SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For many people, a happy Halloween means ending the night safe at home with a bag full of candy. For drivers out there, you want to make sure you’re paying attention and are aware of your surroundings.
According to AAA, Halloween night can be one of the most dangerous nights for children and pedestrians.
A spokesperson for AAA says staying alert can be difficult on Halloween night due to the amount of decorations and kids out on the roads.
AAA says drivers should drive extra slow, have their lights on but not their brights, and avoid driving during peak trick-or-treat hours, which is right after work around 6 p.m.
According to the US Department of Transportation, evening hours are the deadliest time on the road, so drivers and pedestrians should be on guard with the end of daylight saving time. In 2012, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every seven minutes in traffic crashes. Most of these pedestrian deaths occur in urban environments.
There are also steps parents can take to keep their kids safe when it comes to adapting their child's costume.
“Do things like wear reflective items, wear glow bracelets or glow necklaces that don’t take away from their costumes, but get kids excited about wearing them. Also it’s not too late now to get a bag or a basket that has lights on it, anything to get the attention of drivers nearby,” said John Treanor with AAA.
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