By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – As the Labor Day holiday approaches, the South Central Safe Community Partnership’s team of law enforcement partners have already laid out plans to band together for daily DWI saturation patrols.
The two-week DWI operations, which began on Aug. 16, will operate in conjunction with Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, a nationwide enforcement mobilization campaign developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The saturation patrols are due to end on Labor Day, Sept. 2.
State and local police will be out in force to make sure drunk drivers do not risk their lives or take the lives of others. These DWI operations are made possible through Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s Drive Sober Special Wave Grant.
Troy Cassioppi of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said their officers will be patrolling for those who choose to drive under the influence, and will probably see the driver before the driver sees them.
“There are serious consequences. If you do decide to drive drunk, we will probably catch you,” he said.  
Capt. Craig Poche of the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office said many offenders don’t realize that drunk driving is a long and expensive process, not just a ticket.
“This is one that stays on your record forever. Your driver license is going to be taken away from you. Everyone thinks driving is a right, but that’s not the way it works. Driving is a privelege,” said Poche.  
The SCSCP listed several helpful tips to help drivers stay safe over the holidays: The first tip is to plan a safe way home before starting the festivities. If drinking is planned, then use a designated driver. The agency also advised drivers to call a taxi, use public transportation, or call a sober friend or family member to get a ride.
The agency also encourages people to take the keys of those about to drive drunk and help them make alternate arrangements for a ride home and to reports anyone suspected of driving under the influence immediately.  
National statistics show that Labor Day holidays are particularly dangerous for encountering drunk drivers. In 2011, there were 9,878 fatalities on America’s highways that involved drunk drivers or motorcycle riders, which was an average of one fatality every 53 minutes. On Labor Day itself, 138 people were killed, more than five times the daily average.
According to data gathered by the Louisiana Highway Safety Research Group, St. John Parish had more than 200 DWI arrests in 2012, while St. James Parish only saw 75.