One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Halloween DUI checkpoints should scare adults
A man blows into a breathalizer during a field sobriety test after he was stopped by San Bruno Police officers at a DUI checkpoint in San Bruno, California.
(
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
)
Halloween means candy and costumes for kids — and DUI checkpoints for adults.
Extra patrols and LAPD checkpoints have been in effect throughout the weekend and they'll continue Monday night at various locations around Los Angeles.
Detective Bill Bustos with the LAPD's Valley Traffic bureau, says Halloween falling on a Monday could increase the number of DUI arrests as people turn the holiday into a three-day party.
"We anticipate the numbers probably being a little bit higher because more people are celebrating and having their parties during the weekend, that's going to continue on to Monday on Halloween evening," he tells KPCC.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on Halloween night in 2015, 106 people died nationwide and more than half of those deaths involved a crash with a drunk driver — compared to one-third on an average day.
If you don't want to get tossed in the slammer with real zombies and slashers, authorities urge you to use a ride-sharing app, take public transit or make sure you have a sober designated driver.
Bustos also reminds revelers that it's a bad idea to use Halloween costumes or masks to try to hide impaired driving.
Final arrest numbers will be out after the holiday.
Sponsored message
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
