With all the fun and festivities of trick-or-treating, it can be easy to forget a frightening reality: Halloween continues to be the most dangerous day for child pedestrians.
An analysis of the ten most recent years of federal data available by Safe Kids Worldwide found that child pedestrians under 18 are three- and-a-half times more likely to be fatally injured by a motor vehicle on October 31 than on the average day of the year.
“Whether it’s fall festivals, pumpkin picking, corn mazes, or on Halloween night, this is the time to focus on putting phones down, heads-up, making eye contact with drivers, and remembering other important safety tips that can prevent injuries and save lives,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide.
Here are our top tips to help children have fun and stay safe on Halloween:
Teach trick-or-treaters to:
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again before crossing and keep checking for vehicles as you cross. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Put cell phones down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Parent and caregiver advice:
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors to increase visibility.
• Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
• When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
• Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. Remind older kids who can be out without an adult to trick-or-treat in groups and to stick to familiar areas.
Driver Alert:
• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Avoid any driving distractions - like your phone - so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to reduce unintentional injuries to children ages 0-14 and build equitable and sustained systems that support injury prevention. Since 1988, Safe Kids and its partners have contributed to a more than 60 percent reduction in the rate of fatal childhood unintentional injury in the U.S. Learn more at safekids.org.
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