Amid the Mardi Gras music, horns, bands and drunken yells, the streets are flooded with people boozing their way from party to party. Shirts are lifted, beads thrown and mistakes are made. Floats pass on the street, as I watch otherwise responsible adults drink themselves into oblivion.
I can’t help but consider the fact many of these people will be driving themselves home. It makes me thankful to own a large diesel truck.
In 2008, Louisiana had the third highest rate of fatalities caused by alcohol-related accidents per vehicle miles of travel, according to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Montana claimed the dishonorable distinction of first place.
When my friend and I arrived in Louisiana 11 years ago from San Diego, we were pulled over by one of Lafayette’s finest. There was no place to shove the open case of beer at our feet. I was sure our vehicle would be searched, even though (believe it or not) we hadn’t been drinking.
To our surprise, the officer didn’t seem to notice the beer. It seemed to be an accepted component of our vehicle. It just wouldn’t be right to drive without a beer nearby, would it?
The shock quickly wore off as we discovered drive-through daiquiri shops as numerous as Starbucks are in Seattle.
Drinking is an integral part of life in Louisiana — part of the culture. “Laissez les bon temp rouler,” they say. And they mean it.
I have learned to love the people, the culture and the relaxed attitude, but I have not learned to love the over-indulgence in alcohol. Don’t get me wrong — I enjoy a drink or two. But drinking seems to be the primary source of entertainment here.
Gone are my days of hiking and mountain-biking in the Cascade Mountains — the nearest I get to the mountains these days is the blue Colorado Rockies on the side of a Coors Light can.
But let’s return to the main subject — driving while drinking, which is a serious issue for the state of Louisiana.
There were 11,773 traffic fatalities involving alcohol in the U.S. during 2008, according to a study by the Center for Disease Control. Even more disturbing is that 216 children 14 years old or younger died in an alcohol-related traffic accident. Nearly half were “in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver.”
The NHTSA reports 338 of the 912 traffic-related fatalities in 2008 in Louisiana were a result of an accident involving a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.
DUI laws need to be more severe. The maximum penalty for the first DUI offense is up to 6 months imprisonment, a $1,000 fine and a 90-day license suspension — which is insufficient deterrence. And it’s important to remember few offenders receive the maximum penalty.
In recent years, there has been an increase in legal consequences and awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence. This has helped reduce alcohol-related fatalities. But Louisiana still has a lot of room to improve.
Drive-through daiquiri shops are symbolic of Louisiana’s cultural acceptance of drinking and driving and should be shut down. As fun as they may be, they promote irresponsible and dangerous behavior.
As students, it is important for us to realize one irresponsible action during an evening of drinking can forever change your life — and, more importantly, the life of someone else. Getting home from a party in your own car is not worth the sacrifice of someone else’s life or future.
If you don’t drive under the influence, I applaud you. But, don’t wait until a friend is personally affected by someone else’s irresponsibility before you stand up to those who do drink and drive.
Too many lives have been wasted because of the “invincibility” of some and the silence of others.
 
Nathan Shull is a 35-year-old finance junior from Seattle. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_nshull.