Wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 isn’t the only way to keep yourself and others safe during this Halloween weekend. Hawaii Police Department recommends if you are out walking this weekend, make yourself visible by wearing light colored or reflective materials, carry a flashlight, and walk facing the flow of traffic. Make sure you’re not distracted by an electronic device and cross the road at an intersection. Drivers don’t expect to see pedestrians on the road in the middle of a block, which can lead to a crash or even worse. Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to get home safely at the end of the night. Alcohol affects judgment, balance, and reaction time. Create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely. Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
Drivers can easily make traveling on Halloween much more safe by following a few suggested safety tips.
• Avoid using handheld electronic devices.
• Remember that as soon as you step out of your car, you become a pedestrian.
• If you see a drunk driver or impaired pedestrian on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• Be especially alert for all road users, including pedestrians, at night.
• Slow down in areas where pedestrians are likely to be or where sight distances are limited. Keep your windshield clean.
• If you attend a small gathering and drink alcohol or consume anything that will impair your ability operate a vehicle safely, don’t drive. Hawaii Police Department Patrol Officers and Traffic Enforcement Units will be out specifically looking for drunk drivers this weekend.
If you are under the influence of any substance that prevents driving safely and an officer stops you, you will be arrested. The fines, court fees, attorney fees are all costly, but the impact of a serious crash can carry more than a financial cost.
Remember that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”