This year, Halloween falls on a Friday, and Casper police will be out looking for drunk drivers as part of an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort. Consider yourself warned: if Casper police catch you driving over the legal limit, you will be arrested. In Casper, the typical penalty for a first time DUI is three days in jail, a $750 fine and six months’ probation.

From 2008-2012, 166 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween, and more than half (51 percent) of crash fatalities involved a drunk driver or motorcycle operator, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2012, 19 percent of the fatal pedestrian crashes on Halloween involved drunk drivers. In Casper, in 2013, there were 3 DUI’s on Halloween.

“The Casper Police Department wants everyone to have an accident free Halloween. Motorists need to be extra cautious of pedestrians out trick-or-treating,” said Police Sgt. Joe Nickerson. “If you are going to partake of alcohol this holiday, be sure to make plans ahead of time for a sober driver to get you home or ask your server for a Safe Ride voucher. Please report any possibly impaired driving to 911 immediately. Let’s all work together to have a safe and happy holiday.”

In every state, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, yet thousands of people lose their lives to this reckless crime every year. In 2012 alone, 10,322 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver or motorcycle operator. Driving drunk costs lives and the other consequences can be costly as well. A DUI arrest costs $10,000 on average.

“If you plan to drink on Halloween, plan now how you’ll get home,” said Cindy Toland, WMC Safe Communities coordinator. This Halloween, the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign aims to save lives by reminding all drivers to follow these simple tips:

• Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night. If you wait until you’ve been drinking, —you’re more likely to make the wrong decision to drive drunk.

• Always designate a sober driver.

• If you are impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.

• Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.

• Use your community’s sober ride program, Safe Ride.

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.

• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.

 

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