Halloween is being celebrated this weekend. For kids across West Virginia, Friday night will be their chance to don costumes, head out into their neighborhoods and collect candy. But kids arenât the only ones having fun this weekend. Many adults like Halloween, too, and the costume parties they throw often come with plenty of alcohol.
If you plan on attending some grown-up Halloween celebrations this weekend, make sure your transportation plans are figured out in advance. Because of an uptick in alcohol-related car accidents and pedestrian accidents, law enforcement agencies will likely be on high alert for drunk driving.
Federal statistics show that between 2008 and 2012, there were 166 fatalities on Halloween night involving drivers who were legally drunk. Because Halloween occurs on a weekend night this year, police may be expecting even more drunk drivers to be out on the roads.
That being said, the period of increased enforcement may run all weekend, so partygoers should plan accordingly. Your safest bet, as always, is to find a designated driver or take public transportation if you plan to drink at all. At the very least, please pace your alcohol consumption and drink in moderation if you need to drive yourself home.
Because law enforcement agencies will be more vigilant this weekend, donât be surprised if you are pulled over for a seemingly minor infraction. And remember: more traffic stops mean more opportunities for law enforcement mistakes. If you find yourself charged with drunk driving this weekend, you may wish to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney right away.
Source: Lohud.com, âHalloween's real terror: drunken revelers at the wheel,â Theresa Juva-Brown, Oct. 27, 2014