Authorities are reminding citizens about safety during Halloween

Although the holiday is not considered the largest in Rapid City, Rapid City Police Department Public Affairs Coordinator Brandin Medina reminded the public to be safe in the days leading up to Halloween and on Halloween night.

“We usually encounter problems related to alcohol, mostly on the weekend before Halloween. This is the holiday when we see an increase in alcohol consumption,” Medina said.

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have endorsed the RCPD’s stance on road safety.

According to a PCSO press release, one person died every 39 minutes in a drunk-driving crash on our nation’s roads in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From 2018 to 2022, 192 people died on Halloween night in alcohol-related crashes involving at least one driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.01 or higher. Drunk drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher were involved in 171 of these crashes.

On Halloween in South Dakota from 2019 to 2023, there were 25 drunken or drugged driving crashes, one fatal and 10 injury crashes, according to the office.

For those who may be enjoying alcohol this holiday, Pennington County Sheriff’s Patrol Lt. Casey Kenrick said it’s best to plan ahead before the festivities begin.

“We just want to remind everybody if they’re going out to make sure they have a sober driver,” Kenrick said.

The RCPD and PCSO have encouraged the public to nominate designated drivers if people start drinking. If a friend or family member isn’t available, use a ride-sharing service like Uber.

While road patrols will be a top priority for the RCPD and PCSO in the days leading up to Halloween, Kenrick said it’s never a bad practice for parents to accompany their children and check their candy for suspicious items.

Medina agreed with that statement and added that for those planning to wear costumes, law enforcement encourages magicians to wear reflectors or wear bright colors.