The fear of finding razor blades in your children’s candy can be terrifying, but unlikely this Halloween. The real dangers you should be warning your children about are typical daily hazards often forgotten on this holiday: automobiles.
Four times as many children are injured on Halloween and twice as many are killed in pedestrian automobile accidents in comparison to the rest of the year! The death rate for teenagers, in particular, is twice as high as that of children killed on Halloween.
Halloween is packed with trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and costume parties. Children and teens are hyped with excitement and may not be paying attention as usual while hustling about from activity to activity.
Teens and adults are equally as distracted this holiday, both on the streets and in their cars. Drunk driving incidents increase 23% every Halloween. A terrifying statistic when you think of the hundreds of thousands of small children running through the streets on this night. Even without using substances, it only takes one incident of distracted driving to miss a tiny Superman ‘flying’ across a dark road.
Before your children and teens set out on their Halloween adventures, don’t forget to review all the safety protocols in your neighborhood to decrease the chance of pedestrian accidents this holiday:
- Follow pedestrian traffic laws by walking facing traffic, not away.
- Always use sidewalks or footpaths if available, or walk well within the grass if they are not.
- Make sure you are looking from left, to right, and left again before crossing the street to ensure no vehicles are coming
- Use reflectors and flashlights as a costume addition to help cars see you on the road.
- Remind your teens of safe driving practices before they are out for the night.
- Review the dangers of driving when drinking or using substances and create a safety-ride plan if if necessary.
Finally, if your child is not of the age to understand or remember walking traffic rules, please do not allow them go out unsupervised by an adult. We know it can be un-cool to bring mom or dad trick-or-treating, but your child’s life and safety is not worth the risk.
Injuries sustained from pedestrian accidents can be devastating to both children and parents. If child has sustained an injury as a result of a reckless pedestrian accident, contact our winning team at Siler and Ingber for your free consultation. Call today at 1-877-718-6079 or contact us online through the form below to schedule an appointment.