Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

If you drive buzzed on Halloween, your evening could turn into a real nightmare.

Halloween is fun, yes, but it is often one of the deadliest nights of the year due to the number of impaired drivers on the streets. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 48 percent of all traffic fatalities on Halloween night involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or higher. Halloween means dark streets full of little kids distracted by candy and costumes. That makes it especially important to start planning a safe and sober ride home from whatever fun you’ll be having that night — so your evening doesn’t take a truly scary turn.

Whether at a Halloween party, a costume contest at a bar or trick-or-treating through the neighborhood, many of us will be on the road tonight. NHTSA and the Ad Council are reminding everyone that the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you head out for your Halloween festivities.

• Designated Driver Drink List — One of the most important things you can do before going out is designate a sober driver. If you’re throwing a Halloween party, make sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks for the sober drivers. This Facebook tab features 50 non-alcoholic party drink recipes.
• Alternative Ride Locator — This Facebook tab features a list of nationwide alternative ride programs that can help keep your readers safe.
• Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving website — Here you can sign a pledge not to drink and drive; play “Spot the Difference,” an interactive game that simulates the effects of buzzed driving; and watch a real-life video about how buzzed driving changed one woman’s life.

This Halloween, let’s work together to put an end to buzzed driving. Don’t ruin your Halloween with a DUI — or worse. Plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you begin celebrating. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.