Right now, children across Georgia are counting down the hours until they get to don their costumes, grab their candy buckets and hit the neighborhood for a full night of trick-or-treating.
It’s important for children and parents alike to recognize, however, that as much fun as Halloween is, it is not without its dangers. Indeed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has consistently rated the holiday as one of the top three days of the year for pedestrian injuries and deaths.
In case you have a hard time believing it, consider the following figures from AAA:
- The odds of a child being struck by a car on Halloween are four times higher than any other time of the year
- Roughly 33 percent of Halloween-related accident fatalities involve a pedestrian
- From 2009 to 2013, 119 people lost their lives on Halloween night
This naturally raises the question as to what pedestrians can do to stay safe this coming Monday night.
Fortunately, AAA has come up with some simple pedestrian safety tips for trick-or-treaters:
- Walk on the sidewalk as much as possible and, if there are none, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic
- Always look both ways before crossing and only cross the street at corners
- Put a flashlight face down in a treat bucket to enhance visibility and travel with a group
Similarly, AAA offers pedestrian safety tips for parents to help keep their ghosts and goblins safe:
- Ensure costumes and treat buckets are brightly-colored, and equipped with reflective tape
- Ensure that costumes don’t impede vision or utilize props that pose a tripping hazard
- Accompany children 12 and under for the evening, and always discuss safety rules ahead of time regardless of age
Here’s hoping for a safe Halloween across Georgia and throughout the nation …
If you been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent motorist, consider speaking with an experienced legal professional who can fight for justice.
