Halloween is meant to be full of scary fun, but law enforcement officials say they're starting to see a frightening trend, surrounding this holiday.
Law enforcement officials say when it comes to safety for trick or treaters, adults drinking and driving is becoming the major issue on Halloween night.
Gary Connor is a detective with the Washington County Sheriff's Department. He says, "I think adults look at it as a time to party, to dress up, go out and party, drink a little bit. It's becoming more of an adult holiday, than for the kids. If you are drinking, do not be driving."
National reports show almost 12,000 and people were killed in alcohol-related crashes last year. Over a year, that's equal to one person dying every 45 minutes. Connor says, "there are kids out there, they're excited, they're wearing masks where they can't see real well, they're going to be darting into streets unexpectedly, they're going to be coming from between cars."
And besides Halloween, he says there's a home game for the Razorbacks, Saturday night. "We're going to have 70,000 people in town that we don't normally have. They are going to be partying, they are going to be drinking. It's just an invitation for disaster when you have a bunch of kids out there who are trying to trick or treat."
So city officials say it may be okay for parents to play a "trick" on their kids by "treating" them with an early Halloween. Julie Pennington shares with 5News what the Fayetteville Visitor's Bureau has up their sleeve. "A day early! Come out - kids come out! The great thing about this is kids can come out before it gets dark. The traffic's going to be wild and crazy. Hog fans everywhere, and just for safety/security, it will just be easier on the kids, as well." And Connor says, "the biggest single thing you can do is be with your kid on Halloween night. That's the safest, best thing you can do."
If you're interested in celebrating as a family, you've got some choices. Halloween on the square will be held Friday night from 3-5p.m. in the evening, and Mall-O-Ween will be held right here at the Northwest Arkansas Mall, Halloween night.
Drivers are alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentration is .08 grams per deciliter, or more.
For more safety tips:
http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/planners/Halloween09/ http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=4142
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/OS.Decorations.pdf
Law enforcement officials say when it comes to safety for trick or treaters, adults drinking and driving is becoming the major issue on Halloween night.
Gary Connor is a detective with the Washington County Sheriff's Department. He says, "I think adults look at it as a time to party, to dress up, go out and party, drink a little bit. It's becoming more of an adult holiday, than for the kids. If you are drinking, do not be driving."
National reports show almost 12,000 and people were killed in alcohol-related crashes last year. Over a year, that's equal to one person dying every 45 minutes. Connor says, "there are kids out there, they're excited, they're wearing masks where they can't see real well, they're going to be darting into streets unexpectedly, they're going to be coming from between cars."
And besides Halloween, he says there's a home game for the Razorbacks, Saturday night. "We're going to have 70,000 people in town that we don't normally have. They are going to be partying, they are going to be drinking. It's just an invitation for disaster when you have a bunch of kids out there who are trying to trick or treat."
So city officials say it may be okay for parents to play a "trick" on their kids by "treating" them with an early Halloween. Julie Pennington shares with 5News what the Fayetteville Visitor's Bureau has up their sleeve. "A day early! Come out - kids come out! The great thing about this is kids can come out before it gets dark. The traffic's going to be wild and crazy. Hog fans everywhere, and just for safety/security, it will just be easier on the kids, as well." And Connor says, "the biggest single thing you can do is be with your kid on Halloween night. That's the safest, best thing you can do."
If you're interested in celebrating as a family, you've got some choices. Halloween on the square will be held Friday night from 3-5p.m. in the evening, and Mall-O-Ween will be held right here at the Northwest Arkansas Mall, Halloween night.
Drivers are alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentration is .08 grams per deciliter, or more.
For more safety tips:
http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/planners/Halloween09/ http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=4142
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/OS.Decorations.pdf
