The El Centro Police Department just issued a statement warning drunk drivers to stay off the roads of Imperial County this Halloween to avoid DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols, but the statement is kind of oddly-worded, warning Halloween revelers that their "disguise won't make them invisible to the Police," and the ECPD Police Chief actually says, "If you really want to be scared this Halloween, try getting pulled over by a police car that suddenly appears out of nowhere." Is he actually suggesting that we need to be afraid of the police? Wow. Just wow. Here's the rest of the statement:
[El Centro, CA]— If you think a Halloween costume will disguise your drunk or drug impaired driving, the Avoid the 8 – Imperial County DUI Task Force has a message just for you – “keep the party off the road.”The Avoid the 8 - Imperial County DUI Task Force will be deploying additional officers on DUI Saturation Patrols supplementing routine patrols in several communities in the county.
“Local revelers should be aware that their Halloween disguises won't make them invisible to the Police, Sheriff or CHP officers who will crack down on drunk and drug impaired drivers throughout the region with an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort,” said Police Chief Jim McGinley.
In fact, Chief McGinley noted, its law enforcement officers who are more likely to be ‘invisible’ to partygoers who have had too many drinks or take drugs to be driving. “If you really want to be scared this Halloween, try getting pulled over by a police car that suddenly appears out of nowhere,” Chief McGinley said. “Of course, one thing is for sure, the police arresting drunk or drug impaired drivers this Halloween will be visible enough, and they won't be mistaken for treats by folks who may think they are fine to drink and drive,” he added.
Nighttime is always a dangerous time on the road, but Halloween can be particularly scary if you get behind the wheel drunk or find yourself around a drunk driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 41 percent of all highway fatalities throughout the nation during the Halloween period in 2010 (6 p.m. Oct. 29 to 6 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
“The scariest parts of Halloween aren’t the spooky costumes and scary pranks,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “It’s a fact that too often drivers don’t plan ahead and end up turning reality into something much worse than the worst horror movie.”
To keep safe this Halloween, The Avoid the 8 Coalition recommends these simple tips:
• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• If you are taking medication or using drugs; beware! They can impair your driving, and
especially never mix with alcohol.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver, and leave your car keys at home.
• If you’re impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public
transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, Call 911!
Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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