Redlands PD Warn Against Drunk Driving on Halloween

From the Redlands Police Department:

This Halloween weekend, the Redlands Police Department is reminding Halloween partiers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If your Halloween party involves alcohol then you have to make a plan to get home without getting behind the wheel.

“If you want to stay safe this Halloween then make a plan to get home without driving if you’ve been drinking,” said Redlands Chief of Police Mark A. Garcia. “Just one drink impairs judgment, so plan to get home by taxi, ride share, mass transit, or designate a sober driver. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, so plan ahead and stay safe.”

Law enforcement will be out looking for the tale-tell signs of drunk driving in order to stop and arrest impaired drivers throughout the region this weekend and Monday, Oct. 31 – Halloween night.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43 percent of all motor vehicle crashes involved drunk driving on Halloween night from 2009 to 2013. Over that same period, 119 people were killed by drunk driving. Children out trick-or-treating and the parents accompanying them are also at risk as 19 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes on Halloween night (2009-2013) involved drunk drivers.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes. Everyone should be mindful that when taking medication – whether prescription, over-the-counter or marijuana – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.

Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more. The feature-packed app has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

The cost of a ride home is cheap! Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000, not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so follow these simple tips to stay safe:

• Plan a safe way to get home before you attend the party. Alcohol impairs judgment, as well as reaction time. If you’re drunk you’re more likely to drive drunk.
• Designate a sober driver or take public transportation, a car service, or call a sober friend of family member to get home.
• Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
• If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

Image via Shutterstock