Halloween Safety Tips: Don't Drink and Drive!

Halloween is only a few days away and my children are already howling with excitement.  Halloween and trick-or-treating can be one of the most exciting nights of the year, but it can also be one of the most dangerous.  During all the excitement of costumes and candy, children are easily distracted and don't stop to think about cars and traffic and can dart out into the road without notice!

Halloween night is often one of the deadliest nights of the year due to the number of impaired drivers on the streets. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 48 percent of all traffic fatalities on Halloween night involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or higher.  

Halloween means dark streets full of little kids wearing costumes and screaming while distracted by candy and costumes.

That makes it especially important to start planning a safe and sober ride home from whatever fun you’ll be having that night, so your evening doesn’t take a truly scary turn.  One that will haunt you and cause nightmares for the rest of your life.

Whether at a Halloween party, a costume contest at a bar or trick-or-treating through the neighborhood, many of us will be on the road this weekend. NHTSA and the Ad Council are reminding everyone that the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you head out for your Halloween festivities.

Here are a few sober Halloween safety tips:

• Designated Driver Drink List: One of the most important things you can do before going out is designate a sober driver. If you’re throwing a Halloween party, make sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks for the sober drivers!   

• Find an Alternative Ride: Whether you have to call a friend, your parents, a bus or a taxi, be safe and don't get behind the wheel!  Check out this list of sober/safe ride programs across the country and locate one in your area.  

• Stand Up and Be the Example: Sign a pledge not to drink and drive; play “Spot the Difference,” an interactive game that simulates the effects of buzzed driving; and watch a real-life video about how buzzed driving changed one woman’s life.

This Halloween, let’s work together to put an end to buzzed driving. Don’t ruin your Halloween  or someone else's with a DUI — or even worse.  It's important to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you begin celebrating.

Remember... Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving!

Let's make sure everyone stays safe on Halloween night!