Highway Fatalities Down/DWI Arrests Up, Police Credit ‘No Refusal’ Periods

A recent report for WWL by Chris Miller indicates that the total number of highway deaths involving impaired drivers in Louisiana is down as a result of police increasing the number of DWI arrests in the state.

According to law enforcement officials, the use of ‘no refusal’ periods is particularly responsible for the increase in arrests. ‘No refusal’ periods exist when drivers are incapable of refusing blood alcohol tests because judges are on call for a specific period of time to issue court orders requiring compliance immediately prior to arrest.

Additionally, a shift in the courts’ focus from repeat offenders to first-time offenders is expected to have reduced the number of fatalities as studies indicate that a relatively small minority of alcohol-related highway deaths occur involving individuals with prior DWI offenses.

The decrease in highway fatalities of late is certainly great news for all citizens of the state of Louisiana and we applaud the efforts of our law enforcement and judicial officials. We at Bloom Legal Network always recommend that our users exercise responsible driving habits and use a cab service or designated driver after consuming alcohol.

If for some reason you are arrested for DWI as a result of increased law enforcement measures and/or ‘no refusal’ periods, contact Bloom Legal Network 24/7 at 504-599-9997 for a case evaluation.

For Chris Miller’s original report, visit WWL.