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June 24, 2024 - The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has launched a statewide advertising campaign to highlight the risks of driving while under the influence of prescription drugs.
Most people are aware of the dangers of driving after drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs, but some prescribed drugs can cause impairment, too. Some cold and allergy medicines, antidepressants, opioids, sedatives, muscle relaxers, and sleep aids can affect a driver’s alertness, judgment, vision, and coordination, LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said.
“People assume a valid prescription drug won’t affect their driving, but that is not necessarily the case,” Freeman said. “In 2022, Louisiana crime labs verified 142 instances of drug usage in fatal crashes on Louisiana roads. Many of those drivers had legal prescriptions, but that distinction is of little comfort to the families impacted by those tragedies.”
The new campaign features a 15-second commercial with the tag line, “Prescriptions Can Affect Your Driving. Check With Your Doctor, Nurse Or Pharmacist Today.” The commercial is running on broadcast TV and cable systems throughout the state and can be seen on streaming services, video monitors at gas pumps, Facebook, and Instagram.
“We are also distributing branded prescription drug bags to local pharmacies across Louisiana,” Freeman said. “This way, we can put our message directly in the hands of people who are taking prescription drugs.”
The campaign includes more than 12,000 broadcast and cable TV spots in the Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans, and Shreveport markets. The gas pump TV and streaming services are expected to deliver nearly 1.7 million impressions across the state.
You can see the commercial here.
“We are running this special awareness campaign through July 28,” Freeman said. “And even after this campaign is over, we will continue to spread the message that any kind of impaired driving –– by drinking or drugs –– is illegal and potentially deadly.”
For more information about drugged driving, visit trafficsafetymarketing.gov/safety-topics/drug-impaired-driving.
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