Halloween Safety for Pedestrians and Drivers

Halloween night brings increased safety risks for both pedestrians and drivers. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the potential for auto accidents involving young children increases four times on Halloween night. Whether you will be trick-or-treating with your family or out on the roadway, proceeding with caution during this festive night is a safety must.

Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

If you will be taking a child trick-or-treating this Halloween, the following tips can help you and your family have a fun and an injury-free night.  Never allow a child under the age of 12 to be out alone on Halloween night.  Adult supervision can ensure that children cross streets at corners or crosswalks and stick to familiar, well lit areas.  Using face paint rather than vision-obstructing masks, decorating costumes with reflective tape, and carrying glow sticks can also prevent accidents as children walk through neighborhoods.  Children should be reminded never to get into a stranger’s car. With increased traffic on the roadway, children can easily mistake their own car for the car of someone else. Placing an identifiable mark on your car such as a lighted Jack-O-Lantern on your dashboard can help children identify your car and remain safe on Halloween night.

Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers

Many parents allow their children to trick or treat in neighborhoods while they follow behind in the car.  This can cause traffic jams, driver distraction and children dashing between cars – all potentially dangerous activities.  If you will be accompanying your trick or treater in the car, be sure to follow the Halloween safety tips for drivers discussed below.

Driving around pedestrian neighborhoods on Halloween night requires extra vigilance as safety hazards increase during the prime trick-or-treating hours of 5:30 to 9:30 PM. Statistics show that children are twice as more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Increased pedestrian traffic requires drivers to exercise extra care when entering and exiting driveways, alleys and crosswalks.  Drivers should be ready for children wearing dark costumes and children unexpectedly dashing into roadways.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, drunk driving resulted in 23% of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night between 2007 and 2011.  Driving sober, driving under the posted speed limits, not passing other drivers on the road, and eliminating all distractions while driving are essential precautions if you will be on the roads. One particularly dangerous distraction is the use of cell phones or other electronic devices while driving. Given the unpredictability of pedestrian foot traffic on Halloween night, drivers should pull over and turn off their vehicles if they intend to use their cell phones.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys at Galfand Berger Represent Injured Individuals and their Families

Unfortunately, Halloween night accidents can result in significant physical injuries that require extensive and expensive medical treatment.  If you or your loved one has been injured due to the negligence, carelessness or recklessness of another, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger work with injured individuals to help them recover medical treatment costs, lost wages and compensation for pain and suffering.

With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Reading and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania our dedicated accident attorneys serve personal injury clients throughout Pennsylvania, including the Harrisburg and Allentown region, as well as Southern New Jersey.  To schedule your free confidential consultation today, call Galfand Berger at 1-800-222-8792 or submit an online inquiry form.