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There’s nothing scarier than the consequences of driving while impaired. To discourage drivers from getting behind the wheel after drinking this Halloween, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols and using checkpoints and saturation patrols as part of the statewide Booze It & Lose It campaign Oct. 24-31.

“Many families will be hitting the streets this Halloween season to enjoy trick-or-treating and we want everyone to have a good time,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “People who drink and drive can turn a good time into a tragedy. If you’re going to drink, never get behind the wheel.”

Instead, people who decide to drink should find a sober ride home by phoning a friend or calling a taxi or a ride service, Ezzell said.

More than 250 people have been killed this year in alcohol-related crashes in North Carolina. In 2021, 423 people died on North Carolina roads due to alcohol-related crashes. Twenty-eight of those deaths occurred during the Halloween Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign period. 

Driving while impaired can also be expensive. People charged with DWI can lose their license and pay thousands of dollars in court fees.  

“With large numbers of people out and about, and days getting shorter – it’s more imperative than ever to make good decisions when you get behind the wheel, so we can keep everyone safe this Halloween season,” Ezzell said.