DWI Halloween Myths Unmasked

Each year, Halloween continues to rank among the leading holidays for drunk driving crashes. Celebrating this ghoulish fall holiday, people often attend parties on October 31st, as well as the surrounding days. In their revelry, some partygoers get behind the wheel after drinking. Sometimes, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol causes collisions that result in serious injuries or death for the intoxicated drivers, their passengers, or others with whom they share the road.

The Danger of Drunk Drivers on Halloween

Drunk drivers cause numerous serious and fatal accidents on Allhallows eve every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about two of every five car accident deaths occurring on Halloween between 2014 and 2018 involved a drunk driver. Much of the danger posed by drunk drivers result from the effects that drinking alcohol generally has on the body.

The effects caused by drinking alcohol often affect people’s ability to drive safely. Some of the most common of these effects include relaxation, loosened judgment, and blurred vision. Due to these effects, drivers may experience impairments such as slowed reaction times, decreased attentiveness, decision-making issues, and problems tracking the distance and speed of other vehicles on the roads.

How Can Trick-or-Treaters Stay Safe?

Although parents cannot ensure the drivers on the streets did not drink before getting behind the wheel, they can take precautions to help their children stay safe on Halloween. Steps people can take to avoid suffering auto accident injuries while out trick-or-treating include the following:

• Never assume drivers can see them, make sure
• Use sidewalks or areas otherwise designated for pedestrians
• Walk facing oncoming traffic
• Use crosswalks whenever possible
• Avoid distractions such as cell phones while walking
• Lift or take off masks that obstruct vision while walking

Car crashes involving trick-or-treaters often occur because drivers did not see the pedestrians. Therefore, parents may also help keep their kids safe by encouraging their children to wear brightly colored costumes, adding reflective tape to costumes, and having kids carry flashlights or glowsticks may also improve their visibility and help prevent them from getting struck by drivers.

How Can Drivers Avoid DWI Crashes on Halloween?

When celebrating the holiday, people can take several precautions to avoid drunk driving and the potential for causing serious or fatal collisions. If they plan to drink, before going out, people should make arrangements to stay somewhere safe that evening or to have a designated driver take them home. Instead of driving themselves to and from Halloween parties, using rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft may also help partygoers avoid drunk driving arrests and accidents. When dressed up in costumes, drivers should refrain from wearing masks, hats, or any other items that may obscure or otherwise affect their vision.

Car crashes on Halloween may turn a night of fun into one of distress with lasting consequences in an instant. Pursuing the available options for obtaining compensation after suffering auto accident injuries, however, may provide people with much-needed financial support as they focus on their recoveries.