Halloween used to warn of drunken-driving danger

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 11:30 a.m.

ASpring Valley man found a scarier way than pumpkins and cardboard cutouts to decorate his yard for Halloween and teach passers-by a valuable lesson.

With the help of a tow truck, Michael Roberts last week created a mock crash site in his driveway.

He piled a beat-up 1987 Cadillac on top of an upside-down 1985 Ford and surrounded the scene with yellow caution tape.

The sign on the front gate reads, "Don't drink and drive."

The unusual display at the house in the 2300 block of South Cimarron Road, between Sahara Avenue and Oakey Boulevard, is Roberts' way of making Las Vegans think this Halloween about the dangers of drinking and driving.

The father of two young children, Roberts said he came up with the idea after losing several friends in car accidents that involved alcohol. He said he knew the crash site would get people's attention.

"Hopefully people will read the sign and something will sink in," Roberts said. "Maybe it will make people think twice before they get in their car."

Though Roberts doesn't usually decorate his yard for the holiday, this year he went the extra mile to make his display stand out, he said.

Roberts hung mannequins outside the car windows and doors and tossed a few plastic limbs on the ground. As an added touch, he decorated the hood of one car with an empty six-pack of Coors Light.

"It won't reach everybody," Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Trooper Alan Davidson said this morning. "But we hope it reminds those who see it to drink responsibly."

An insurance broker, Roberts said he often hears stories from people on both sides of DUI accidents.

"I think everyone knows at least one person who was killed by a drunk driver," Roberts said. "It's hard not to in this city. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, 'I wish I wouldn't have taken that last drink.' "

While the display is the only one of its kind in the neighborhood of older brick houses and well-manicured lawns, Roberts said no one has complained.

"We're a really close-knit community," he said. "I talked to the neighbors before I put it up and they were fine with it. Metro even came by and said 'great display.' "

Karen Strawn, who lives four houses down from Roberts, said while she doesn't have a problem with the display, she's not sure if its message will be far-reaching.

"If we had things like that around in some better displayed areas it might make a great difference," she said. "We do get a lot of traffic coming by but I don't know if it's enough that would deter drinking and driving."

Roberts' and Strawn's houses are two of only 10 houses on the short residential block that ends in a dirt road.

Roberts said he hopes the display will continue to slow down drivers who often speed down Cimarron Road at speeds of more than 50 mph.

People who drove past Roberts' house Monday evening slowed down to get a better look at the display. Some drivers came to a complete stop and got out of their cars.

"A lot of people are slamming on their brakes to see," he said. "But normally, people fly down this street."

Strawn said traffic on the street is so dangerous that she is thinking about moving.

"It's awful," she said. "The traffic is getting so heavy and the people speed so much. I have grandchildren that I don't even let go in the front yard."

Roberts, who also works as a wholesale car dealer, said the mock crash site was an inexpensive project.

He bought the cars from a local towing company for less than $40.

Though both cars still run, Roberts said, all the fluids were drained from the cars for safety reasons.

Roberts bought the mannequins from a mannequin store in Boulder City. The entire display took only a few hours to build, he said.

He said he plans to take the display down after Halloween.

While the crash site display is a hard act to follow, Roberts offered a little encouragement for other Las Vegans who want to get creative this Halloween.

"The hardest part is getting the idea," he said. "The rest is easy."