The Fourth of July holiday period is deadly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 392 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the Fourth of July holiday in 2010. Of those fatalities, 39% were in crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08g% or higher.

Night time is particularly dangerous. Across the country, impaired driving fatalities spike during the night hours. During the 2010 July 4th holiday period, more than 80% of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities took place at night time (from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.).

To save lives on our roadways, Louisiana State Police Troop B and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a DWI checkpoint in West Jefferson Parish on Saturday, July 7, 2012, beginning at approximately 8:00 PM. Troopers and Deputies will be working together in an effort to keep impaired drivers off our roadways and ensure everyone’s safety.

Here are a few simple tips to avoid a drunk-driving disaster:

*Plan a safe way home before the fun begins

*Before drinking, designate a sober driver

*If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public

transportation so you are sure to get home safely

*If you happen to see a possibly impaired driver on the road, do not hesitate to

contact the Louisiana State Police by dialing *LSP (*577) on your cellular phone

*If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys

and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.