Tips for Preventing a Halloween Pedestrian Accident

Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays for many children, as they get to dress up in fun costumes and trick-or-treat around the neighborhood to collect candy. However, Halloween is also one of the most dangerous days for children. With so many children walking around for trick-or-treating, the rate of pedestrian accidents on Halloween skyrockets. If you and/or your children plan on going out in the neighborhood on Halloween, here are some tips to follow to help keep you safe from a pedestrian accident. 

Halloween Accident Stats

A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that child pedestrian deaths spike on Halloween. The study reported that pedestrian deaths account for around 15 percent of all motor vehicle-related deaths for children aged 0 to 19. The study further found that children had substantially higher rates of pedestrian accident deaths on Halloween evening, defined as 4 PM to 10 PM, compared to every other evening in the year. During the years of the study, while an average of one child pedestrian death occurred every evening, Halloween evening saw an average of four child pedestrian deaths. 

Reasons Why Pedestrian Accidents Occur on Halloween

Several factors why child pedestrian accidents increase on Halloween evening include:

• Most children are out walking around for Halloween, which means more opportunities for an accident between a child and a motor vehicle
• Trick-or-treating usually occurs between the hours of 4 PM and 10 PM, which means that children are walking in low lighting during dusk and after sunset. 
• Halloween costumes made of darker colors can make pedestrians harder for drivers to see
• Children may become overexcited while out trick-or-treating and may forget pedestrian safety rules when they dart across the street in front of oncoming vehicles
• Adults may celebrate Halloween by going out to parties and drinking, after which they may make the mistake of getting behind the wheel

How to Help Keep Your Child Safe While Trick-or-Treating

Tips to help keep your child safe if they are going out trick-or-treating this year include:

• Keep visibility in mind when choosing costumes – Ideally, you should choose costumes for your children (and yourself) that are brightly colored. If a costume is made of darker fabrics, you should add reflective tape or attach glowsticks. In addition to carrying flashlights or lanterns, this will help make you and your children more visible to drivers. You should also avoid masks that can make it harder to see or hear.
• Plan a trick-or-treating route – Your children should follow a route that minimizes crossing the street, and only crosses the street at marked crosswalks or at intersections with stop signs or traffic lights.
• Exercise caution when crossing the street – You and your children should always look both ways before crossing the street, refraining from crossing in the middle of the block except at a marked crosswalk. If you see an approaching vehicle, never assume that the driver sees you.
• Always stay on the sidewalk – If a street has a paved sidewalk, use it; if there is no sidewalk, walk as close to the edge of the street as possible on the side of the street facing oncoming traffic.

Contact a Hamilton Township Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Pedestrian Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries because of a pedestrian accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Hartman Duff, LLC represent clients injured by pedestrian accidents in Hamilton Township, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton, and throughout New Jersey. Call 609-853-5579 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2681 Quakerbridge Rd., Trenton, NJ 08619.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.