Children + Candy + Crazy Outfits
= Confused Pedestrians

Help protect trick-or-treaters by following these driving safety tips on Halloween. Be especially careful between 4:30 and 8 p.m., when most severe accidents happen.

Yield to young pedestrians. Sure, some of the responsibility for child safety on Halloween lies on the shoulders of those little monsters, vampires and princesses running around, getting as much candy as possible in such a short time. But keep in mind that, while the typical child would most likely stop and look both ways if their ball rolled into the street, a child chasing a part of their precious costume that blew off may not be as aware. Masks can drastically reduce peripheral vision, and so that little zombie on the corner may not see you coming and may cross anyways.

Park the cell phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you’ve stopped to call, text, or surf.

Turn down the radio.  With a quiet car compartment it easier to be alert to the surrounding environment.

Drive slowly. Don’t pass stopped vehicles. Parked cars make perfect barriers from which little monsters can emerge at any time! Be extra patient with pedestrians and other vehicles and always be prepared to stop at a given moment. They may be carrying trick or treaters and be distracted. Avoid passing or going around stopped vehicles. They may have passengers entering and exiting hurriedly and carelessly.

According to the Gene Farber, a consultant for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian visibility drops from thousands of feet in the daytime to only 150-250 ft at night. Going 55mph, the distance required for a driver with typical reaction time to react and stop is 265ft. Nationwide, residential speed limits can vary, but many range from 15-25mph for this exact reason. When in doubt, caution can keep everyone safe.

Watch for children darting into the street. Kids can and will cross the street anywhere.  Most young pedestrian deaths happen at spots other than intersections. Drivers need to be especially diligent driving during dusk through the night time as visibility is reduced

Turn your head lights to make your vehicle more visible.

Don’t rely only on your headlights alone!  According to Frank Schieber, a consultant for the NHTSA on nighttime visual requirements, roadside pedestrians “represent the worst case scenario” for drivers. They are non-reflective, low contrast objects that can have horrible consequences if they are hit. NHTSA-funded studies compared the efficiency of high-beam headlights compared with low-beam and found that while high beams are marginally better at detecting pedestrians, the glare emitted can be disorienting to the pedestrian. The NHTSA recommends keeping high-beams on until pedestrians are spotted.

Communicate with other drivers. Always use your turn signals. And if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your kids, turn on your hazard lights.

Avoid crowded streets. If at all possible, avoid driving through areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. Give yourself extra time to and use alternate routes.

Sources:
National Safety Commission,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
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