Halloween Safety Tips — Be Careful Out There Tonight!

With so many children out after dark and lots of costume parties for the adults, it’s going to be a busy, and potentially dangerous, night on the roads. A press release from the Oregon State Police shares that:

“According to NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], almost half of all crash fatalities in 2012 on Halloween night involved a drunk driver…..Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as any other day of the year. With Halloween falling on a Friday night there is extra concern.”

Here’s some great advice from the OSP, NHTSA, and the Oregon Department of Transportation about how to keep Halloween night safe and fun for everyone:

Motorists

• Use caution while behind the wheel
• Slow down and be alert in residential areas.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• Eliminate distractions so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Expect bicyclists. Expect pedestrians.
  
  

Drive sober or get pulled over

• Before the Halloween parties begin, plan a way to get home safely at the end of the night.
• Always designate a sober driver, even if you only plan to "have a few". Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
• Use your community's sober ride program or take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
  
  

Watch out for your family, friends, and neighbors

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.
  
  

Pedestrians & bicyclists

• Don't assume a driver can see you. See and be seen.
• Walking or bicycling impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
• Designate a sober friend to walk or accompany you home.
  
  

Keep kids safe

• Children out at night should have adult supervision.
• Kids should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Choose face paint when possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child's vision.
• Decorate costumes with reflective tape and have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights.
  
  

Important reminders for pedestrians

• Walk on the shoulder of the road facing traffic, when sidewalks are not available.
• When walking, pay attention to traffic, not your cell phone.
• Always cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.

Please be careful tonight…and every night.