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Fatal drunk-driving crashes more likely on Halloween than on New Year’s Eve

Halle-ghoul-jah! Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means for a lot of us, it may be a chance to party harder than if the spooky holiday fell on a weekday.

But while you might be planning to throw back a few extra drinks to celebrate the occasion, it’s important to keep the safety of yourself and others in mind.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal crashes involving a drunk driver occur three times more often on Halloween than on New Year’s Eve.

NHTSA statistics show that over the Halloween nights from 2009 to 2013, 43 percent of all motor vehicle deaths involved drunk driving, and in 2013, 26 percent of all pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver.

Additionally, these numbers are likely to be higher when the holiday falls on a weekend, like it does this year.

NHTSA reports that in 2013, 30 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes over the weekend were alcohol-impaired, compared with 15 percent during the week.

Last year, the Chicago Police Department made a total of 40 DUI arrests between the nights of Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. They were unable to comment about the number of DUI checkpoints they will set up for this year’s holiday weekend.

David Bohl, executive director of Kiva Recovery, a substance abuse treatment and recovery center located in Vernon Hills, said that keeping drunk drivers off the road all comes down to education and awareness.

“Halloween has been gaining popularity over the years, but I don’t think there is that corresponding awareness surrounding the holiday,” Bohl said. “People don’t realize that when they are going out to celebrate, they may drink more than they ever planned to.”

What Bohl pointed out was that when holidays happen on a weekend, oftentimes people will devote upward of six to eight hours to celebrating, rather than one to two hours if it were to fall on a weekday.

Bohl suggested individuals have a plan in place before starting the night’s festivities. Alcohol impairs your judgment, so it’s important to plan a safe way to get home before you start drinking.

“Be aware of your alcohol consumption, be aware of the activity going on in the streets and be aware that you’ll need to have a safe way to get home if you’ve been drinking at all,” Bohl said.

In Chicago, we’re lucky enough to have multiple ways to get around without actually having to get behind the wheel. Taking public transportation, using a car service like Uber or Lyft or hailing a taxi are the safest options for getting home this Halloweekend.

The CTA doesn’t have any special fare reductions planned for Halloween, but said it’s prepared to handle costumed customers come Saturday.

Halloween is going to be a busy night for Uber drivers, so don’t get spooked by surge pricing.

In their Halloween Ride Guide, Uber suggests splitting your fare with friends, confirming your driver’s car model and license plate before hopping in and avoiding a cleaning fee by keeping fake blood, zombie paint and glitter in check while in the vehicle.

While partying in the city may bring a night full of costumes, laughter and thrills, it never hurts to be reminded that if you’ve been drinking, don’t even think about getting behind the wheel of a car. That way, a safe and happy holiday may be had by all.