Have a spooky safe Halloween

Friday marks the start of Halloweekend, a holiday filled with parties, candies and drinks that might seem harmless, but beware of the danger they may bring. 

Be wary of what you consume

When it comes to Halloweekend parties, Yarida Ortega, a UTRGV interdisciplinary studies junior, said she has been aware of the scary things that can happen at parties and of the safety measures she has to take when it comes to drinking. 

Ortega said parties have a lot of alcohol involved and tend to get crowded with strangers. According to her, it can be easy to take a drink from a stranger because of peer pressure.  

“You have to really trust the people you go to parties with or take drinks from,” Ortega said. 

Marco Huerta, UTRGV police officer, said to never take drinks from strangers and to not leave drinks unattended. 

Trick-or-treating is a Halloween tradition that makes candy popular throughout the holiday, however, Huerta said if a candy you receive from anybody is unwrapped or seems tampered with, do not eat it. 

“Uno nunca sabe”, is what Cindy Ruiz Zamudio, president of the UTRGV Intersectional Feminist Student Organization, got told growing up. 

Drive with your head on 

Huerta said having a designated driver is one way to drive safely from a party. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal crashes involving a drunk driver occur three times more often on Halloween than New Year’s Eve. 

Huerta asks people who are drinking to please be responsible and have a designated driver or use Uber.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, most pedestrian fatalities occur when it is dark or pedestrians wear dark clothing. On Halloween night streets are crowded with trick-or-treaters dressed in dark costumes that can make it difficult to notice them at night.

Officer Huerta said it is helpful to wear something bright or even use a flashlight so drivers can notice you.

Do not leave your ghouls

Since Halloween parties tend to get crowded, Zamudio said using apps such as Life 360 could be helpful to locate where your friends are. 

Ortega said she would not let her friends leave a party with a stranger. “Never leave your friend group,” she said. “If you go in a friend group, stay in a friend group.”

 According to Zamudio, if it does happen make sure you tell your friends where you are going and with who. 

Officer Huerta said to always be aware of your surroundings and “just be safe out there.”