Halloween means costumes, parties, and lots of kids walking neighborhood streets after dark. It also means more police on the road. New York has launched a weeklong enforcement campaign aimed at impaired and reckless drivers, and it runs right through Halloween night.
The Campaign
On Oct. 24, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that State Police and local law enforcement will increase patrols from Sunday, Oct. 25, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Here’s what drivers should expect:
- Sobriety checkpoints and extra DWI patrols across the state.
- Officers will also be looking for distracted drivers and speeders.
- The campaign is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) and also targets underage drinking.
- During last year’s Halloween campaign, officers issued 44,545 citations, including 1,210 for impaired driving and 8,701 for speeding.
The release also cites a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, based on decades of NHTSA data, which found that the risk of pedestrian deaths is 43% higher on Halloween than on other nights, and that children ages 4 to 8 are 10 times more likely to be hit by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other evening.
If you’re a new driver getting ready for your road test, our New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course covers the risks of driving under the influence along with New York traffic laws. Details are below.
Plan Your Ride Before the Party
The best time to decide how you’re getting home is before you leave. NYS DMV Acting Commissioner Christian Jackstadt put it simply: “If your celebration includes alcohol or drugs, plan to have a sober ride.”
- Pick a designated driver who won’t drink at all.
- Use a taxi, rideshare, or transit if your group doesn’t have one.
- Try the “Have a Plan” app. The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation offer it for Apple and Android phones. According to the governor’s office, it helps you find and call a taxi, set up a list of designated drivers, look up DWI laws and penalties, and report a suspected impaired driver.
- Don’t ride with someone who’s been drinking. Make another plan, even if it’s inconvenient.
Drive Like Kids Are Everywhere
Because on Halloween, they are. The president of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association noted that trick-or-treaters may be dressed in dark clothing and may run across the road from house to house.
- Slow down in neighborhoods, well below the limit if the streets are busy.
- Expect kids between parked cars and crossing mid-block, not just at corners.
- Back out of driveways slowly and check carefully for small children.
- Put your phone away. A glance at a screen is all it takes to miss a child stepping off the curb.
- Turn on your headlights early so you can see and be seen at dusk.
Under 21? Zero Tolerance Applies
Young drivers face extra rules. The NYS DMV explains that under New York’s Zero Tolerance Law:
- A driver under 21 with a BAC of .02 to .07 will have their license suspended for six months.
- A .02 BAC could come from only one drink.
- A second Zero Tolerance violation means revocation for one year or until the driver turns 21, whichever is longer.
- A driver under 21 convicted of an alcohol- or drug-related violation faces a license revocation of at least one year.
For more on how this plays out, read our post about a teen DWI crash in Peekskill.
Getting Ready for Your Road Test?
New York requires most new drivers to complete a 5-hour pre-licensing course before scheduling a road test.
If you’re 18 or older and have a photo learner permit, you can take it online. Our New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course is approved by the NYS DMV and covers New York vehicle and traffic laws, habits and skills for safe driving, the risks of driving under the influence, highway driving, and aggressive driving and road rage. Your completion is reported to the DMV electronically.
Parents of drivers under 18: junior license (Class DJ) applicants can’t take the course online. They must complete a 5-hour classroom course instead.
The Bottom Line
Halloween should be about fun, not flashing lights. Plan a sober ride, slow down where kids are walking, and keep your eyes on the road all week.
18 or older with a photo learner permit? Start the New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course.
