NEW ORLEANS — The mother of a 9-year-old girl who died in a drunk driving crash earlier this year is taking action so no one else has to feel a similar loss this holiday weekend.
Abigail Douglas was headed home with her mother, Sarah when their car was struck by an impaired driver. Abigail was hospitalized but later died from her injuries. The alleged impaired driver, Wendell Lachney, is still behind bars facing several charges.
In an effort to prevent more drunk driving crashes for the New Year’s weekend, Sarah is partnering with three New Orleans bars to give away Uber gift cards to patrons who may be too drunk to drive home. Sarah is paying for the gift cards herself with the help of some donations.
"It's totally preventable and there's no reason to be drinking and driving," Sarah Douglas said. "It's not just on the person who is drinking and driving. It's also on the sober individuals: the bartenders who see someone who is slurring or stumbling."
"By giving these Uber cards away to these bars, my hope is that the bartenders have a way to prevent more drunk drivers on the road," she said.
Three participating bars will hand out the gift cards on Friday evening: The Upper Quarter and Bar Tonique in the French Quarter and The Avenue Pub on St. Charles Avenue.
"I know that Abby would be shouting from the rooftops that people should not be drinking, they absolutely should not be drinking and driving," Sarah said.
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