Vampires and ghouls were not the only scary beings on the streets this past Halloween.Both pedestrian trick-or-treaters and motorists were at a high risk of car accidents involving intoxicated drivers on Halloween.The Governors Highway Safety Association warned of an increase in accidents involving drunk drivers in Atlanta over the holiday.
The Governors Highway Safety Association joined state and local highway safety agencies to crack down on drunk drivers.Local law enforcement officers ran an intensified campaign aimed at pulling drunk drivers off the streets before they caused an accident, and injure or kill someone. Drunk driving accidents result in a significant number of serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, close to 50% of auto accident fatalities that occurred on Halloween night involved a drunk motorist.In these cases, the motorist had a blood-alcohol concentration of .08% or higher. Every year, the period between 6 PM on October 31 and 5:59 AM on November 1 is a highly dangerous time for pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers in Atlanta.
Halloween is typically a more dangerous time for pedestrians, because of the higher numbers of pedestrians on the streets.However, for a motorist driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, these accident hazards become heightened.Consider that many pedestrians out on Halloween will be young children below the age of 12, dressed to the nines and out trick-or-treating.Many of these children will be wearing dark clothing that may render them invisible at night.Moreover, safety is the last thing on the mind for many trick-or-treaters, or even adult drivers rushing to a Halloween party.Now, consider the increased accident risks when you introduce a drunk driver into this situation.
Drunk motorists may suffer from blurred vision and, therefore, may not be able to identify important visual cues, like a little pedestrian darting out from behind a parked car into traffic.A drunk motorist may also not have the ability to look out for other cars, motorcycles, or pedestrians in a crosswalk.
Whether on Halloween or any other day, law enforcement in Georgia would like all motorists to keep their eyes open for intoxicated drivers.If you ever spot a drunk motorist, inform 911 immediately.A motorist who is weaving between lanes, driving erratically, driving at excessive speeds or driving the wrong way could be driving under the influence.Early action on your part could possibly prevent a serious or even fatal accident.
Halloween revelers must plan a safe way to get back home after the celebrations are done.Be sure to designate a sober driver for the evening.If that is not possible, arrange to have someone pick you up at your venue and take you home.If all fails, hire a local taxi service.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons injured in car accidents in the Metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.If you have been injured in a car accident, speak with a car accident lawyer at our firm.