Half of all Halloween DUI Fatalities are Young Adult Drivers
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Oct. 31, 2023) – The scariest part of Halloween night should be the fake skeletons crawling out of makeshift graveyards and trick-or-treaters dressed like the walking dead.
However, it’s no secret that Halloween is no longer a night just for kids and their parents to go door-to-door collecting candy. Indeed, over the past few decades it has become a full-blown party night or bar hopping excursion for adults of all ages. In fact, Disneyland reports Halloween nights at the California theme park are becoming just as popular if not more than the Christmas season, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Consumer spending this year is projected to reach roughly $12.2 billion compared to $10.6 billion in 2022, according to the National Retail Federation and Investopedia. About $3.6 billion of that money was spent to buy Halloween candy and $3.6 billion for costumes with the rest on experiences, theme parks and parties.
All this interest in Halloween means more people driving on a night where innocent children and their adult chaperones are out in droves walking through neighborhoods.
Indeed, the statistics show that 159 people including 17 pedestrians died in drunk driving crashes across the country on Halloween night from 2017 to 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One in four of those deaths were just in 2021, underscoring how this is a growing problem throughout the United States. Additionally, adults between the ages of 21 and 34 represented the highest percentage of fatalities from DUI driving crashes or 55 percent of those deadly Halloween night accidents in 2021.
This year, the Halloween holiday falls on a Tuesday and will take place at a time when some drivers are still returning home from their long commutes. This could further increase traffic in neighborhoods and danger as kids head out at nightfall.
Parents should walk with children under 12 years old to ensure their safety.
Police ask all drivers to plan out their evening and ensure they have several options to get home safely if they are planning to drink.
Halloween Night Safety Guidelines:
- Drivers should slow down, watch out for pedestrians in residential neighborhoods
- Look out for trick-or-treaters at intersections and going in and out ofdriveways
- Never drive after drinking, taking drugs or distracted
- Plan a sober drive home, stay overnight, use public transportation or ride-share and taxi services if you are going out drinking at a party of bar
- Trick-or-treaters can prevent trips and falls by wearing costumes that fit, wear reflective clothing or tape, use a flashlight or glow stick
- Walk on sidewalks if possible, cross at intersections, avoid darting into traffic or walking out from between parked cars
- Stay in familiar neighborhoods
- Look both ways before crossing the street, wait for drivers to stop before crossing, make eye contact with the driver
- Parents should check candy to make sure they are safe
Injured in an Accident? Call Our California Accident Attorney at 1-855-703-4186
Johnson Attorneys Group does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Furthermore, Johnson Attorneys Group hopes this news information is timely and helpful. Additionally, if you would like to contribute any information, add a GoFundMe page or have legal questions, please call 1-(855) 703-4186 as soon as possible. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Sources: NHTSA, Forbes, LAT, NRF
