Newsroom

Costume? Check! Halloween excitement? Check! Impaired Drivers? What?

In addition to the many preparations people make to enjoy Halloween festivities, District residents also must be aware of how to safely navigate neighborhood streets and avoid impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 42 percent of those killed in traffic crashes on Halloween night from 2013-2017 involved at least one drunk driver. This scary statistic demonstrates how important it is for drivers to celebrate Halloween responsibly.

Learn the consequences for drunk driving in the District and tips to keep trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween.

Consequences for Driving Drunk
District residents should  know that Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) convictions carry serious consequences. First-time DWI offenders face:

• Up to 180 days in jail;
• A $1,000 fine and other court costs;
• Suspension of driver’s license or revocation of license for up to one year. 

Impaired drivers may also face heightened penalties and mandatory minimum jail terms for operating impaired with minors in their vehicle, having certain types of drugs in their system, and for operating commercial vehicles, including taxicabs.

5 Tips to stay safe on the roads this Halloween
Remember that alcohol-impaired fatalities are 100 percent preventable. Here are tips to help make sure you and others are safe on the roads this Halloween:

• Make a plan: Before you get into costume, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night. If you wait until you’ve been drinking to plan a way home, you are more likely to make the wrong decision and drive impaired. 
• Designate a sober driver: Always designate a sober driver before drinking. If you are impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation. 
• Help friends make good decisions: If you see that an impaired friend is about to drive, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements.
• Use SoberRide: Get a FREE Lyft ride home for up to $15! Visit www.SoberRide.com for a promo code during the hours of 10:00 p.m. Saturday, October 26 to 4:00 a.m. Sunday, October 27. This program is sponsored by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program. 
• Report Unsafe Driving: If you see an impaired driver on the road, report it to the police at 911.

OAG prosecutes impaired driving offenses and educates District residents about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. For more information, please contact Assistant Attorney General and Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Melissa Shear at Melissa.Shear@dc.gov.