“Keep the Party Off the Road” and Avoid Becoming Another DUI Statistic

San Diego County law enforcement has a message for you ‐‐‐ “keep the party off the road.” Enjoy the festivities, dressing in costume, and celebrating with friends, but make plans ahead for having a safe Halloween ~ and beware of becoming another DUI statistic.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, who coordinates the county’s AVOID the 15 anti‐DUI task force, is increasing their patrols to specifically look for drunk drivers on our roadways. The stepped up enforcement begins today, Thursday, October 25 through Sunday, November 4.

“Far too many people spend hours and hours preparing their Halloween costumes and party plans,” said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. “But too often impaired drivers never plan ahead for their designated driver and end up making the roads scarier than a horror show.”

Nighttime has already proven to be a significantly more dangerous time on the road and Halloween night particularly stands out because of the number of drunk drivers on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 41 percent of all highway fatalities throughout the nation during the Halloween period in 2010 involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher. The statistics are scary and they make a good argument for one to plan ahead and beware of the roadways.

There will also be a DUI/Driver License Checkpoint near San Diego State University on Saturday, October 27th to deter impaired driving in the region.

According to Sheriff Gore, DUI checkpoints, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, serve as proven deterrents with the goal of removing impaired drivers and heightened awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

The Avoid the 15 recommends these simple tips for a safe Halloween celebration:

~ Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

~ Before drinking, designate a sober, ‘non drinking’ driver.

~ If you’re impaired, take 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 report drunk drivers, Call 911.

~ And remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

Keep in mind, the best choice is to not drink alcohol and drive! However, if you find yourself in scary situation, please don’t hesitate to call me. For more recommendations, please view the DUI tips posted on my website.

Sources: “Sheriff’s Dept. Advises “Keep the Party Off the Road” with DUI Task Force Focus Oct. 25 through Nov. 4″ Village News, Thursday, October 25th, 2012

“Drunk Drivers Can’t Hide Behind Halloween Costumes” East County Magazine, October 28, 2011