5 Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters and Drivers

October is a month for many awareness events, but October 31st is a day that all kids (and some adults) look forward to- Halloween! We hope you enjoy your Halloween festivities and trick-or-treating!

October has brought with it sunshine, rain, gusts of wind and cooler temperatures. Halloween may bring cool weather and rain to your area, so it is important to take some extra precautions when trick-or-treating and when driving through residential areas on your way home.

Our blog post will discuss:

• Scary statistics
• 5 safety tips for trick-or-treaters
• 5 safety tips for drivers.

The scary statistics

Regardless of what time you are on the road, and of the weather, there are certain safety recommendations that you should bear in mind when it comes to ensuring the safety of all road users, including trick-or-treaters.

According to a recent study from the University of British Colombia (UBC), Halloween is the deadliest night for pedestrians. Researchers compared data from 1975 to 2016. They found the most dangerous times were between 5pm and 8pm.

Important study findings include:

• Pedestrians have a 43% greater risk of being fatally struck by a car on Halloween (compared to a regular fall night).
• Children are at the highest risk of being struck by a vehicle.
• Children aged 4 to 8 are at the highest risk and are 10 times more likely to be killed by vehicles than on another night.
• On average, Halloween resulted in 4 additional pedestrian deaths every year with almost all the victims being children or young adults.

Safety tips for trick-or-treaters (and their parents)

Make Yourself Seen

Costumes should be light coloured or have reflective patches or make use of reflective paint (and consider putting reflective tape or paint on accessories too).

Be careful of costume length

Make sure that your kids can walk in their costumes without tripping or falling.

Paint It

Use face paint in place of a mask or something that obstructs the eyes/line of vision.

Cross Safely

Cross the street in well-lit areas and at marked intersections where possible.

Lights, Lights, Lights

Carry a flashlight and stay in well-lit areas where possible.

Safety tips for drivers

Slow Down

Halloween = Increased pedestrian traffic, so slow down. Do not speed in residential areas, drive slowly, don’t be in a hurry (even though it may be “rush hour”).

BOLO

Be on the lookout for children and other pedestrians crossing the street (or the road) in residential areas, as they may not be crossing at intersections.

Be Patient

Expect large groups of people to be crossing; be patient and let them finish crossing before proceeding through an intersection.

Look out

Watch out for signs of moving objects like debris, or it could just be people or kids in dark costumes.

No distractions

Keep your distractions to a minimum, put your phone in silent, and your handheld devices away so you are not tempted to look at them. Don’t drive distracted!