Halloween has hidden dangers

Spooks, goblins and alcohol. Not a great combo. With so many people out on the streets, trick or treating and heading to parties, this is the time to be extra careful when consuming alcohol — and critical that no one drives impaired. Safety extends to knowing your laws about parties and serving alcohol to minors — and to making sure you have good communication with your teens.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half (48%) of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities on Halloween night in 2012 involved a drunk driver. These numbers usually are even higher when the holiday falls on a weekend like it does this year. Find out more (and what you can do about it) at MADD.org.

Know the law – Halloween is a big deal for teens. Being a responsible parent involves knowing what can happen at teen parties, and ensuring that if you host a party, you know the social host laws in your city. How can you keep kids safe? Plan ahead, talk about it, set clear rules — and more. Check out this page from Ventura County Limits about social host laws.