Georgia authorities urge sober driving this Halloween

ATLANTA — Georgia authorities are urging revelers to remain safe this Halloween and designate a driver rather than drive under the influence.

“We want people to remember: like ‘Trick-or-Treat;’ ‘Drink-or-Drive.’ One or the other, but never both,” Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Harris Blackwood said in a news release. “Before you take your first sip of alcohol on Oct. 31, figure out who your designated sober driver will be. If you wait until you’re ‘buzzed’ to make a decision, you may decide to drive.”

Halloween is a dangerous night for drinking and driving, and authorities will be stepping up patrols to crack down on drunken drivers. In 2012, 48 percent of all fatalities involved a drunken driver, and last Halloween (between Oct. 20 and Nov. 3) there were 134 crashes in Georgia that involved a drunken driver, authorities said.

In order to stay safe, authorities are asking anyone who may be drinking this Halloween to designate a sober driver before the party starts or consider using a taxi or public transportation for travel. Authorities are also warning that walking impaired can be as dangerous as drunken driving.