ALTON — This Halloween, police will crack down on drunk drivers with an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort, and the Alton Police Department has given a fair warning to partygoers: keep the party off the road.
“We want people to remember: like ‘Trick-or-Treat,’ ‘Drink-or-Drive.’ One or the other, but never both,” Public Information Officer Pfc. Emily Hejna said.
Before Halloween revelers take their first sip of alcohol on Oct. 31, they should designate a sober driver. Those who wait until they are “buzzed” to make a decision may decide to drive, which can bring serious consequences.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Halloween is statistically a dangerous night for drunk driving. In 2012, 48 percent of fatal crashes that night involved a drunk driver.
To keep safe this Halloween, Hejna said police recommend these tips:
• Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night.
• Always designate a sober driver.
• If you are impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, use public transportation or sleep it off at the party location.
• Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride after drinking, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.
The law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation.