Haunted Highways: Ensuring a Safe & Spooky Halloween

Staying Safe from the Real Horrors of Halloween Night

Halloween, the scariest night of the year, is a time to have fun. However, drunk driving is more frightening than any ghosts or goblins. Let’s promote safety awareness and keep the roads free from dangerous choices.

Imagine this: you’re driving down the moonlit streets, dressed up as a quirky superhero, feeling unbeatable. However, even superheroes cannot escape the severe consequences of drunk driving. Let’s choose non-alcoholic beverages over spooky spirits this Halloween and keep our broomsticks firmly on the ground. The real horror story here? The potential danger you pose to yourself and others on the road. So, before you get behind the driver’s seat, remember that those costumes aren’t a shield against the dangers of impaired driving.

Alcohol can be a fun addition to a Halloween party but can also lead to dangerous situations. These Halloween drunk driving statistics (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) illustrate the risks:

• 40% of car accident fatalities on Halloween night are due to impaired driving (typically 29% on an average night.)
• From 2015 to 2019, NHTSA states 126 people were killed by impaired drivers on Halloween night, from 6 p.m. on Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. on Nov. 1. 
• Alcohol-impaired drivers on Halloween make up about one-third of all motor vehicle deaths, resulting in one death every 45 minutes.

Unfortunately, even the best of us sometimes find ourselves in challenging circumstances. Even on a festive evening like Halloween, errors can occur. Therefore, exercising caution and being mindful of your rights is crucial. In Florida, drivers stopped for a DUI investigation have restricted rights. You won’t be read your Miranda rights while being questioned on the roadside. Additionally, a DUI investigation can commence with just a tiny amount of evidence.

If you face a DUI investigation on Halloween night, keep these three facts in mind:

• You have the right to remain silent and can decline to answer beyond essential identification. It is recommended to avoid admitting wrongdoing until consulting an attorney.
• You are entitled to decline field sobriety tests, usually voluntary. These tests, such as walking in a straight line or balancing on one leg, are intended to evaluate your level of impairment and can be subjective.
• In some jurisdictions, you can refuse a preliminary breath test at the scene, which differs from the official Breathalyzer test administered at the police station after arrest.