When looking at Halloween safety statistics, children are twice or more as likely to get hit by a car between 4PM and 8PM on Halloween over any other time of the year. Over 85 percent of these kind of pedestrian accidents happen at non-intersecting locations. When you add the fun night of Halloween with the fact that most children are less aware of their surroundings, this creates a risk for pedestrian accidents and car wrecks.
Here are Halloween safety driving tips for you to follow on Halloween:
- Drive extremely slow: On normal days you should follow the speed limit of your posted signs in neighborhoods, but on Halloween, you should go way below that speed limit. Remember, the slower you drive, the faster you can stop suddenly if needed. This is a big tip for Halloween safety.
- Be totally alert and aware: Kids can dart in and out of nowhere, even straight into the path of your car. Kids are not thinking about your car, they are thinking about trick or treating from house to house. You have to think for them. Don’t get distracted by your radio or cell phone, or anything else that would take your eye of the road.
- Be careful around stopped cars: Many people will stop their car to let their kid out. Instead of riding around it immediately, wait for a while until you have checked the surroundings to make sure a child is not running to or from that stopped car. This is another big tip for Halloween safety.
- Keep your eyes alert ahead: Keeping alert ahead will allow you to make sure you see anyone running around in front or the sides of your vehicle. If you constantly scan your area with your eyes, you will be sure to see any child that could be in the range of your car. This is not only a good tip for Halloween, but should be followed for any type of driving safety.
- Driveways are still dangerous: If you decide to back out your car from the driveway you have to be just as alert as if you were driving down the road, it is very dangerous during this time especially by sidewalks. This is also a good tip for driving safety during any time of the year.
- Hazard lights and mirrors are a must: A good rule to follow is using your hazard lights for drivers in front of you and behind you, as well as any child that are moving around the area of your vehicle. Always utilize your mirrors and look both ways twice to make sure it is safe.
- DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! IF YOU NOTICE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD WHO MAY BE DRUNK, AGGRESSIVE OR CARELESS – CONTACT YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IMMEDIATELY.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck, or have been in a pedestrian accident due to a careless driver, contact Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A. today. We are Personal Injury Attorneys who can help you with your potential personal injury case. To meet with us, call 601-948-8005 or use our live chat on our website. There is no cost associated with meeting with us.
