GLEN BURNIE, MD – Every year, both children and adults look forward to Halloween; but it can turn deadly for pedestrians and motorists alike. Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials are urging everyone to driver sober and stay alert along our roadways this Halloween.
“As part of the Hogan administration’s mission to save lives on Maryland roads, MDOT joins partners statewide to remind our citizens that drunk and/or drugged drivers remain one of our biggest threats around Halloween,” said Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn.
Over the past five years in Maryland, more than 17,200 persons were either killed or injured in a crash where drugs and/or alcohol were involved. Law enforcement across the state is stepping up DUI patrols to keep pedestrians and motorists safe this holiday. Each year, there are roughly 20,000 DUI arrests in Maryland alone. Penalties for a DUI include court costs, fines, lost time from work, court-required classes, and enrollment in Maryland’s ignition interlock program.
“The scariest thing that can happen this Halloween is hurting someone or going to jail because you made an irresponsible choice behind the wheel,” said MDOT Motor Vehicle Administrator and Governor Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative Chrissy Nizer. “Plan ahead to have a safe and sober ride.”
In Maryland, one in five traffic deaths every year is a pedestrian. With trick-or-treating, pedestrian traffic increases dramatically on Halloween. Drivers are urged to slow down, especially around intersections and crosswalks. Trick-or-treaters can make themselves more visible to drivers with a reflective vest through MDOT State Highway Administration's Vests for Visibility Program.
MDOT also reminds motorists to always buckle up and to drive distraction-free. For more on Toward Zero Deaths Maryland, visit towardzerodeathsmd.com or find us on Facebook @towardzerodeathsmd, on Twitter @tzd_maryland, and on Instagram at twdzerodeaths_md. | 
