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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah Highway Patrol troopers were on increased lookout for drunken drivers celebrating Halloween, a holiday that leads many adults to revel as much as children.
The Utah Highway Patrol was running a statewide DUI blitz over the weekend and through Monday night, when children were to run door-to-door while trick-or-treating.
"It's one of the heaviest DUI nights of the entire year," patrol Sgt. Larry Mower said.
The Utah Automobile Dealers Association donated $5,000 to help law enforcement pay for the overtime shifts. The UHP expected troopers to work 50 extra shifts this weekend looking for impaired drivers.
Over the past three years, money donated by auto dealers to combat drunken driving has resulted in 385 extra UHP shifts and 350 DUI arrests, according to the association.
Patrol Maj. Mike Kuehn said Halloween is different from other holidays when adults tend to drink while celebrating. On New Year's Eve, many drinkers use designated drivers, take cabs or stay at the party for the evening, Kuehn said.
They don't seem to think they same way on Halloween, when children are collecting their yearly stash.
They're "excited about trick-or-treating and candy. Their minds are on other things," Kuehn said.
The $5,000 check was presented last week at Nibley Park Elementary School, where more than a dozen kids in costumes were in attendance.
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Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
