Staying Safe This Spooky Halloween: How to Avoid Car Accidents

As Halloween approaches, we need not only worry about what costumes we will be wearing this year, but more importantly, how we will keep safe on the dark and sometimes spooky roads.

While Halloween is a festive and exciting day, it’s also important to remember that there is a much higher risk of car/pedestrian accidents. With an abundance of cars on the road, especially after dark, a child negligently running into the street can spell disaster.

According to a recent study by State Farm Insurance, an average of 5.5 children are killed nationwide on Halloween in pedestrian vs. car accidents. While shocking, it’s also a sad reality.

We all want our friends and loved ones to be able to go out and enjoy the night, so we should ALL do our part in keeping the roads safe this Halloween. Here are just a few ways to keep both pedestrians and drivers safe out there.

Drivers

The truth is that on Halloween night there are dozens of distractions: hundreds of children running around in the most amazing costumes, tantalizing haunted houses, and even your own children excitedly screaming in the back seat about how much candy they’re collecting.

This can be a recipe for disaster so keep these suggestions in mind:

• Stay focused and put the cell phone DOWN. As much as you would like to take a photo of that cute Princess Belle walking around, don’t do it! Using your cell phone while driving can cause serious injury to not only yourself, but others around you. Stay focused on the road.
• Use your driving communication at all times. Failure to use signals can cause other drivers around you to not yield in time, causing unwanted accidents. Also, if you are pulling over to drop off your children be sure to use your hazards. This is helpful in warning surrounding traffic to stay cautious.
• Drive slowly. This sounds like a no brainer, but Halloween can be hectic. With so much going on, you might want to take it a little faster to get to that party you’ve been looking forward to all week. Take it slow. Also, if driving in neighborhoods, go under the posted speed limit. With the streets full of children the last thing you want to do is speed through a packed road.
• Refrain from passing other vehicles. If a car is stopped, be patient and look out for children possibly exiting the vehicle.
• Be extra cautious of children running across the street. Keep a sharp eye out, as it can be difficult to spot them in the late hours of the night.
• DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. If you are going out to a gathering where drinking will be involved, make sure to call a cab or have a designated driver. Remember, drive sober or get pulled over.

Pedestrians

• Children under 12 should always be supervised. If you cannot attend them, ask a neighbor or family member for some help.
• Stay in areas that are well lit. If it’s too dark, you can be hidden from a driver’s vision and they might not stop in time.
• Only cross the street at designated crosswalks. It may seem to be a quicker approach to go between traffic, but it’s not worth your life. Car/pedestrian accidents can occur in the blink of an eye, so be smart and look every which way.
• Stay noticed. Whether it’s with a flashlight or reflectors always have some sort of way to be seen by drivers. Also, it’s easy for a driver to not notice dark costumes, so try and use bright colors, which are more visible and can be seen from afar.
• Don’t use electronic devices. Just like drivers, using your mobile device while walking the streets can be extremely dangerous. Don’t be distracted and keep a close eye out for ALL traffic at ALL times.

Here at J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys, we want you to have a safe and fun Halloween.

Halloween is one of the America’s sweetest holidays and at J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys we want to make it as fun as possible! Share these tips with your friends and family to ensure that they are aware of what to look out for on one of the best nights of the year.

If you or a loved one is unfortunately involved in any sort of car accident this Halloween, don’t hesitate to call us. We will get you the justice you deserve.

Reach us at 956-630-6700.