DWI Arrests Up

The number of DWI arrests in Louisiana has risen sharply over the last five years. In 2010, law enforcement made 31,065 DWI arrest, an increase of over 5,000 from 2005. Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, Executive Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, credits a greater emphasis on enforcement.
Money provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is being used as grants to pay officers overtime to focus on DWI and seatbelt enforcement, especially on heavily traveled holidays. LeBlanc says that, and no-refusal rules, are important tools in the effort to reduce the numbers of fatal crashes and get drunk drivers off the roads
LeBlanc says while repeat offenders are a problem, the vast majority of all DWI drivers involved in fatal crashes had no prior arrest for DWI. He says the laws have been changed to require stricter enforcement for anyone who drives impaired.