Alcohol can be a huge part of Halloween parties but not everyone knows their limits. If you have consumed alcohol, you should not get behind the wheel. Drunk drivers put everyone at risk. Drunk driving can cause serious life-threatening and life-changing injuries to result. On Halloween, more drivers and pedestrians are on the road than usual. Therefore, putting them all at a greater risk of being in a collision that causes injury. Drivers and pedestrians should take the necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a driver’s negligence, contact an adept Leonardtown Personal Injury Lawyer who can help you seek the justice you deserve.
How can I avoid drunk driving this Halloween?
Tips for Halloween party hosts:
If you are hosting a Halloween party that involved alcohol, you must take the necessary precautions to ensure your guests get to and from your party safely. This may include:
- Take away car keys from anyone who is visibly too drunk to operate a vehicle
- Call them a cab, Uber, or Lyft
- Call a sober friend or family member to pick them up
- Send a text before the party reminding everyone to have their transportation planned ahead of time
- Call the police if they insist on driving and you cannot stop them
If you are hosting a Halloween party, you want to ensure that everyone’s safety is the main priority. Take the necessary precautions to ensure that everyone gets home safely and doesn’t endanger those out on the road which could result in serious injury.
Tips for Drivers:
Drivers must drive responsibly. It is illegal to drive while under the influence causing impairment. In Maryland, if your blood alcohol level is .08% or greater, you are driving under the illegal influence. Drivers:
- Avoid being on the road during the height of trick-or-treating hours
- Plan your transportation ahead of time
- Follow and obey all of the designated street signs and signals
- Drive slowly in residential areas
- Ensure you have a designated sober driver, whether that be a friend, family member, cab, Uber, or Lyft
- Know your limits
As a driver, you should never get behind the wheel after drinking. It is not safe for anyone, including yourself.
Tips for Pedestrians:
Pedestrians and drivers have a duty to one another to uphold the rules of the road. Drivers especially need to uphold their responsibility of not driving while impaired. More pedestrians are out than normal, meaning that they are at a greater risk of being struck by a reckless and negligent driver. Staying safe might include:
- Try to be visible, whether this be wearing lighter-colored costumes, using a flashlight, or adding reflective material to your costume
- Don’t assume a driver sees you
- Only cross at crosswalks and utilize sidewalks
- Don’t consume alcohol while walking around trick-or-treating
Pedestrians should be fully alert and aware of their surroundings to ensure they get to and from their destination safely. You cannot ensure that all drivers are upholding their responsibility of driving sober, so it is imperative to take every precaution you can to ensure your Halloween doesn’t result in injury.
If your or a loved one is injured due to a driver’s negligence, contact one of our experienced team members who can offer you legal assistance. You can rely on us to help you recover damages for any injuries that were due to a negligent driver.
