Police crack down on Halloween DUIs

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - As you dress up your witches and superheroes this Halloween, Lafayette police want you to be aware of what's happening on the roadways.

Many of us can remember our parents checking our Halloween candy for tampering before we were allowed to eat it. But Lafayette Police Technician Matt Devine said one of the biggest Halloween dangers is something police warn us about all year long.

"With Halloween falling on a weekend this year, there will be Halloween parties and people will be drinking," he said. "So we're asking people to select a designated driver, make other arrangements, contact a taxi, instead of driving after they've been drinking."

Devine said historically, the number of drunk driving arrests increase around Halloween. In fact, he said the latest numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show 58 percent of the fatalities on Halloween weekend in 2008 were from impaired driving. He said Lafayette police will have extra patrols out this weekend, looking out for impaired and agressive driving.

Devine said even people who aren't drinking will need to pay close attention on the road this weekend.

"People's vision gets lowered when it gets dark," he said. "The kids could be darting out and into traffic, so we're asking people to slow down as they're driving on the city streets and just be aware that there could be children out darting back and forth, in and out of traffic."

Devine urged drivers to stay below the speed limit, especially in residential areas. And for those going by foot, he said there's a few good pieces of advice to keep in mind.

"One of the big things would be just accompany your children when they trick-or-treat," Devine said. "Just be comfortable of the surroundings, be aware of the surroundings. Maybe only trick-or-treat at people's houses that you know."

In the same vein, most parents don't want their kids trick-or-treating at the home of a registered sex offender.

For some past Halloweens, the Tippecanoe County probation office has required local sex offenders to spend a few hours in one place, like the county fairgrounds. The probation office won't be doing that this year, but will be conducting extra checks at sex offenders' homes.