Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will join other local law enforcement agencies in participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign which runs August 17 through September 3, 2018. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

Additional deputies will be assigned to saturated patrol efforts to target impaired drivers and help keep motorists safe. There will also be several checkpoints held in conjunction with the campaign. A seat belt checkpoint will be conducted during the evening hours of Friday, August 17, followed immediately by a DWI checkpoint which will continue into the early morning hours of Saturday, August 18. There will also be daytime seat belt checkpoints on Thursday, August 23, and Thursday, August 30.

During the seat belt checkpoints, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as other violations such as expired inspection tags. During the DWI checkpoint, deputies will be looking for drivers who are possibly impaired while checking for other traffic safety issues, including but not limited to seat belt usage. Lafourche Parish is 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.

Sheriff Craig Webre reminds citizens to have a plan to get home safely before you decide to drink. Never drive if you have had anything to drink containing alcohol. Remember that driving under the influence of illegal narcotics can also lead to a DWI arrest. In fact, some legal medications can impair your ability to drive. Always read warning labels and instructions on prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Sheriff Webre also thanks citizens for their cooperation and patience when passing through these checkpoints and for recognizing the importance of raising awareness for safety issues.