Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Although it was once synonymous with children trick-or-treating, Halloween has recently joined New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day as a drinking event for adults.
On Tuesday, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and local police agencies have unveiled plans for a crackdown on drunk driving for the time around Halloween.
In 2010, 41 percent of all deadly crashes on Halloween were attributed to drunk driving.
With the holiday falling on a weekday, police say the Saturday before Oct. 31 has become a very popular time for parties and events.
"It’s an opportunity to have a party, a gathering, and while the intentions are good we already know New Years Eve and St. Patrick's Day and now the Halloween period needs to be a focus of these efforts because of what the stats are showing,” said DeWitt Police Chief Gene Conway.
Baldwinsville Police Chief Mike Lefanchek says every police agency in Onondaga County will have extra patrols out this weekend.
He says a similar plan will be in place on the night before Thanksgiving, another evening that has become popular for heading out to bars.
