Halloween Safety For Pedestrians and Motorists

According to the National Safety Council, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year, and October ranks No. 2 in motor vehicle deaths by month, with 3,550.

To help ensure adults and children have a safe holiday, the American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled this list of Halloween Safety Tips:

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Agree on a specific time children should return home
• If out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks
• Avoid masks, which can obstruct vision
• Remind kids to keep their heads up, look both ways, and walk (don’t run) across streets
• All pedestrians (kids, teens and adults) should put phones down when walking around and crossing streets
• Teach your children to never enter a stranger’s home or car
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home
• All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
• When buying Halloween makeup, make sure it is nontoxic and always test it in a small area first
• Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation

NSC offers these additional safety tips for anyone who plans to be on the road during trick-or-treat hours:

• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully
• At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing
• Go extra slow in subdivisions – where children could dart across streets unexpectedly
• Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween

Partners Matt Casey and Matt Devoti wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween.

Casey & Devoti is a St. Louis-based personal injury law firm. Together Partners Matt Casey and Matt Devoti have nearly 40 years of trial experience.  They handle a variety of personal injury matters, including:  car, truck and train accidents, victims of impaired and distracted driving, medical malpractice and birth injuries, product liability, slips/trips/falls, elder care and sexual abuse, Workers’ Compensation, and wrongful death.  Matt and Matt proudly serve clients throughout metropolitan St. Louis, southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois.  If you or a loved one have been injured by the negligence of another, call the office today for a free, no-obligation consultation:  (314) 421-0763.

Provided by the National Safety Council