BOISE, Idaho — Idaho State Police is partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Idaho Office of Highway Safety and the Boise, Nampa and Meridian Police Departments this weekend to make Halloween more safe than scary.
The group wants to educate drivers on the dangers of impaired driving and to staff extra patrols Friday and Saturday night. The goal is to prevent the injuries and deaths that result from impaired driving crashes.
Let's keep families whole to celebrate a lot more Halloweens. Most Idahoans celebrate responsibly. For those that don't, call 911 or *477 to report impaired drivers. #DriveWellIdaho https://t.co/MfID601cEH
— Idaho State Police (@ISPHeadquarters) October 29, 2020
"We know people want to have fun on Halloween. But we see the tragic results when those celebrations result when people getting behind the wheel while they're impaired. Families are forever impacted by serious injuries or deaths from traffic crashes. We want to avoid that." Said Sgt. Curt Sproat of the Idaho State Police.
According to national statistics, during Halloween nights from 2013 - 2017, 42% of those killed were in traffic crashes that involved at least one drunk driver.
ISP advises those planning to drive this weekend to:
- Drive engaged. Do not use handheld electronic devices or impairing substances.
- Be alert for all road users, including pedestrians.
- Slow down, even below the posted speed limit in areas where pedestrians are likely to be or where sigh distances are limited.
- If you see a suspected impaired driver, call 911 or *ISP (*477)
Funding for the extra patrols is provided by a grant from the Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
