KENNER — Labor Day weekend is coming up.  Even during this pandemic, for many Americans, that means an extra day off and backyard barbecues with family.  Unfortunately, it also means a sharp increase in drunk-driving-related fatalities.  So starting this Friday, August 19 and continuing through Monday, September 5, 2022, the Kenner Police Department will be aggressively targeting drunk drivers as part of a nationwide effort to end drunk driving and save lives.  The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will pair increased public awareness with high-visibility enforcement, resulting in fewer drunk drivers on Kenner roadways.

“It’s tragic how many people lose their lives to drunk driving,” said Kenner Chief of Police Keith Conley.  “If the news reported that more than 10,000 people were killed in a preventable crime spree, the American public would be outraged!” Chief Conley continued.  For another consecutive year, the Kenner Police Department will be joining the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign and will arrest anyone caught driving drunk.  No tolerance, no excuses.

Every day, almost 32 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes—that’s one person every 45 minutes. These deaths have fallen by a third in the last three decades; however, drunk-driving crashes claimed on average 10,500 lives per year from 2011-2020.  In 2010, the most recent year for which cost data is available, these deaths and damages contributed to a cost of $44 billion that year.  In 2020, 11,654 people were killed in drunk-driving-related crashes, which translated to a 14% increase from 2019.

Alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood.  This is called Blood Alcohol Concentration, or BAC.  At a BAC of .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter (g/dL) of blood, crash risk increases exponentially.  Because of this risk, it’s illegal in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.  However, even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability.  In 2020, there were 2,041 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where drivers had lower alcohol levels (BACs of .01 to .07 g/dL).

And then, there are the financial impacts to consider:

• On average, a DUI can set you back $10,000 in attorney fees, fines, court costs, time in jail, lost time at work, loss of your license, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs, and more.
• The financial impact from impaired-driving crashes can be devastating: based on 2010 numbers (the most recent year for which cost data is available), impaired-driving crashes cost the United States $44 billion annually.

Chief Conley recommends these simple tips to prevent drunk driving.

• Plan a safe way home before
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, use public transportation or call a ride-sharing service.
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the Kenner Police Department.
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take your friend’s keys and help your friend make other arrangements to get to where he or she is going safely.

The two-week, high-visibility Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement and public information campaign is timed to coincide with the Labor Day holiday and the preceding weeks that many consider the final weeks of summer.

“Driving drunk is totally inexcusable,” said Chief Conley.  “We’re hoping that Kenner drivers get the message and take some simple steps to prevent a tragedy.  There’s always another way home.”  The Kenner Police Department is reminding drivers to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before going anywhere where alcohol will be served.  “Planning a sober ride home, whether it’s a friend, a taxi, ride-sharing, or public transportation, is the right choice,” added Chief Conley.

Don’t let Labor Day weekend turn into fatalities.  Law enforcement is not messing around: if you’re caught driving drunk, you will be arrested.  Remember that aside from the obvious risks of killing yourself or someone else, driving impaired can also lead to serious punitive consequences.

For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.

More information:  Please contact Captain Cunningham of the KPD Public Information Office at [email protected] or (504) 712-2420 with any additional questions you may have.