Halloween can be a fun, exciting holiday for many families. However, with so many pedestrians and motorists on the road during Halloween evening and night, it can also be a dangerous situation without taking proper precautions. It is important to understand the hazards that you may face when driving or walking around on Halloween so that you can take steps to stay safe and avoid accidents and injuries.
Drive Safely
Halloween night is one of the most dangerous times of the year to be out on the road, whether you are a driver or a vehicle passenger, or you are biking or walking about. In fact, children are about twice as likely to be involved in a fatal vehicle-related accident on Halloween compared to the rest of the year. This is because many children are out trick-or-treating.
Halloween also sees a spike in drunk driving accidents, as many people go to parties or events on Halloween where alcohol is served.
If you plan to be out driving on Halloween, it is important to drive safely. This includes observing the speed limit and slowing down when driving through residential areas, keeping an eye out for children who may dart into the street, avoiding distractions such as texting or calling, and not driving after drinking.
Wear A Visible Costume
If you plan to be out walking on Halloween while wearing a costume, it is critical to ensure that your costume does not make you less visible to motorists. This may mean choosing a costume with bright colors or adding reflective tape or materials to your costume. You and any young trick-or-treaters that you may be accompanying should ideally carry flashlights or lanterns to also help make you more visible to motorists.
In addition, you should avoid choosing costumes that limit your vision or hearing, since you may not notice approaching vehicles or slipping/tripping hazards on the ground.
Avoid Excessive Drinking
If you do choose to celebrate Halloween with alcohol, it is important to avoid excessive drinking, even if you do not plan to get behind the wheel. While you might plan to walk home from a party or walk to public transit to get home, being excessively drunk can still put you at risk of an accident. Alcohol intoxication may impair your judgment, perception, and reaction time, potentially causing you to step into the path of an oncoming vehicle or fall down the stairs. Excessive drinking can also make you vulnerable to becoming the victim of violent behavior by other individuals.
Teach Your Kids Safe Walking Rules
If you have kids who are going out trick-or-treating, Halloween is a good opportunity to review safe walking rules. Important rules to teach young children include stopping at the curb and looking both ways before crossing the street, using crosswalks and intersections whenever possible, and staying on the sidewalk or as close to the side of the road as possible. The excitement of trick-or-treating may cause kids to forget the pedestrian rules of the road. This also makes it important to have a responsible adult escort for younger children who may not have the experience to trick-or-treat on their own.
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Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries 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 Camili & Capo, PA represent clients injured in Teaneck, Fort Lee, Orange, Paramus, and throughout New Jersey. Call (973) 834-8457 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 1 Lower Notch Road, Little Falls, NJ 07424, as well as offices located in Hackensack, Newark, and New Brunswick.
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.
