Spirits may be responsible for mayhem this All Hallows’ Eve, but they are likely to be of the manmade kind.
Once mostly considered a chance for kids to dress up as their favorite superhero, more and more adults are taking part in Halloween. Nearly half of people aged 18 to 24, and 37% of 25- to 34-year-olds, plan to attend a Halloween party, and alcohol will be a part of many of those.
Data from Alcohol Monitoring Systems shows that drinking violations for criminal offenders sentenced to 24/7 alcohol monitoring rise more than 25% when Halloween takes place on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday—compared to just 5% when it happens on a Monday. Offender drinking during the weekend before Halloween also rises nearly 25%.
These are individuals who have committed an alcohol-related offense and have seen firsthand the problems their drinking causes. They also know they’re going to get caught and sanctioned if they drink. So imagine what’s happening with heavy drinkers or drunk drivers who aren’t monitored.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Halloween has become one of the deadliest nights on the road. From 2007 to 2011, 52% of all national fatalities occurring on Halloween resulted from a drunk driving-related crash. Officials caution that sobriety checkpoints will be prominent on Halloween, which has become one of the deadliest days of the year for drunk driving.
Don’t let drunk driving turn this Halloween into a permanent nightmare for you or someone you love. Here are a few tips to stay safe on the roads:
- Make plans for a safe ride home before you head out for the night. Research shows that even when people believe impaired driving is wrong, those beliefs can go out the window after a few drinks, especially as the alcohol is leaving the body. Appoint a designated driver, program a cab company’s number into your phone, or arrange to stay the night before you take the first sip.
- Be aware of how much alcohol you are consuming. Recent news from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association notes that the alcohol concentrations in beer and wine are increasing, meaning that drinkers may be downing more alcohol than they realize. In addition, restaurants and bars often pour drinks that are larger than the recommended serving size. For example, two six-ounce glasses of wine with a 14% alcohol concentration is really the same as three “standard” drinks.
- Slow down. With 41 million kids out trick-or-treating this Halloween, even sober drivers need to be extra cautious. The National Safety Council urges drivers to watch for children darting out from parked cars, walking in roadways, and wearing dark clothing. And parents should help make kids more visible by applying reflective tape to costumes and having trick-or-treaters carry flashlights.
