Cedar Rapids police to participate in Halloween traffic enforcement project

CEDAR RAPIDS - With drunk driving-related deaths on Halloween on the rise across the country in recent years, Cedar Rapids police will be stepping up traffic enforcement around the holiday.

Cedar Rapids public safety spokesman Greg Buelow said police will be taking part in the Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau Halloween weekend traffic enforcement project. The enforcement project - which runs Friday through Oct. 31 - will see additional officers on patrol looking out for drunken drivers.

Buelow said the city has averaged 7.8 drunken driving arrests between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 over the last five years. Nationwide, there were 17 drunken driving fatalities in 2011. In 2015, that number was 55, Buelow said.

Police recommend using a designated driver, calling a cab or Uber or using other transportation alternatives when drinking.

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