For many people and families, Halloween is one of the most treasured, carefree nights of the year. An opportunity to dress up, go out in the neighborhood or to parties, and generally let loose, the anything-goes attitude of Halloween can also, unfortunately, lead to a heightened risk of accidents.
Accident awareness on Halloween can help you and your loved ones stay safe. However, should you happen to be injured or involved in a Halloween accident, there are many resources available to you. CarAccident.Law can help you recover after a collision.
Pedestrian Accidents
While anyone can be at risk walking at night on Halloween, it’s important to take extra care with children. Halloween is the deadliest night of the year for child pedestrian safety, according to an analysis by State Farm. On October 31st, child pedestrian fatalities more than double compared to the average number that take place on any other day of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day.
Making sure your children are visible is one of the most important ways to protect them, and yourself, while trick-or-treating on Halloween. Relying on the fading light of twilight unfortunately may not be enough, as one-fourth of reported child pedestrian accidents occur between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. Reflective tape, glow sticks, and ensuring your children’s masks or costumes are well-fitting and provide adequate visibility are all useful ways to reduce the risk of Halloween pedestrian accidents.
Automobile Accidents
On average, almost half of traffic fatalities on Halloween night involve alcohol. These tragic losses would have been preventable had it not been for someone’s negligence. In general, drunk driving tends to pose an even greater risk to all parties than a typical vehicular accident, as drivers tend to be moving at a higher speed, and often without a full awareness of the situation.
Relying on a sober designated driver is especially important on Halloween night, as is cautioning younger drivers.
Young drivers ages 21-34 account for the most fatalities involving drunk driving on Halloween night.
