Residents in Louisiana are used to officials launching campaigns to raise awareness about the danger of drunk driving. These efforts are common around key holiday times like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Mardi Gras and others. In recent years, such efforts have been launched that center around distracted driving, including a new campaign around the state’s capital.
As explained by BRProud.com, the early part of September saw increased oversight by law enforcement officers looking for drivers who were using their phones with their hands or who are otherwise not paying proper attention to the act of driving. The effort was intended to focus on school zones as the start of a new school year got underway. The Capital Regional Transportation Safety Coalition sponsored the campaign.
According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Resource Group, an estimated 800 people were killed by distracted drivers in Louisiana between 2014 and 2018. More than 2,000 additional people experienced serious injuries in accidents involving distracted drivers during that same time period.
In a report provided by WAFB9, one man spoke candidly about how his life has been changed due to the actions of a distracted driver. One month before his accident, he had completed an entire marathon, running the full 26.2 miles. Now, he must be cared for by his wife as his injuries are too extensive for him to even take care of himself. His wife also was injured in the crash but is at least capable of providing care for herself and for her husband.
