FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2010
CONTACT: Matt Dunlap (207) 624-8400

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Watch Out! Maine Secretary of State Reminds Motorists to Be Especially Vigilant
for Costumed Pedestrians on Halloween, and to Use a Designated Driver

AUGUSTA, MAINE—As party-going ghosts and goblins celebrate Halloween over the weekend of October 31st, Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, the state’s chief motor vehicle official, joins his colleagues in the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) in reminding everyone to keep the party off the road, and to keep alert for trick-or-treaters.

?The twilight time is generally recognized as to be the busiest for families and groups of children to be out trick-or-treating,? said Dunlap. ?But over time, adults have also taken to celebrating Halloween with parties of their own, and that has generated a host of problems.?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Halloween night is often one of the deadliest nights of the year for impaired drivers. In 2008, 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night—from 6:00 pm on October 31st to 5:59 pm on November 1st involved a motorist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is the national legal threshold for a conviction for Operating Under the Influence of intoxicating liquor (OUI).

?Halloween is a lot of fun, and with planning and care, it can stay that way,? said Dunlap. ?Law enforcement officers are always especially alert for dangerous drivers around holidays, when traffic is heavier. It should be everyone?s goal to bore them out of their minds and stay safe, especially with so many kids out on Halloween.?