DWI & Alcohol Abuse | Acts of Love Christian Fellowship

Need help now? Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time, or call the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357, available 24/7 in English and Spanish. In an emergency, call 911. This page offers general educational information and is not legal or medical advice.

Drunk driving

Impaired driving is 100% preventable

Every day in the United States, about 37 people die in drunk-driving crashes, roughly one person every 39 minutes. Alcohol slows reaction time, blurs vision, and weakens judgment and coordination, even at levels below the legal limit.

In Louisiana, driving while intoxicated (DWI) is called Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI). It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher (0.04% for commercial drivers, and 0.02% for drivers under 21). You can also be charged at any BAC if you are impaired by alcohol or drugs, including some prescription medicines.

~37People die every day in U.S. drunk-driving crashes

0.08%Legal BAC limit for adult drivers in Louisiana

178,000Deaths each year in the U.S. are linked to excessive alcohol use

Consequences

The cost of a DWI

Legal penalties

In Louisiana, even a first offense can bring jail time, fines, license suspension, required substance abuse and driver improvement programs, community service, and an ignition interlock device. Penalties grow steeply with each offense or if someone is hurt.

Financial cost

Between fines, court costs, attorney fees, higher insurance, towing, and lost work, a single DWI can cost thousands of dollars.

The human cost

The greatest cost is a life lost or changed forever. Families, children, and entire communities carry the pain of drunk-driving crashes.

How to keep everyone safe

Plan ahead: choose a sober designated driver before any drinking begins
Use a rideshare, taxi, or call a friend or family member
Never let a friend drive impaired. Take their keys
Never ride with a driver who has been drinking
If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over safely and call 911

Alcohol abuse

Understanding alcohol use disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition in which a person has trouble stopping or controlling their drinking despite harm to their health, relationships, or work. It is common, it is treatable, and recovery is possible.

Warning signs

In the past year, have you…

Ended up drinking more or longer than you intended?
Wanted to cut down or stop but couldn't?
Spent a lot of time drinking or recovering from it?
Felt a strong craving or urge to drink?
Found that drinking interfered with family, work, or school?
Kept drinking even though it caused problems with family or friends?
Given up activities you enjoyed in order to drink?
Needed to drink more to get the same effect?
Had withdrawal symptoms like shakiness, sweating, nausea, or trouble sleeping when the alcohol wore off?

Having two or more of these signs may point to AUD. Talk with a doctor or counselor.

Hope & help

Paths to recovery

Talk to a doctor. Medicines such as naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram can help. Never stop heavy drinking suddenly without medical guidance, as withdrawal can be dangerous.
Counseling and therapy can build skills to stop or reduce drinking.
Peer support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, and local recovery community organizations connect you with others who understand.
Family support: Al-Anon and Alateen help loved ones of people who drink.
Faith and community: You are not alone. Our church family is here to walk with you and pray with you.

Find treatment near you at FindTreatment.gov ↗ or learn about local peer support from Meaningful Minds United.

Sources & further reading

Learn more from trusted organizations

The information on this page was summarized from the following sources. Visit them for complete, up-to-date details.

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