Halloween is a much-loved fall tradition for kids and adults alike. But irresponsible celebrating can quickly spoil the fun. With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, more drivers will be on the road with a costume party as their destination. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), Halloween is one of the worst nights for impaired driving accidents. Impaired driving is one of America’s most-often-committed and deadliest crimes. In 2008, 3,434 people in California were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.
Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to drunk drivers. In 2008, 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 pm Oct. 31 to 5:59 am Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or higher.
We don’t want revelers taking the party to the roadways, putting trick-or-treaters and responsible motorists at risk. Real-life nightmares can be prevented by taking simple precautions.
-
Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
-
Before drinking, please designate a sober driver;
-
If you’re impaired, and haven’t designated a sober driver, 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 drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement
Drunk driving has frightening consequences. Not only do you risk killing or injuring yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be significant.
Drunk driving violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work. Refusing to take a sobriety test in many jurisdictions may result in the loss of your license on the spot and the impoundment of your vehicle. Not to mention the added embarrassment, humiliation, and consequences after informing family, friends and employers.
More information can be found on http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/.
tweetmeme_style = ‘compact’;