Keep Your Family Safe this Spooky Season
Halloween is a beloved holiday for the kid inside all of us. However, it does not come without its fair share of dangers. This year, make safety a shared responsibility between trick-or-treaters and drivers with these tips.
Tips for Trick-or-Treaters
Whether your kids are old enough to walk the neighborhood alone or Halloween is a family outing, pedestrians can do their part to increase safety. Here are three easy tips:
1. Increase Visibility When Walking On or Near the Road
Even if your neighborhood is relatively well-lit, certain costumes may make it harder for drivers to see a pedestrian. Consider making adjustments to your little one's outfit by adding reflective stickers or patches or reminding them to turn on a flashlight when walking from house to house.
2. Make an Emergency Plan Designed for Your Whole Family
Planning ahead on Halloween is one of the easiest ways to avoid having an emergency later in the night, so have open communication as a family about where you are trick or treating and approximately how long it may take. Create a plan for if you get separated, and if older children or teenagers are doing another activity during the night, make sure they know the appropriate phone numbers to call in case of an emergency.
3. Plan for an Alternative Activity
Trick-or-treating can be stressful for children with sensory issues or disabilities. Along with this, many young families may be anxious about walking door to door in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Thankfully, there are many alternative activities that you can do to celebrate the holiday.
- Check with your child's school or a local community center to see if any events are happening, like a "trunk or treat."
- Decorate your home and spend the night carving pumpkins and telling ghost stories.
- Host your own Halloween gathering.
Tips for Drivers
Compared to other holidays, Halloween is most well-known for the significant increase in pedestrian traffic in rural and urban areas. Before heading home on this night, remember these three things:
- Decrease your speed in pedestrian areas, even if you only see one person on or near the road.
- Two of the best ways to avoid becoming distracted are to store your cell phone and pick one radio station for the whole drive.
- Avoid driving under the influence, and report drivers who you may suspect are impaired by calling 911.
No matter how you spend the night, commit to making it a safer holiday. While no one expects the worst-case scenario to happen, know that you have a place to turn if you need legal assistance.
Effres & Effres is dedicated to your family’s safety and will work with you to obtain the best outcome for your case. If you or a loved one are involved in a pedestrian accident this holiday season, call (818) 222-9720 to speak with a member of our team.