Richmond -
If you drove down New Kent Road in South Richmond Saturday, you would have spotted loads of people going door-to-door for candy- but no traffic.
That's because the Westover Hills Neighborhood Watch Group shut off a popular swath of the community- barricading the street with rented cones and signs- to keep drunk drivers out.
"If there are no cars driving down the street, no one's going to be in an accident," observed a relieved Heather Williams, who typically doles out sweets to nearly 600 kids on Halloween.
According to figures provided by AAA Mid-Atlantic, traffic fatalities when Halloween falls on a weekend spike by 30 percent. Of those incidents, nearly 60 percent are related to drunk driving.
"You've just got everybody out at once," explained AAA spokesperson Wendy VanCuren. "You've got the trick-or-treaters with their families, and the party-goers out as well. The people going to parties could potentially be drinking and driving."
Localities throughout the area have held DUI checkpoints to combat that scenario.
Henrico and Hanover County Police performed their checks on Friday evening, with Ashland and Chesterfield law enforcement holding similar measures on Saturday.
In communities like Westover Hills in Richmond, local activists have decided to take the situation into their own hands.
"It gets very crowded [on our street]," said neighborhood watch chair Noah Rogers, "and we've got a lot of little, little kids, which makes safety a big issue for us."
Rogers single-handedly erected the blockade on Westover Hills Boulevard and New Kent Road, and made sure the cones weren't touched all night.
"We've had some close calls in the past. You just need to reduce the risk of children versus folks who've been drinking and driving," he added.
In the event parents take their kids out in a traffic-congested area, AAA advices placing some type of bright, reflective piece on the child's costume.
If you think you spot a drunk driver, you're asked to call #77 to alert state police.
That's because the Westover Hills Neighborhood Watch Group shut off a popular swath of the community- barricading the street with rented cones and signs- to keep drunk drivers out.
"If there are no cars driving down the street, no one's going to be in an accident," observed a relieved Heather Williams, who typically doles out sweets to nearly 600 kids on Halloween.
According to figures provided by AAA Mid-Atlantic, traffic fatalities when Halloween falls on a weekend spike by 30 percent. Of those incidents, nearly 60 percent are related to drunk driving.
"You've just got everybody out at once," explained AAA spokesperson Wendy VanCuren. "You've got the trick-or-treaters with their families, and the party-goers out as well. The people going to parties could potentially be drinking and driving."
Localities throughout the area have held DUI checkpoints to combat that scenario.
Henrico and Hanover County Police performed their checks on Friday evening, with Ashland and Chesterfield law enforcement holding similar measures on Saturday.
In communities like Westover Hills in Richmond, local activists have decided to take the situation into their own hands.
"It gets very crowded [on our street]," said neighborhood watch chair Noah Rogers, "and we've got a lot of little, little kids, which makes safety a big issue for us."
Rogers single-handedly erected the blockade on Westover Hills Boulevard and New Kent Road, and made sure the cones weren't touched all night.
"We've had some close calls in the past. You just need to reduce the risk of children versus folks who've been drinking and driving," he added.
In the event parents take their kids out in a traffic-congested area, AAA advices placing some type of bright, reflective piece on the child's costume.
If you think you spot a drunk driver, you're asked to call #77 to alert state police.
