Halloween night is all about costumes, candy and kids racing from one house to the next, but that excitement can turn dangerous when drivers and trick-or-treaters aren't watching out for each other. With children expected to fill neighborhoods Saturday, the American Red Cross of Northern Nevada is reminding families that a few simple precautions could help prevent a tragedy.
The danger is especially high for younger children. Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found that pedestrian fatalities are 43% more likely on Halloween than on other evenings. Children ages 4 to 8 are 10 times more likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle that night than on other evenings, based on an analysis of 42 years of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
The risk is greatest around 6 p.m., when more children are out and fading daylight can make them harder to see. Kids may also cross streets unexpectedly or dart out from between parked cars.
“Kids are excited about Halloween, and it’s easy for them to forget about the cars around them,” said Bridget Posson, executive director of the American Red Cross Northern Nevada Chapter. “We want families to enjoy trick-or-treating and get home safely. A few simple precautions can help prevent a serious accident.”
For drivers, that means slowing down in neighborhoods, turning on headlights at dusk and taking extra care at stop signs, intersections and crosswalks. Putting phones away and watching for children is especially important during the busiest trick-or-treating hours, between 6 and 9 p.m. Drivers should also consider taking alternate routes around busy neighborhoods when possible and never get behind the wheel impaired.
Children and their families can take steps to make themselves easier to see, too. Reflective clothing, glow sticks and flashlights can help drivers spot trick-or-treaters. Children should walk instead of run, use sidewalks whenever possible and cross at crosswalks or intersections rather than stepping out between parked cars.
Costumes matter as well. Parents should make sure outfits fit properly and don't block children's vision. Face paint can be a safer alternative to masks that make it harder to see. If there are no sidewalks, trick-or-treaters should walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
Phones can be a distraction for pedestrians, too, so children and adults supervising them should keep their attention on traffic while walking.
A little extra care from drivers and families can help keep Halloween fun from turning into a dangerous night.
