Dutchess County Participating
in Halloween STOP-DWI Crackdown
High-visibility community engagement in effect through Oct. 31st
Poughkeepsie … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro has announced law enforcement agencies throughout Dutchess County are participating in a special enforcement effort to crack down on impaired driving during Halloween weekend. The STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign begins Saturday, Oct. 29th and runs through on Monday, Oct. 31st.
Due to parties, trick-or-treating and other festivities, Halloween night can be especially dangerous on the nation’s roadways. Between 2016 and 2020, there were 129 drunk-driving fatalities nationwide on Halloween night, defined as 6 p.m. October 31st to 5:59 a.m. November 1st. Adults between the ages of 21 and 34 had the highest percentage (68%) of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night 2020. During that same night, 11 pedestrians were killed in drunk-driving crashes nationwide.
Drivers should also keep an eye out for pedestrians this Halloween — whether they be children trick-or-treating or adults who have had too much to drink. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention to their surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.
County Executive Molinaro said, “A great opportunity for children and their parents to celebrate autumn, Halloween can unfortunately also be a night of peril for pedestrians and motorists alike, should they encounter an intoxicated driver. We ask motorists to not only think of themselves this Halloween, but also those with whom they share the road: If you plan include to include alcohol in your celebration, please also plan for a safe ride home. There is no excuse for impaired driving – if you get behind the wheel while intoxicated, the dedicated men and women of local law enforcement will rid you from our roadways.”
Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve intoxicated drivers, with blood-alcohol concentrations at or above .08 grams per deciliter. In 2020, there were 11,654 people killed in collisions with intoxicated drivers nationwide. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of intoxicated and impaired driving.
The STOP-DWI Halloween High Visibility Engagement Campaign is one of many statewide initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. The Statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign also targets Super Bowl weekend, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the winter holiday season. STOP-DWI New York urges residents to download its mobile app, “Have a Plan,” which enables drivers to find a safe ride home stopdwi.org/mobileapp.
