DeKALB —  Law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Illinois are warning motorists to not drive while impaired on Halloween with the simple message: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Drive High Get a DUI.”

In a news release on Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced that it would be teaming up with the Illinois State Police and local police agencies to keep impaired drivers off the road.

IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering Cynthia Watters compares driving impaired on Halloween to “running up the stairs to flee the monster in a horror movie – it’s never a good idea.”

Nearly 1,029 people have died in crashes in Illinois in the year-to-date, 84 higher than the year before. 254 people died in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2020.

If you plan to consume impairing substances on Halloween, you are advised to designate a sober driver, call a cab, or use a ride-sharing service, among other alternative methods of transportation.

If you see an impaired person driving on the road, pull over and notify 911 as soon as possible. If they have yet to get behind the wheel, take their keys and help them get home safely.

Finally, ensure that all persons in your vehicle are wearing a seatbelt and children are properly secured in a designated child safety seat before driving.

Illinois’ Halloween enforcement campaign will be funded with federal highway safety funds administered by IDOT.