Staying Safe around Impaired Drivers
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, an important time for employers to remind their employees of the dangers posed by impaired drivers. In 2023, Louisiana recorded 147 pedestrian fatalities, with nearly 34% involving alcohol.
Encourage your employees to be mindful of their surroundings, use crosswalks and wear visible clothing, especially at night. Louisiana law requires pedestrians to yield to vehicles when outside of crosswalks, which are particularly dangerous for pedestrians interacting with impaired drivers. It’s even more dangerous when both the pedestrian and driver are impaired. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 35% of 25- to 34-year-old pedestrians involved in fatal crashes in Louisiana in 2022 had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.
The only way to lower BAC levels is to allow the liver time to metabolize alcohol. Drivers with a BAC of .08 are four times more likely to crash than those with a BAC of zero, with the risk being highest for young males. Review the effects of BAC. It is crucial to behave responsibly and create a safety plan before consuming any substances.
To help spread awareness during Pedestrian Safety Month, share these educational resources, which include videos with tips available from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. The videos provide practical advice on pedestrian safety and can be an excellent addition to workplace safety training. Encourage employees to get involved by registering for the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s free 1 Million Steps 2 Safety 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 26 in Baton Rouge. By promoting these resources and getting involved in Louisiana communities, employers can help protect their employees and contribute to safer streets.
Focus on Impairment and Teen Driver Safety
As National Teen Driver Safety Week approaches in October, employers can play a pivotal role in raising awareness of the dangers of impaired driving, especially among young drivers in the workplace. Recent tragedies, such as the loss of two teens in an alcohol-related crash involving an impaired teen driver in Fourchon, highlight the devastating consequences of impaired driving.
Teens are not only at risk driving under the influence, but they also can become victims when riding with impaired peers. Please take this time to inform employees, both teens and parents of teens, of the dangers of riding with impaired peers. Teenagers can create a line of communication with their parents and plan a safe ride home so they never make the deadly decision to get into a vehicle with an unsafe driver.
Employers can make a difference by sharing National Teen Driver Safety Week resources from the National Safety Council with employees, particularly teenage employees or those with teenage drivers at home. Additional resources include:
- ABCs of drug-impaired driving: Informative video highlighting the different types of impaired driving
- Pointers for parents: Tools to facilitate discussions about the risks of driving
- New driver deals: Parent-teen agreements outlining safe-driving expectations; be sure to include rules and expectations regarding impaired driving
- Employer resources: Information on Graduated Driver Licensing, posters, infographics and videos
- Students Against Destructive Decisions: Encourage teenagers to join their local SADD program to raise awareness of impaired driving in their peer groups
Incorporating these materials into internal communications — such as newsletters, email bulletins or staff meetings — empowers employees to educate their families and promote safer driving practices. This proactive approach can help reduce the likelihood of future crashes and foster safer driving habits among the next generation of drivers. Sharing these resources and starting these conversations could be the difference between life and death on the road.