A recent study found that 35 million children go trick-or-treating on Halloween. For many children it is one of the most memorable nights of the year. While many of the fears surrounding Halloween involve
ghosts and goblins, there is a more practical worry for parents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did a study of data between 1994-2017 and found that children were 18 times
more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident if Halloween fell on a weeknight. The study went on to find that a majority of those accidents occurred between 6 pm and 7pm, as people were commuting
home. Additionally, 25 percent of injuries on Halloween involve walking from house to house. The question then becomes, how do we keep our children safe?
1. Be Aware of Your Surroundings
The reason that most accidents occur between 6 pm and 7 pm is because the sun is setting while people are returning home, causing low visibility. It is hard for drivers to see small children at dusk. The study
mentioned above found that many of the accidents involving children being hit by cars also involved a parent that was either looking at their phone or not with their children. As a parent, we must stay
aware to keep our children safe.
2. Use Reflective Material On Costumes
Every child wants to have the scariest or most realistic costume they can, but those are not necessarily safe costumes. A costume that is all black because the child wants to be a ninja, or vampire, or Wednesday Addams may look great, but its very hard to see when it starts to get dark out. Small reflective strips will help drivers in the road see your child sooner, and every second counts when trying
to avoid an accident.
3. Carry a Flashlight
This seems obvious, as most trick-or-treating is done in the dark, but it is easy to fall when you can’t see where you are going. The study mentioned above found that most of the walking injuries on Halloween
involved people walking in the dark without a flashlight. Homeowners have a duty to maintain the sidewalks and walkways in front of their house, but that doesn’t mean they always live up to the
expectations. Amazon now sells a wrist strap to hold a flashlight, allowing your children to carry a flashlight and a candy bag at the same time. The flashlight acts as a way to warn cars of their presence
as well.
Everyone at Leighton, Katz, and Drapeau wish you a happy and safe Halloween.
