There are more than ghosts and goblins to be on the lookout for this Halloween. Boston in particular has plenty happening:  Red Sox World Series game 6 tonight, President Obama in town to discuss Healthcare Reform, all on the eve of All Hallows’ Eve. And tomorrow on Halloween there will be trick or treaters in abundance, clad in everything from witch costumes to Wally with a big shaggy muppet beard.

As the chaos (and fun) swirls about us this Halloween it is important to make sure we are all paying attention, particularly when driving. While it’s easy to get caught up in the celebrations and let your guard down a bit, be mindful of the cost of distracted driving as well as driving under the influence. Both are very dangerous mistakes to make, and are responsible for many fatalities every year.

Here are some sobering statistics from the CDC:

1 in 10 teens in high school drinks and drives
1 in 5 crashes in which someone was injured involved distracted driving    
31% of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 reported that they had read or sent text messages or email messages while driving at least once within the 30 days before they were surveyed.
Every 2 hours a pedestrian dies from a motor vehicle crash

So let’s be mindful as we celebrate this Halloween, whether you’re cheering on the Red Sox, or the zombies on Walking Dead, and remember these safety rules:

·         Call a taxi if you have been drinking and can’t find a designated driver.  Or check out the pickup service at BeMyDD- and schedule an inexpensive professional driver. BeMyDD serves the Boston area as well as cities around the country.

·         Put the phone down. No text is worth your life or someone else’s. Don’t trust yourself not to peek at the texts that come through while you’re driving? Set your phone to “Do not Disturb” when you get in the car.  

·         Watch out for little goblins. 5pm-9pm are the busiest trick or treating hours, stay off the road if possible. If you do go out, use extra caution when driving through residential neighborhoods. Young trick or treaters may not be paying attention while crossing the street, or they may not have peripheral vision because of masks.

·         Light ‘em up. Send your kids out for trick or treating with flashlights and reflective clothing or trick or treat bags; and no costume is complete without plenty of glow sticks. Throw in a pair of light up shoes and you’re good to go! 

Happy Halloween from all of us at UASC and GO SOX!!!