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Halloween means spooky shenanigans, trick-or-treaters, and no shortage of parties. It also means a higher likelihood of drunk drivers on the road, and police are prepping to crack down. Law enforcement is setting up DUI checkpoints across the country ahead of the year’s most eerie holiday. 

Police departments across the country are setting up DUI checkpoints ahead of boozy Halloween celebrations

Drivers in California will be subject to a few slowdowns this Halloween season. Not all construction or wreck-related, mind you. Police in the Sacramento area have been setting up DUI checkpoints this month to crack down on drunk driving. And they’re not the only ones.

The Ohio State Patrol is also planning to set up a checkpoint in Belmont County this Halloween, per The Times Leader. Like other law enforcement agencies nationwide, the OSP hopes to stem the tide of traffic fatalities. Ohio had around 1,150 fatal crashes last year, of which 672 were drunk driving-related.

In Pittsburgh, DUI task forces are planning checkpoints all weekend to catch drunk drivers in the act. “Nobody wants to do field sobriety tests dressed as a goon or goblin,” a task force press release read. Just imagine that mug shot. 

So, what can you do to stay safe? As a driver, make sure you have a plan. Rideshare apps, taxi services, public transit, and designated drivers are an excellent means to get home safely. Never drink and drive. 

According to MoneyGeek, Halloween doesn’t even register in the top five most dangerous DUI holidays. Instead, New Year’s Day is dominantly the most dangerous road-going day of the year for drunk driving. Nationwide instances of DUI arrests between 2018 and 2022 were 89% higher than the average on New Year’s Day.

Fall, however, took the No. 2 spot among seasons when it comes to drunk driving-related fatalities. From 2018 to 2022, autumn drunk driving fatalities numbered a staggering 14,331, just behind summer with 15,383 deaths.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, a survivor of classic cars, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik covers Tesla daily, including the Model Y and Cybertruck. Erik also covers Toyota, often discussing the Tundra, Tacoma, RAV4, 4Runner, and Camry. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran, a former water survival specialist, and a former firefighter/EMT. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin.