Drivers arrested during Halloween BOO-ze It & Lose It campaign

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) – Law enforcement officers arrested more than 600 impaired drivers during the state’s Halloween BOO-ze It & Lose It campaign.

According to a news release, 557 of the arrests were alcohol-related and 48 were drug-related.

“Ensuring the safety of trick-or-treaters and other travelers was our top priority,” Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Don Nail said. “I am encouraged that our law enforcement officers increased their efforts to remove nightmares from our roadways this Halloween.”

During the four-day campaign, law enforcement agencies across North Carolina issued 19,292 traffic and criminal violations at 2,118 sobriety-checking stations and patrols.

In 2015, 601 DWI charges were issued along with 15,855 other traffic and criminal violations at 1,553 sobriety-checking stations and saturation patrols.

“It is promising to see that even with an increase in enforcement activities, we had about the same number of DWI charges. This shows that people are becoming more responsible and making the decision to not drive while impaired,” continued Nail.

The top five counties for DWI arrests during the Halloween BOO-ze It & Lose It enforcement campaign were:

• Wake County: 53
• Guilford County: 42
• Forsyth County: 27
• Mecklenburg County: 26
• Pitt County: 24