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Keep Halloween Safe

by Courtesy of Cindy MorganSanders County Public Health
| October 29, 2010 10:37 AM

As party-going ghosts and goblins celebrate Halloween this weekend, the Sanders County DUI Task Force reminds everyone to keep the party off the road. 

“There isn’t a Halloween costume clever enough to hide an impaired driver who has made the poor decision to get behind the wheel,” said Cindy Morgan, Sanders County task force coordinator. “Whether you’ve had one too many or way too many it is just not worth the risk. Remember, buzzed driving is drunk driving.”

Nighttime is an especially dangerous time to be on the road, but Halloween night is often one of the deadliest nights of the year for impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 p.m. Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is illegal in every state.

“The scariest part of Halloween isn’t the spooky costumes and haunted house,” said Morgan.  “It’s the fact that too often impaired drivers don’t plan ahead and end-up making the roads scarier than a horror movie.”

The Sanders County DUI Task Force recommends these simple tips for a safe Halloween:   

•If you are hosting a party, plan a safe way  for your guests to get home before the festivities begin;

•Before drinking,  designate a sober driver;

•If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;

•If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;

•And remember, friends don’t let friends drive drunk.  If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.