Halloween is meant for spooky fun. But impaired drivers and excited trick-or-treaters make it one of the most dangerous nights on the highways and residential streets.
Across the country, children, teens and adults will be out on the highways and residential roadways celebrating Halloween. It’s a fun, fantastical time of year. But it can quickly turn into a real-life horror story for drivers and trick-or-treaters.
The statistics are scary. Upwards of 60 percent of highway fatalities involve drunk drivers on Halloween night. And four times as many children between five and 14 are killed while walking on Halloween night compared to an average evening, according to the Centers for Disease Control. E3 Spark Plugs offers a few Halloween safety tips:
- Designate a driver: If you’re planning to enjoy a few adult beverages this Halloween, designating a non-drinking driver is a must. Not only are other partying adults likely to be driving impaired, but trick-or-treating children are out in full force. It’s critical for even the soberest of drivers to drive slowly and carefully through neighborhood streets.
- Choose costumes wisely: If you’re the parent of a trick-or-treating child, encourage them to choose a light- or bright-colored costume to help make them more easily visible to drivers. If your young Dracula insists upon a dark colored costume, place reflective tape on portions of the costume, props and candy bag or bucket. The reflective tape will gleam in the beam of a headlight, alerting drivers. Also make sure that long, flowing costumes are short enough to avoid a tripping hazard, and that masks have large enough eye holes to allow for full peripheral vision. Kids will be kids, and excited trick-or-treating kids are bound to dart across streets for the next handful of candy.
- Minimize your time on the road: Opt for Halloween parties and trick-or-treating spots close to your home, or plan to spend the night at or near the home or venue where you’ll celebrate. Better yet, throw a party at your own home. Know that even the most careful drivers are at risk as long as there are impaired drivers on the roadways, and you can bet that will be the case throughout the Halloween week and weekend.
From all of us here at E3 Spark Plugs, have a safe and happy Halloween.
