Halloween looks very different as you grow up. As an adult, Halloween is all about late-night costume parties with friends. Maybe that means driving across town to a friend’s house or to a local bar.
For children, Halloween means trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. The streets are their playground...our littlest neighbors running across to the next house or catching up with their friends.
This combination has proven year after year again to be extremely dangerous. Let’s take a look at the tragic statistics...
The Tragic Statistics of Halloween Drunk Driving
Halloween is the deadliest day when it comes to child pedestrian fatalities. Kids are twice as likely to be killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
A lot of these deaths have to do with children rushing out into the streets or into intersections when they’re not supposed to. Some drivers simply aren’t able to see the child rush into the road - perhaps they miss them due to dark clothes.
On the other hand, many of these drivers are, in fact, impaired by alcohol. Statistics show that almost half (44%) of all motor vehicle fatalities on Halloween night are due to a drunk driver.
Consequences of Drunk Driving in Texas
In Texas, drunk driving is one of the primary causes of fatal motor vehicle crashes. If you are convicted of a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Texas, you could face the following penalties:
- Suspended license
- Jail time or probation
- Heavy fines
- Alcohol evaluation or education
None of these consequences, however, will ever match the guilt of taking another person’s life due to your reckless driving.
Halloween parties may take you across town. You might have one or two beers and “feel fine.” Remember, though, even two beers can put someone over the .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) legal limit.
Try Calculating Your BAC
You can use an online calculator to figure out approximately what your BAC might be based on your weight, sex, and how much alcohol you have consumed in a certain period of time. That being said, note these figures are only an estimate.
A variety of factors can influence your actual blood alcohol concentration, including your body fat content and how much food you have in your stomach when drinking.
Want a BAC calculator on the go? You can buy one!
Tips to Help Texans Stay Out of Trouble This Halloween
It doesn’t take much for a driver to put themselves at risk of getting a DWI - and others at risk of being hit. Make an effort this Halloween to stay sober or have a plan for getting home safely.
- Pick your designated driver before the party. Don’t try and figure out who is the “most sober” when you’re ready to go home. Clearly communicate with your friends about who will stay sober throughout the evening. Give your sober friend a reward for their efforts later.
- Take a rideshare to the party or the bar. Nothing is more inconvenient than going back downtown to get your car in the morning (until you consider all the inconveniences of a DWI arrest, that is). Avoid the entire thought process and take an Uber or a Lyft to the event, instead. This way, no worries (or parking fees!) once the party’s over.
- The more drunk people you have in your backseat, the fewer there are on the road. If you see someone stumbling around looking for their keys, offer them a ride or call them a rideshare. The extra $10 is worth not seeing their names on the news the next morning.
For Texans, Halloween is a more dangerous holiday than even New Year’s Eve. If Halloween is one of your favorites to celebrate, by all means - go out, and enjoy old Hallow’s Eve!
Do it safely, though; Don’t contribute to the tragic statistics by walking the line between drunk driving and “I’ll be fine.”
About the Author:
Brandon Fulgham has an in-depth understanding of both Texas law and Texans themselves. Before practicing law here, he received his undergraduate degree from TCU, and his law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. After graduation, he worked in District Attorneys’ offices as a prosecutor, building cases designed to put people behind bars. Now, he uses that knowledge to protect the rights of people in and around Fort Worth, making sure they receive the strongest possible defense when they find themselves on the wrong side of the law. He has been recognized for his work by The National Trial Lawyers, Fort Worth Magazine, and others.