Trick-or-Treating Traffic Safety
October has arrived, and that means the time has come once again for children and adults to venture out in their favorite Halloween costumes and enjoy this glorious holiday. Whether you choose to be a witch, superhero, video game character, or favorite movie heroine, you’re sure to have a wonderful time with friends and family.
On Halloween night, the influx of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoods will mean that the importance of traffic safety will be at an all-time high. Here are a few tips for both those roaming the streets in search of candy and drivers behind the wheel in neighborhoods and on main streets.
Traffic Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters
If you’re amongst the millions of trick-or-treaters clamoring for candy, follow these tips to help you stay safe:
Wear Bright Colors or Reflectors and Use a Flashlight
Since most trick-or-treating occurs at night, it’s important that you remain visible to the vehicles around you at all times. Wearing brightly colored costumes is a great way to accomplish this. If you doubt your visibility or simply want to go an extra step, adding reflectors will allow drivers to be even more aware of your location. Also be sure to use a flashlight. The light the flashlight casts will help drivers see you even earlier. It’s also useful for spotting tripping hazards or other unfamiliar terrains when going door-to-door for treats.
Stay in a Group
As they say, there is safety in numbers – and this may be no truer than on the night of Halloween. The larger your group, the more likely that drivers in the neighborhood will notice you and exercise caution. As you venture from house to house, make sure that you stay close together and move as one unit instead of splitting up.
Look Both Ways, Even in Your Own Neighborhood
It’s understandable that you and your children are out having fun, and you probably feel relatively safe because you’re in your own neighborhood. But, this is not the time to be lax on pedestrian safety. Even when you’re simply crossing the street to go from one house to the next, make sure that you look both ways to avoid any oncoming traffic.
Traffic Safety Tips for Drivers
Now that we’ve covered a few tips for trick-or-treaters, let’s switch gears and focus on a few driving tips:
Expect the Unexpected
Any time you drive through a neighborhood, you must be aware that a child could dart out in front of you at any moment. But on the night of Halloween, with so many kids out on the streets, this is even more likely. You should always be paying close attention to the roadway, but on this particular night, you should definitely put in a little extra effort.
Avoid Popular Areas
Certain neighborhoods in your area are probably known as popular hotspots during Halloween, whether it’s because a lot of children live in that area or because generous homeowners tend to give out a lot of candy. A good rule of thumb is to avoid driving in these areas while trick-or-treaters abound, especially once the sun goes down.
Stay off the Road Entirely
If you don’t have to drive to make your way to Halloween festivities, the best way to avoid an accident or injury on Halloween is to simply stay at home rather than go out onto the road, especially at night when children and adults will be roaming the neighborhoods. In fact, what you should do is pick up a few packages of candy yourself, before Halloween night, and make plans to greet trick-or-treaters at the door.
Traffic safety is an important subject any time of the year. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a traffic accident, you need an experienced attorney who will fight for your rights. Call Mintz Law Firm today for a free case evaluation.