Crime

Police throughout Santa Clara County are ready to crack down on drunken and drugged drivers this Halloween evening, as part of law enforcement’s annual “Avoid the 13” holiday DUI crackdown, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.“The scariest part of Halloween is not the spooky costumes and scary pranks, it’s the impaired drivers,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said. “All too often, partygoers don’t plan ahead and choose to drive impaired, but a costume can’t disguise drunk driving.” Sheriff’s deputies, local police and California Highway Patrol will participate in the Thursday night DUI crackdown, deploying extra patrols in addition to regular shifts, the press release says. The sheriff’s office will deploy extra deputies to perform DUI “saturation patrols” to identify anyone driving impaired. Halloween is one of the deadliest holidays of the year on our roadways, according to police. The National Highway Traffic Administration has reported that from 2007-2011, 52 percent of all fatalities occurring on Halloween night nationwide involved an impaired driver. Men between 21 and 34 comprised almost half of all drunk drivers who were killed in motor vehicle accidents nationwide during the 2011 Halloween holiday. It is also the deadliest night of the year for child pedestrians. “If you celebrate with alcohol, you don’t belong behind the wheel,” Smith added. “A sober and safe ride after the party is the best treat you can give yourself and everyone else on the road this Halloween.”The Santa Clara County DUI Task Force recommends the following tips to keep safe this Halloween: -Plan a way to get home safely before the festivities begin. -Designate a sober driver.-If you are impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation. -Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving, according to police. Designate a sober friend to walk you home. -If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911.-If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make safe arrangements to their destination. Funding for this Avoid the 13 operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the NHTSA, according to the press release. 

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