Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers
During trick-or-treating hours, typically between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., drivers must be extra alert. Many young children who may not always follow pedestrian safety rules and costumes can limit their visibility.
The surge in pedestrian traffic on residential streets during Halloween requires drivers to be extra vigilant and follow the following safety tips.
Use Your Headlights
According to California law, headlights are required when it’s dark outside. On Halloween, it’s recommended to use your headlights, even before the sun has started setting. Headlights can help children and other pedestrians see oncoming vehicles.
Low-light conditions can make costumes blend into the background, making it critical for drivers to enhance visibility for themselves and those around them. High beams can be helpful on rural roads, but in neighborhoods, low beams are recommended for oncoming traffic and nearby pedestrians.
Avoid Distractions
Distracted driving claims over 3,000 lives each year in the US. Even a moment’s distraction can lead to serious consequences. It’s crucial to look out for children potentially running across streets and walking between parked cars. Drivers should avoid using their phones, adjusting the radio, or any other non-driving activity that takes their focus off the road. Also, ensure you get enough sleep because fatigued driving can impact your driving ability regarding attention, coordination, and reaction time.
Follow Traffic Laws and Slow Down
Speeding is a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities. Due to the increased foot traffic on Halloween, motorists should ensure they drive slower than posted speed limits. Obeying speed limits, yielding to pedestrians, and following all traffic signals are crucial to keep kids safe.
Watch for children darting between parked cars or running across the street without looking. Driving slower than the speed limit will give you more time and space to stop suddenly to avoid potential accidents.
Be Extra Cautious Around Driveways and Intersections
More than half of all fatal and injury crashes occur at or near intersections. Be extra cautious, slow down as you approach intersections, and scan your surroundings before proceeding.
In addition, be extremely careful when pulling onto a street or exiting a driveway. Many children are focused on their next destination for trick-or-treating. Therefore, they may be distracted or not actively check for cars, making it crucial for drivers to be extra vigilant in these high-risk zones.
Never Drink and Drive
Each day, 37 people lose their lives in drunk-driving crashes across the US. Drinking and driving is illegal and a risk that should never be taken. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair a driver’s reaction time and decision-making abilities, increasing the chances of an accident. If you plan on drinking, always ensure you have a sober ride home.
Be a Designated Driver
Being a designated driver can mean the difference between a safe ride home and a preventable tragedy. During Halloween festivities, volunteering to stay sober and drive friends or family is a proactive way to contribute to road safety.
Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters
Children are especially vulnerable road users. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
Parents or guardians should always accompany young children and ensure they know the following Halloween safety tips.
Ensure Costumes Fit Properly
When selecting costumes, ensure they fit well to prevent trips and falls. Costumes that are too long or have loose accessories can become tripping hazards. Also, choose face paint over masks, as masks can limit children’s vision.
Increase Visibility
The traffic fatality rate at night is three times higher than the daytime rate. Furthermore, about 76% of pedestrian deaths occur at nighttime. It’s important for parents to help their kids choose costumes that are light and bright colors and add reflective tape.
Reflective tape, glow sticks, and flashlights can make trick-or-treaters more visible to drivers. These safety precautions can help trick-or-treaters stand out and make it easier for drivers to notice them from a distance. It’s also a good idea to create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely and prevent walking alone.
Obey Traffic Signals
It’s tempting for excited children to dart across streets without paying attention to traffic signals, but it’s important to emphasize waiting for crosswalk signals or green lights. Remind children to respect all traffic signals, as drivers are more likely to be watching for pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks. Teaching children to adhere to traffic laws helps protect them and can set a positive example for others.
Use Designated Crosswalks or Intersections
Children often want to cross the street directly from house to house, but using crosswalks increases the chance that drivers will see them. Always try to cross well-lit streets. Teach children to use designated crosswalks, stay on the sidewalk, and avoid walking in the street.
Look Left, Right, and Left Again
Teaching children to look left, right, and then left again before crossing the street can reinforce safe crossing habits. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of Halloween, but taking a moment to check for traffic is critical. Looking both ways allows pedestrians to spot any oncoming vehicles and can help prevent accidents.
Avoid Crossing Between Parked Cars
Crossing between parked cars can be dangerous, as it limits a driver’s ability to see pedestrians. Trick-or-treaters should avoid crossing between vehicles and instead find a crosswalk to cross safely. Parents can explain that crossing in clear, visible areas helps drivers notice them, preventing potential accidents.
Halloween Car Accident Statistics
- According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic fatalities increase by 13% on Halloween compared with other days of the year.
- The risk of pedestrian fatalities increases by about 43% on Halloween compared to other nights in the US.
- Between 2017-2021, there were 159 people killed in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night.
- People between the ages of 21 and 34 accounted for the greatest percentage of drunk-driving crash fatalities in 2021.
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