Halloween is that time of the year children love because they get to impersonate their favorite characters and eat candy to their heart’s content. The bad news is that Halloween is the deadliest night of the year for some, when pedestrian accidents are much higher, especially among children.
Children can end up in pedestrian accidents amid all this excitement. The costumes, unsupervised children, and darkness of the night all contribute to the possibility of accidents.
Why children are at a greater risk of Halloween pedestrian accidents
Read on to learn more about the reasons contributing to the rise in pedestrian accidents amongst children around Halloween:
Dangerous costumes
Undoubtedly you want your child to give the best impersonation at Halloween. However, be careful while selecting their costumes.
Avoid making them wear masks that can block their vision. There is a higher risk of their ending in an accident if they cannot see the dangers around them. Where possible, it’s better to use face paint and makeup instead of masks.
Besides, avoid using dark colors for their costumes. Drivers will not be able to see and stop on time if their costumes don’t stand out in the darkness. Lastly, their costumes must be the right size and not too large.
There is an increased risk of their tripping and falling wearing oversized costumes.
Ignoring pedestrian safety rules
It’s natural for children to get excited at the thought of getting free candy from neighbors. And they are likely to end up forgetting pedestrian safety rules amid all the excitement.
- The best way to prevent this from happening is by reminding them about pedestrian safety tips like:
- Using sidewalks or walking facing the traffic
- Crossing streets at crosswalks and traffic signals
- Looking both ways before crossing streets
- Waiting for the car to stop before crossing the roads
- Not using distractive electronic devices
- Making eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them
- Using routes with minimal street crossings
Even though your child may be aware of all this, they may forget in the excitement. So make sure you remind them about this before they start the trick and treating.
Poor visibility
Poor visibility is a huge reason for pedestrian accidents on Halloween. While wearing light-colored costumes helps, reflective tape on the costumes increases visibility.
Ensuring your child carries a flashlight or glow sticks and avoids dark streets for trick and treat also helps. Lastly, have them go trick or treat in a group and not alone.
It’s not just the children who need to be careful
Drivers too, should drive extra safely on Halloween, especially in residential neighborhoods. You know that children are excited and may suddenly run on the roads.
So take extra time to look out for children while driving, and slowly enter and exit driveways. Be especially alert during the popular trick-or-treating hours.
Sometimes accidents occur despite taking these precautionary measures. In this case, consult an experienced personal injury lawyer to represent your case for the rightfully deserved legal advice and compensation.
Call Us Today to Speak with an Injury Lawyer in New Mexico
If your child were injured in an accident this Halloween or otherwise, you should call a lawyer as soon as you can. To schedule a free case evaluation with an attorney in New Mexico, call our office today or contact us online.