Halloween and Pedestrian Safety

With Halloween quickly approaching, children and parents alike are probably more focused on planning the perfect costume or the spookiest party than on pedestrian safety. But keeping your kids safe this Halloween means taking some preemptive measures.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study reports that pedestrian deaths among children are four times higher on Halloween night than on any other night of the year, and while the study was conducted in the late 1990s, the unique combination of risk factors on Halloween hasn’t changed. Kids are still out and about after dark, in costume and sometimes unsupervised.

A safe Halloween depends on the good judgment of trick-or-treaters, parents and motorists alike. But because it’s impossible for parents to prevent negligent or irresponsible behavior on the part of motorists, it’s crucial that you educate your children on the best ways of minimizing risk and preventing injury.

Although everyone wants to have an amazing Halloween costume, don’t let this impulse compromise your child’s safety. To minimize the risk of slip and fall injuries, avoid costumes that hang too low, and wear practical footwear. In addition, masks and dark glasses can negatively affect your child’s ability to see. Make sure your child avoids dark colors, wears something reflective and has a flashlight.

The normal rules of pedestrian behavior still need to be observed on Halloween. Remind your kids to stick to sidewalks whenever possible, and to cross streets at the safest possible locations. Crosswalks with traffic signals are ideal if they’re an option. Otherwise, some of the simplest pieces of advice, like looking both ways before crossing a street, can be the smartest and safest way of avoiding injury.

An injury to a child can be particularly devastating for your family, so get the legal advice you need and deserve by working with the respected personal injury attorneys at [ln::firm_name] in New York City.