Halloween Safety

Now that fall is in full swing and Halloween is upon us, it is important to remember with all the festivities to stay safe! Everyone wants to have fun this time of year but accidents do happen and some can cause serious injury. Here are some quick statistics to keep in mind when entering the streets after dark and some safety tips to have on hand.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, last year on Halloween night, three times the amount of fatalities occurred than on a normal day, and intoxicated drivers caused nearly a third of those deaths. Another scary statistic is that thirty percent of Halloween crash fatalities were pedestrians, compared to only sixteen percent on an average day. The National Safety Council states that children are more than twice more likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.

Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

1. ALWAYS make sure to look both ways multiple times before crossing the road.
2. Make sure to walk on a sidewalk if possible and try to stay out of the center of the street.
3. Children under the age of 13 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If your child is old enough to be out past dark, make sure they are familiar with the area and try to stay visible at all times.
4. Reflective tape and glow sticks are great tools to use to decorate costumes or candy collectors so that your child remains visible to motorists.
5. Encourage your kids to take pictures at home if possible so that they are not distracted.
6. Children and parents are encouraged to refrain from looking down at their phones while they are out and about.

Safety Tips for Motorists

1. Stay alert while driving on Halloween night, especially in neighborhoods and remember to drive slowly as kids can be unpredictable when excited.
2. Trick-or-Treaters are typically out from 5:00pm-10:00pm and you should be extra cautious during these hours.
3. Make sure to enter and exit driveways carefully all throughout the evening.
4. Keep in mind some kids will be in dark clothing and you should be watchful at all times when driving.
5. New or inexperienced drivers should be discouraged from driving on Halloween night just to be safe.

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