As the premier ignition interlock provider in Louisiana, we see so many people who live with the mistake of drunk driving. We hope to spread the word that drunk driving is never worth it. Especially during the holidays, we encourage you to find ways to get where you're going safely. Make your 2023 holidays happy!

Hundreds of people die each holiday season due to drunk driving. The holidays should be a happy time full of friends, family, food, and traditions. Unfortunately for many people who choose to drive after drinking, the holidays are also full of DWI arrests, loss of life, and guilt that lasts forever. Whether you’re celebrating Blackout Wednesday, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Ōmisoka, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, or any other special occasion, make sure to do so safely.

Option 1: Avoid alcohol + driving

One way to avoid drunk driving is to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages completely. A DWI arrest can cost you thousands of dollars including attorney fees, court costs, fines, and other related expenses. By drinking non-alcoholic drinks at your holiday parties and family gatherings, you can worry about one less thing this holiday season.

Option 2: Have a plan

Another way to avoid drunk driving is to have a plan. If you can't or don't want to skip the alcohol, just make sure you have a safe ride for when your celebration is over. Your safe driving plan may include public transportation, a ridesharing service, a designated driver, or NHTSA’s SaferRide app to call a taxi or a friend to pick you up.

You have options, don't get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

No amount of alcohol is "safe"

If you do drink a small amount of alcohol and plan to drive only after sobering up, make sure you understand the effects of alcohol on your body. Alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood, and this is called blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC). Smart Start of Louisiana provides products that test a person’s BrAC before allowing the vehicle to start. Many drivers are surprised when these life-saving devices detect a dangerous level of alcohol when the driver thought he was “ok to drive.” State laws vary when it comes to BAC or BrAC, but if you have a few drinks remember that it can take many hours (or even the next day) for the alcohol to leave your system. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. The “No Big Deal” ad gives a vivid reminder of the destruction caused by driving drunk. It includes a 360-degree virtual reality web experience that shows how one selfish choice to drink and drive can affect others.

Don't be part of the scary DWI holiday statistics

We want your 2023 holiday season to be happy without the negative consequences of drunk driving. MADD reminds us that drunk driving is still the #1 killer on our roads. Don’t be part of the scary DWI holiday statistics. To find out how Smart Start of Louisiana is helping to separate drinking from driving with our ignition interlock device products, call us or fill out our contact form.