State Police continue crackdown

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Monday, March 24, 2008 11:19 AM CDT

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On the heels of a recently released study that found 47 percent of Louisiana's highway fatalities in 2007 were caused by drugs or alcohol, State Police on Friday unleashed a statewide crackdown on drunk drivers, speeders and seatbelt violators this Easter weekend.

"Where looking for that impaired driver," Troop L interim spokesman Joseph Piglia said. "And being impaired doesn't just mean alcohol, it includes any prescription medications you are taking."

A coffer of federal monies allocated for DWI and crash reduction enforcement will fund overtime pay for full-time and reserve officers to increase patrols.

The crackdown is partly inspired by a recently released update on Louisiana crash statistics compiled by the Louisiana State University Highway Safety Research Group, Piglia said. The 2007 statistics indicate more than 63 percent of last year's fatalities were also not restrained, he said.

Those numbers could not be confirmed in a search of the Highway Safety Research Group's Web site.

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