Safety Tips For Halloween Night

The following safety tips come from AAA of Southern New England.

Halloween, one of the most festive nights of the year for children, just got scarier!

It may bring out spooky vampires, giggling princesses and favorite superheroes on neighborhood streets. But the holiday has a dark side: it’s the deadliest night of the year for pedestrians, especially between the witching hours of 4 p.m. and midnight, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the National AAA’s research and education arm.

“That’s the time motorists need to be especially vigilant; it’s the time when pedestrians are most vulnerable,” said Fran Mayko, public affairs manager of AAA Southern New England. “You may very well save a life by slowing down, watching for trick-or-treaters or designating a sober driver.”

Nationwide, Halloween is a particularly deadly night because there’s a great potential for an increase in motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents especially when a large number of adult partygoers are on the road the same night as trick or treaters area.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 38 percent of fatalities on Halloween night occurred in a crash involving a driver or a motorcycle operator with a BAC of .08 or higher.

With this in mind, AAA Southern New England reminds motorists to expect the unexpected this Halloween and offers these common-sense safety tips:

Motorists should:

• Avoid neighborhood shortcuts. If possible, avoid cutting through residential streets where trick-or-treaters are likely to be present.
• Watch for children in the street. They’ll be walking along roadways, standing on medians, waiting on curbs.  And excited trick-or-treaters, often in dark costumes, may not pay attention to traffic. Them may also cross mid-block or between parked cars.
• When driving, broaden your scan. Look into yards and on front porches, not just to the sidewalk. Like zombies, children will be coming from everywhere.
• Slow down. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian is more than twice as likely to be killed if they’re hit by a car traveling at 35 mph compared to 25 mph. What seems like a small difference — just 10 mph — can be the difference between life and death
• Use your headlights beginning at dusk to make yourself more visible.

Parents  and trick or treaters  should:

• Trick-or-Treat together. AAA recommends that parents accompany young trick-or-treaters at least until the age of 12.
• Make a plan. Review trick-or-treating safety precautions and plan the route ahead of time. Remind children never to cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.
• Check costumes. Choose disguises that don’t obstruct vision and opt for non-toxic face paint instead of masks. Check and adjust the length of costumes to avoid tripping; add reflective material or tape to keep kids visible and are easy to see in darkness. Carry flashlights to increase visibility.
• Buckle up. If driving trick-or-treaters between neighborhoods, always use appropriate car seats and have children exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Partygoers

• Have safe transportation options ready. If you’re intending to consume alcohol, make plans to get home safely by selecting a designated drive or making sure cab service is available from a party location.
• Consider an overnight stay. If attending a party at a friend’s home, consider asking to stay overnight.