Halloween’s Frightening DUI Statistics
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Halloween night is known to be one of the scariest, but did you know that it can also be one of the most dangerous with drunk drivers on the road?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 48% of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver, with 26 people killed in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2012.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol makes every effort to keep drivers and children safe on Halloween night. "We obviously focus on the night of Halloween because it’s become a very busy night from the parties. So we ask people to go have a good time and just don't drink and drive."
In addition, agents with the Ohio Investigative Unit are reminding everyone who is under 21 that it is against the law to purchase, possess or consume alcohol. It is also illegal to furnish alcohol to anyone who is underage or intoxicated. This Halloween state and local law enforcement will be out in full force cracking down on drunk drivers with an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort.
“There isn’t a Halloween costume clever enough to hide an impaired driver who’s made the poor decision to get behind the wheel,” said Reed Richmond, Health Educator at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department and a Safe Communities spokesperson. “Whether you’ve had one too many or way too many it is just not worth the risk. Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”
As reported by 19 Action News, AAA also has some insights to offer for the safety of young trick or treaters. "On Halloween, drivers need to be especially vigilant between the hours of 4 p.m. and midnight, when pedestrians are most vulnerable," said Sharon Gilmartin, AAA research analyst. "While trick-or-treating, children may not pay attention to traffic and might cross mid-block or between parked cars, making them even more difficult to see in the dark."
