Pledge to Stay Safe and Sober This Halloween for a Chance to Win a Flip™ Video Camera

I’m sure a lot of you are getting ready for Halloween – putting the finishing touches on costumes, decorating your house, planning parties, and buying candy. There’s another step I’d like you to add to your Halloween preparation – signing my firm’s pledge to stay safe and sober.

In 2009, 48 percent of all highway deaths that occurred in the United States on Halloween night involved a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher, which breaks every state’s drunk driving laws. Statistics aren’t available yet for 2010, but I bet that the numbers are similar. This is a tragic statistic – it means that almost half of all of the highway deaths were avoidable. Had the drunk driver called a cab, ridden with a designated driver, decided not to get behind the wheel, or chose not to drink at all, lives could have been saved. It would have made all the difference in the world to the victims and their loved ones.

This year you can be the one who makes that difference. I encourage everyone to sign the pledge. If you do, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a Flip™ video camera. More importantly, you’ll be helping to keep yourself, and everyone else, safe on the road. This is only the first step, however. Once you’ve made the decision not to drink and drive, come up with a plan to make sure you keep that promise. Have cab numbers handy, arrange for a designated driver, take just a few minutes to figure out how to avoid getting behind the wheel after you’ve had something to drink. Trust me, it will be time well spent.