La. law enforcement looking for drunk drivers during Carnival

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission welcomes an estimated 1.2 million visitors to Louisiana for the long Carnival weekend and assures them that law enforcement officers throughout the state are looking for impaired drivers to keep all travelers safe on our roads.

The 2018 Carnival season - which culminates Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13 - is a time of celebration and, for many partygoers, alcohol consumption. The LHSC reminds everyone that Carnival is not a time for drinking and driving. Anyone stopped by law enforcement who has a blood-alcohol content of more than .08 percent will be arrested.

Drunk driving continues to be a serious issue during the long Carnival weekend. During the Friday-through-Tuesday 2016 Carnival season weekend, 123 people were injured, and nine people were killed on Louisiana roads as the result of alcohol-related crashes, according to data from the Highway Safety Research Group at LSU.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, along with its public and private-sector partners, wishes everyone a happy and safe Mardi Gras and offers these tips:

--If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver beforehand.

--If you see someone who has had too much to drink, do not let them drive. Take away their keys and drive them home or call a taxi or ride service.

--Download the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's SaferRide app, the simplest possible way to get home safe, with only three self-explanatory buttons on the home screen. Get it on iTunes or on Google Play.

Contributed by the La. Highway Safety Commission