a second offense, the penalty increases to two years. Anyone convicted of a DWI offense while their driver’s license is suspended because of another DWI offense will face automatic prison time. Lafourche Parish is also a “No Refusal” parish, meaning if a suspected drunk driver refuses a breathalyzer test, deputies will seek a search warrant to have that person’s blood tested.