OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Belle Chasse, LA - With the New Year festivities approaching, the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is partnering with the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office (PPSO) to share the message about the dangers of drunk driving. During the current Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, PPSO deputies have been working since December 16, 2022 and will continue until January 1, 2023, to take drunk drivers off the roads.

According to NHTSA, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020. This is why PPSO is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to the holiday festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

"It's so important that drivers act responsibly, and that includes refraining from impaired driving," said Sheriff Jerry Turlich. "The holidays are a special time of year for many, and we want all the members of our community to enjoy this season and stay safe."

PPSO recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:
• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you've had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or a sober friend to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact PPSO at 504-564-2525 or dial 911 for an immediate response.
• Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement period, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving

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Contact Information:
Captain Chaun J. Domingue
Public Information Officer
Office: 504-934-6785
cdomingue@ppso.net