Full Notification

MARIETTA POLICE DEPARTMENT

240 LEMON STREET, MARIETTA, GEORGIA 30060-1688


Policing with a Vision

Chief Dan Flynn

PHONE (770) 794-5300

Public Information Officer – Officer David Baldwin
770-794-5370 (office) 770-235-1915 (cell)
****************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*******************

HALLOWEEN DRIVING SAFETY TIPS

With Halloween right around the corner, the Marietta Police Department Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) would like to give our motoring public a few safety tips designed to keep them, their families and little Trick or Treater’s everywhere safe during this festive evening.

This year is unique in that Halloween falls on a Friday which may cause rise to an increase in Halloween parties. A lot of these parties will take place in neighborhoods and may involve the consumption of alcohol. In fact, Halloween now rivals New Year’s when it comes to the number of DUI related arrests and crashes. This deadly combination of consuming alcohol and impaired driving when leaving these neighborhood parties places the thousands of children and families that are trick or treating in danger. Below are some tips our STEP Unit would like to offer to keep everyone safe during this festive time.

• When driving in and out of neighborhoods reduce your speed DRAMATICALLY! The sidewalks and streets could be filled with Trick or Treaters, all of whom could be wearing costumes that not only make them hard to be seen, but could impair their sight.
• Watch for kids darting in and out of the street trying to get to the next house.
• If going to a party do not drive while wearing your costume. Costumes can be elaborate in nature and are out of the normal clothing you are used to driving in. Costumes can involve cumbersome headwear or masks, props or different styled shoes. All of these elements can lead to impaired driving without alcohol being a factor.
• Once at a party, if you decide to consume alcohol PLEASE designate a driver to get you home safely.

Officers of the Marietta Police Department and STEP Unit will be out in force on Halloween to help ensure not only your safety while driving, but also the safety of the families Trick or Treating.

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