Halloween night calls for fun costumes and lots of candy. However, many don’t realize how dangerous it can be to go trick-or-treating and we’re not referring to witches and goblins! Road safety is often overlooked on Halloween, which is hasty considering trick-or-treating takes place on roads. Not only is it important to talk to your kids about road safety, but it’s important for you to practice safe driving as well.

On average, twice as many child pedestrians are killed while walking on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. The US Census Bureau estimated that there were 14.1 million trick-or-treaters last year and we can anticipate a similar number in 2018.

Halloween Safe Driving Tips

To stay safe this Halloween follow our list of Halloween safe driving tips and share it with friends and family to encourage a safer trick-or-treating experience this year.

Be especially careful on the roads during the hours of 5pm and 9pm. These are prime trick-or-treating hours and it becomes harder to see when the sun goes down. When the sun does set completely, watch out for kids wearing dark colored costumes. If you have trick-or-treaters of your own consider adding some reflective tape to their costumes so it’s easier for drivers to see them.
Put your phone away while driving. You are 4 times more likely to crash while driving if you’re using your cell phone, and there is no difference between handheld and handsfree.
Don’t drink and drive. 44% of casualties on Halloween are caused by drunk driving. If you do plan to drink, assign someone to be the designated driver so you and the trick-or-treaters can stay safe.
Practice safe driving by communicating with other drivers and pedestrians with your turn signals and hazard lights. Use your turn signal when making turns and turn on your hazards when you’re stopping the car to let your kids out. Also, be careful when passing parked cars as they are probably loading or unloading their kids.
Watch for children crossing the street. They don’t always cross in designated crossing zones, especially in neighborhoods, and most young pedestrian casualties happen away from intersections.
Lastly, remember to slow down. Kids are excited on Halloween night and may not be as careful as they should, so it’s important to always anticipate them around every corner.

Halloween Safety Tips

If you have some trick-or-treaters of your own talk to them about road safety. Teach them to safely cross the street by using the crosswalk and looking both ways before crossing. If you have more tips on how to stay safe this Halloween share it with us on Facebook or Twitter, and share this post to keep your friends and family safe this Halloween!