Although most of the scary parts of Halloween are imaginary, there is one terrifying aspect that is all too real – drunken driving.
“Drunken driving is a serious offense, and law enforcement officers don’t give warnings or second chances to drivers who are impaired,” says David Pabst, director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Bureau of Transportation Safety. “There were nearly 24,000 convictions for drunken driving last year in Wisconsin.”
The expense, embarrassment and possible jail time for a drunken driving arrest are not the worst things that can happen if you drive while impaired. Last year in Wisconsin, 190 people were killed and 2,900 injured in alcohol-related crashes.
“Instead of risking an arrest and possibly a serious crash on Halloween, we urge everyone to designate before they celebrate. Our Zero In Wisconsin program’s Drive Sober mobile app can help you designate a sober driver or find a safe ride home on Halloween. This mobile app can be downloaded for free by visiting ZeroInWisconsin.gov.”
In addition to downloading the Drive Sober app, here are common-sense suggestions to prevent drunken driving:
•If you’re feeling buzzed, you probably are over the 0.08 limit and should not drive.
•Don’t allow friends to drive drunk – no matter how much they protest.
•If you see a drunken driver on the road, call 911 and provide as much information as you can.
•If you are hosting a party, serve non-alcoholic beverages and food. Take responsibility for your guests’ safety on the road.