Causeway Bridge

Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Causeway Police are joining other law enforcement agencies for the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign” which runs during the Labor Day holiday (August 14, 2019 through September 2, 2019). This period of time is considered one of the deadliest times on U.S. roads. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

According to the NHTSA during the 2017 Labor Day holiday period, 10,874 people were killed in drinking and driving crashes. Of those accidents, 37% of the drivers were drunk at the time of the crash. 45% of those drivers were between the ages of 21 through 34 years old. 79% of those DUI fatalities occurred at night.

“Our officers will be focusing efforts on impaired driving during the annual nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign” stated General Manager Carlton Dufrechou “This backs our mission to make all our commuters’ across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge and Huey P. Long Bridge safe and timely.”

To report impaired drivers, commuters are encouraged to dial *27 (*CP) from their cellular phone or 504-835-3116 to contact the Causeway and Huey P. Long Police dispatch.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

August 21st is National Senior Citizens Day. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed this holiday to raise awareness about issues that affect senior citizens and their quality of life. The best way to express your love is by driving safely. After all, if we drive like Maw Maw’s watching, accident rates would plummet.

Did you know kids are twice as safe when their grandparents are behind the wheel? According to a study by Dr. Fred Henretig, emergency medicine attending physician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, youngsters aboard make grandparents aware of potential dangers and therefore more cautious. Dr. Henretig and his colleagues took into account the smaller proportion of crashes among grandparents, but even after adjusting for that and other factors like drivers’ gender, drivers’ seatbelt use, children’s use of seat restraints, whether children sat in the front or back seat, and the vehicle type, the lower injury rate among grandparents remained statistically significant.

So, whether it is for National Senior Citizens Day or every day, honor Maw Maw by driving safely.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

It is the start of another school year, when students can be heard grumbling and parents celebrating all across our great Nation. For some teens, back to school also means the new found freedom of driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens are the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of a fatal crash. Texting is clearly a dangerous distraction and for inexperienced teen drivers, it is double trouble.

Parents can take steps to change distracted driving habits and make the roads safer for everyone by taking these steps.

1. Parents should set a good example for safe driving for their children.
2. Parents can also encourage driving safety by not calling when they know their teen is driving.
3. Parents should limit peer passengers for their newly licensed teens, a major crash risk. Two or more peer passengers more than triples the risk of a fatal crash with a teen behind the wheel.

The key to getting a teenager to change a habit or do something differently, like driving safely, is to involve them in the process. Parents should start a discussion with teens and keep an open line of communication about the dangers of distracted driving. Let’s do our homework and drive safely.

Wednesday, August 07, 2019

We should all know by now that checking your phone while hitting the road can have disastrous effects but why do some continue this potential devastating habit? The Center for Internet and Technology studies discovered that receiving a text message lights up the same area of the brain stimulated by highly addictive drugs. When drivers hear their cell phone ding, our brain feels compelled to check it. A notification on your phone releases a brain chemical called dopamine into the body’s system. This affects the reward part of the brain. As the dopamine is released, it also shuts down the part of the brain that has to do with judgment and reasoning.

However, this is no excuse for continuing to check your phone while driving. When a person is behind the wheel their most important job is to focus on the task of driving. The only line of defense against distracted driving is the choices each driver makes behind the wheel. If you know someone is driving, don’t tempt them by calling or texting them. If you’re driving, don’t respond to calls or text messages until you have pulled over to a safe location.