The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, or ABC, reminds licensees and the public to be safe this Halloween by working together to reduce drunk driving.

If you choose to celebrate with alcohol, designate a sober driver, or use public transportation or a ride-hailing service to arrive at your location and return home safely.

The department also urges ABC-licensed establishments to carefully monitor alcohol service to the public.

These licensed businesses play an important role in reducing DUI’s by checking IDs and not over-serving patrons.

“Too many Californians are killed or injured in alcohol-related crashes and incidents,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “ABC encourages everyone to make Halloween celebrations as safe as possible.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2022, nearly half of all crash fatalities during Halloween night were alcohol related.

The public can help prevent tragic crashes by doing the following:

• Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.
• Be alert for trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians.
• If you’re hosting a gathering, make sure all your guests have a sober ride home.
• If you see an impaired driver, call 911. And always wear your seat belt — it’s your best defense against impaired drivers.

Halloween enforcement efforts are funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the NHTSA.