The Washington State Patrol announced that it will conduct a pre-Halloween emphasis patrol in the King County Metro Zone, reports City Living Seattle.

The emphasis patrol will run from Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26. This patrol will cover the busy weekend of Halloween parties even though it will not hit Halloween night. The State Patrol reportedly plans the emphasis patrols to run in the area along Interstate 5 between Ravenna and Interurban.

Generally, an emphasis patrol is just what it sounds like. The Washington State Patrol will be increasing its manpower for those designated dates and troopers will be on the special lookout for drunk drivers. Officers will likely be reminded of some common signs of drunk driving to watch out for including erratic driving, speeding, driving too slow, and trouble staying in lane. Officers will be driving both marked and unmarked vehicles.

While may not associate Halloween as a heavy drinking weekend, it was reported that last year's patrol saw an 81-percent increase of drunk driving incidents in the weekend before Halloween. This combination is especially dangerous as young children may be out for Halloween festivities and trick-or-treating.

With the emphasis on catching suspected drunk drivers, the Washington State Patrol may be overly aggressive and arrest innocent drivers. If you believe you have been wrongly accused of drunk driving or need help fighting a charge, you will want to work with an experienced Seattle DUI attorney.

The penalties for drunk driving are very severe. Discuss your case with an attorney at Wolff Criminal Defense to learn your options and defenses. You can schedule a consultation with an advocate for your rights by calling 425-284-2000. Don't fight your fight alone.