Bethesda families heading out to trick-or-treat face a heightened danger on Halloween. Children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Oct. 31 than on any other day of the year, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is urging drivers to slow down and stay alert during Halloween weekend, The MoCo Show reported Oct. 24. The department encouraged drivers to avoid residential neighborhoods during trick-or-treating hours when possible, watch for pedestrians and use extra caution near driveways and intersections.
Daylight saving time also ends Sunday, Nov. 1, pushing sunset an hour earlier.
Montgomery County police posted a related warning on X on Wednesday, Oct. 21, urging drivers to slow down and scan the road as mornings grow darker while children still walk to bus stops.
Free rides home for Halloween weekend
Residents celebrating with alcohol can get a free ride home through the Washington Regional Alcohol Program's (WRAP) SoberRide program.
WRAP will release a limited number of free Lyft codes worth up to $15 on both Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, according to a WRAP press release. Codes go live at 9 p.m. each night at wrap.org/soberride. Rides run from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. One code per user. Riders must be 21 or older.
To use the code, download the Lyft app and enter the SoberRide promo code under the "Payment" tab's "Add Lyft Pass" option.
The program covers Montgomery County and the broader Washington metropolitan area, including Prince George's County, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia.
Drunk driving is a major factor in Halloween traffic deaths. The WRAP press release cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data showing that nearly a third of U.S. traffic deaths on Halloween involve drunk drivers. WRAP President Kurt Erickson characterized the figure as "over a third" and said "Halloween is of particular concern for younger drivers," citing NHTSA data showing that between 2019 and 2024, 54% of 21- to 34-year-olds killed in U.S. traffic crashes involved drunk drivers.
The program set a record last October when 4,056 people in the Washington area used SoberRide. Since 1991, the program has provided more than 105,000 free rides.
