NHTSA Fast Facts About Halloween Drunk Driving Fatalities
September is nearly half way complete, most children have returned to school and football is in full swing. This means that Halloween is right around the corner. As neighborhoods around the country begin to gear up for the festivities, it is important to remember that Halloween can be one of the deadliest nights on the road.
Halloween traditionally means more people, particularly children, out and about late into the evening. In recent years, Halloween has also become somewhat of a drinking holiday. This year, October 31 falls on a Thursday giving people the perfect excuse to make a long weekend. If you plan on drinking Halloween night or on any night, be sure to stay off the roads or designate a sober driver. The mix of children out past dark, darting across the street from house to house and adults partaking in a few drinks can make a deadly combination.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- On Halloween Night in a four-year period (2013-2017) 42 percent of fatal traffic accidents involved a drunk driver.
- In 2017 alone, people 21 years or younger had the highest rate of drunk driving fatalities.
- A drunk driving arrest can cost upwards of $10,000 between attorney’s fees, court costs and increase in insurance premiums.
Plan ahead and stay sober or designate a safe ride on Halloween night. As a community, we can decrease the number of drunk driving fatalities. If you believe that you are unable to stop drinking or that you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, seek treatment immediately. You are not alone. Driving under the influence is not worth it. Protect yourself and our children by choosing sobriety or a sober driver on Halloween and every other night.