Halloween is a favorite holiday of many Rhode Island residents. There is a lot to love about the holiday, but it is only as fun as you are safe. Drunk driving on holidays is notoriously worse than on average days. Halloween is no exception to the rule.
Psychology Today suggests that most people use Halloween to spend the night different from themselves. They are more likely to live out a fantasy as it is the night they can deviate from mundane life. Add alcohol into the mix and this can lead to people losing accountability and behaving against their normal, responsible impulses.
According to the U.S Department of Transportation, nearly one-third of all fatalities on Halloween were due to drunk drivers in 2016. Many of these were pedestrians. Halloween is unsafe for pedestrians for a number of reasons. Often, children flood the streets. They may wear dark costumes and excitedly cross the street in unmarked sections. Drunk and buzzed driving slows reaction time and can lead to Halloween becoming a real-life nightmare.
Evening hours are always some of the most deadly hours on the road and more so on holidays. While people often think of New Year’s Eve as the dangerous holiday, Halloween may have more risks.
Halloween should be spooky, fun and most importantly, safe. Go out and have fun, but remember to make a plan in advance. Know the parties that you plan to attend and whether or not there will be alcohol. If you plan to drink, have a sober driver prepared to take you home.