Road Safety Tips To Keep In Mind For Halloween
Halloween: it’s the scariest time of year to be on the road. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranks October 31 as one of the three deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, and the top deadliest day of the year for pedestrians between the ages of 5 and 14. Leave the thrills and chills to the trick-or-treaters and costumed partygoers with these safe driving tips!
Be Mindful of the Trick-or-Treaters
In the days leading up to Halloween, children will be out trick-or-treating all over the United States. If you have to travel during peak trick-or-treat times (between 4PM and 8PM), keep the following road safety tips in mind:
- Drive slowly and make sure you have plenty of time to reach your destination.
- Watch for children on sidewalks, medians, curbs and the spaces between parked cars. Kids are excitable and unpredictable, and they may dart in front of you without warning.
- Many Halloween costumes are dark, so keep a sharp eye on the road, particularly after dark.
- Don’t pass stopped vehicles, because they may be dropping off trick-or-treaters.
- Avoid listening to the radio or talking on the phone. Even if you can’t see trick-or-treaters, you may be able to hear them.
- Be especially careful if you need to back out of a driveway or alley.
The safest thing you can do is avoid traveling during trick-or-treat hours altogether, especially in residential areas. However, if you must be out on trick-or-treat night, leave yourself plenty of time, and keep the safety of the children at the front of your mind.
Driving Safely on Halloween
Of course, Halloween isn’t only for the trick-or-treaters. Use these tips to stay safe on the way to and from your own festivities:
- Before you leave, make sure headlights, tail lights and turn signals are working properly so that you are visible to both pedestrians and fellow motorists.
- Skip masks, wings, capes, high heels and other elaborate accessories, or put them on after you’ve reached your destination so that they don’t restrict your visibility and range of motion.
- Don’t drink and drive. According to the NHTSA, 23-percent of pedestrian deaths on Halloween between 2007 and 2011 involved a drunk driver in some way.
There’s a big difference between spooky fun and dangerous scares. Follow these car safety tips to drive safely so that you, and every one in your neighborhood, have a happy Halloween!
