LHSC encourages designated drivers for Halloween

BATON ROUGE – While Halloween is usually thought of as an evening of safe fun for kids, over the years the Oct. 31 celebration has expanded to include parties for adults at bars and homes, often involving alcohol consumption.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission advises celebrants that police will be on the lookout for impaired drivers during Halloween, with the aim of protecting the thousands of children who will be trick-or-treating along streets, as well as motorists. Last year in Louisiana, crashes on Oct. 30-31 resulted in 266 injuries and one fatality.

"As we do for all holidays, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is encouraging the state's law enforcement agencies to step up their patrols and checkpoints, with a special emphasis on removing drunk drivers from our roads," said Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

The Commission urges partygoers to follow basic safety procedures such as:

· Planning ahead and designating a sober driver before going out to a party.

· Calling a taxi or getting a ride home with a sober friend or family member, if you have been drinking.

· Driving slowly and watching for children crossing streets.

· Being especially alert for children darting out from between parked vehicles and from behind bushes and shrubs.