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The scary truth about driving drunk on Halloween

On Behalf of | Oct 14, 2016 | DUI

Once the sun sets on Halloween night masses of children dressed as Elsa and Kylo Ren will be running through the streets, collecting their candy haul. While the dinner time hours will be busy with children, not long after the adults will come out to celebrate. Started as holiday for children, Halloween has become a night for adults to change into someone else. Adults should be able to have a little fun too, but if they drink and drive the consequences can be scary.

Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year

Halloween is ranked as one of the most deadly days of the year for motorists, right behind Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It is deadly because of the high amounts of people who drive home drunk. According to the NHTSA, 43% of deadly Halloween crashes involve a drunk driver. People leaving the bar or party think that they can make it home a short distance after a few drinks and make a big mistake.

Halloween is not only dangerous for drivers. Pedestrians face a higher risk of getting hit by a car on Halloween. Streets are filled with increased pedestrian traffic that night. Children are often darting across the street in small, dark costumes. If a driver is drinking then it increases the chances of danger. Reaction time is slowed and it is hard to spot a child in the middle of the road. In fact, kids are twice as likely to get hit by a vehicle on Halloween as any other day of the year.

Drunk drivers face frightening consequences

If drivers get pulled over for drinking on Halloween they can face some serious penalties themselves. Kentucky drivers can face the following consequences for a first DUI offense:

  • Penalties including fines between $200 – $500
  • Anywhere from 2 to 30 days in jail
  • 90 days in an alcohol treatment program
  • Additional 2 to 30 days of community labor
  • Losing your license for 30 to 120 days

In 2016 Kentucky Legislature decided to place a harsher penalty on drivers caught with a DUI. They doubled the amount of time a DUI will stay on your record to 10 years. Therefore driving drunk on Halloween night is no joke if you are caught or not. For those already facing a DUI charge they could have their charges reduced with the help of an attorney experienced in DUI law.

Between the danger to other drivers, pedestrians, and your own life it is important to find a sober driver on Halloween night.

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