With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, police are reminding drivers to be extra careful.

Sgt. Craig Price said Lincoln Police are amping up sobriety checkpoints in the city in an effort to curb driving under the influence on Halloween night.

"This is simply a public safety event," Price said. "We want to make sure the public is aware we're out there, we want to deter impaired driving and we want people to know that it's okay to go out and have fun but we want people to make sure they're safe by having a designated driver."

The effort isn't in vain. National statistics show 58% of all highway fatalities on Halloween night are alcohol related.

"We've had extra officers come in on grant funding and do some extra patrol for DWI enforcement," said Price.

Price said this year may be especially frightful because it falls on a Saturday.

"It's a weekend and then you have the celebration of the holiday and usually we see more criminal type activity and possibly more problems from traffic related incidents," Price said.

LPD urges party goers to make plans before the festivities begin.

"It's absolutely important that people have a designated driver plan picked out way before," said Price. "Obviously drinking affects judgment."

So they and others can have a safe and happy Halloween.

In addition, state health officials say children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is emphasizing pedestrian safety to keep trick-or-treaters safe.

Department officials remind parents and caregivers to make sure children stay visible to drivers by carrying glow sticks or flashlights or putting reflective tape on costumes and bags.

Parents also need to remind children to cross streets at crosswalks. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.

Drivers, meanwhile, should remain alert, slow down and look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.

Officials say that children sick with the swine flu or other viruses should stay home.