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If you’re like the majority of Americans, you’re getting ready to celebrate Halloween right now. Keeping Halloween safety in mind, however, can help you and your loved ones have fun during the spookiest time of the year .
Whether you’re planning on taking the kids trick-or-treating or hitting a party with your friends, it’s important to keep safety in mind. Staying safe on Halloween, however, can be tricky – an average of 396 auto accidents annually makes it the eighth-deadliest holiday in the states.
According to a survey by Goodwill Southern California, 74% of respondents reported that they were planning to celebrate Halloween, although 73% also stated that safety issues related to COVID-19 would impact their plans.
Tips & Tricks For Halloween Safety in 2021
If you plan on taking your kids trick-or-treating this year, you can elevate your sense of Halloween safety by taking the following precautions:
- Keep your eyes on the roads around you at all times, and encourage your children to do the same. Make sure that phones stay in pockets or purses so no one is tempted to look at a device when they should be watching the street.
- Try to walk on sidewalks or clearly defined paths. Only cross the street at intersections, and make eye contact with drivers before crossing to ensure they’re aware of you.
- Consider applying reflective cloth or paint to the most visible parts of their Halloween costumes. It may make your child’s skeleton outfit a little less scary, but it’s worth the added safety.
- Make sure that your child can move easily in whatever Halloween costume they’re wearing, so they can get out of the path of an oncoming car or a safety hazard quickly if need be.
- Ensure your child isn’t wearing a mask that could obstruct their vision or cause hearing loss. Encourage them to move slowly and be aware of their surroundings at all times to help prevent accidents.
If you’re an adult who plans on partying or driving, but cares about Halloween safety, you should:
- Make sure you have a designated driver (DD) you can trust if you plan on drinking. If you’re driving to the party, give your DD your keys and wallet when you arrive to make sure the right person is behind the wheel at the end of the night.
- Drive defensively. Make sure your lights are on, and you’re aware of surrounding drivers at all times. Keep an eye out for – and avoid – drivers that behave erratically, have their lights off, or display other potential signs of intoxication.
- Take the right roads home. We recently wrote a blog about the deadliest freeways in Los Angeles. Consider avoiding busy roads on your way home for a safer drive.
- Don’t hesitate to call an Uber or reserve a room at a hotel or AirBNB within walking distance if you end up drinking. Coming back to pick your car up in the morning or spending money on a room may be an inconvenience, but it’s better than putting multiple lives at risk.
- Consider driving slower than usual in residential neighborhoods. Be aware of trick-or-treaters, and ensure you’re consistently surveying the area for children who may be making unsafe street crossings.
By devoting a little extra time and attention to the precautions you take this Halloween, you can help keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
What Do I Need to Know About COVID-19 & Halloween?
Last year, California state officials caused something of an uproar when they released a guidance banning trick-or-treating, which they then adjusted to “recommend that trick-or-treating not happen.”
This year, health officials stated that Americans could trick-or-treat safely, with the caveat that individuals should be fully vaccinated to minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19. However, they also had some recommendations for those celebrating on this Hallow’s Eve.
You should still be taking the same precautions we’ve become so familiar with over the past year and a half. Costume masks are not a substitute for a medical mask, especially if you’re not fully vaccinated.
Practicing social distancing is still advised, and health officials state that children and adults alike should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer regularly.
Los Angeles County now requires that patrons and employees at indoor bars, wineries, breweries, distilleries, nightclubs, lounges, and outdoor events with more than 10,000 people in attendance display proof of COVID-19 vaccination. If you plan on partying at one of the many Halloween events hosted around LA, have your vaccination card ready to display at the door.
Halloween Drunk Driving Statistics – What You Need to Know
Drunk drivers are an omnipresent threat to trick-or-treaters and partiers on Halloween – and, unfortunately, there’s no vaccine to protect you from auto accidents.
According to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), 41% of Halloween traffic crashes from 2015-2019 resulting in a fatality involved at least one drunk driver. Additionally, adults between the ages of 21 and 34 represent 62% of traffic crash fatalities on Halloween.
Unfortunately, children are one of the most at-risk demographics on Halloween. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children ages 5 to 14 are four-and-a-half times more likely to be killed by motor vehicles on Halloween than any other night of the year.
Several factors contribute to the deadliness of Halloween. DOT statistics show that the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes is 3.3 times higher at night than during the day.
If multiple intoxicated individuals leave a location at or around the same time – as is often the case at bars, nightclubs, and other locations where Halloween parties are hosted – the chance of a drunk driving accident only increases.
Additionally, the prevalence of trick-or-treating means that more children are on the streets during Halloween than at other times of the year. When intoxicated adults are getting behind the wheel after a night of partying and families are out on the streets, you’ve got a recipe for pedestrian and auto accidents.
Have you suffered an injury? We can help!
Sometimes, you can take all the right safety measures and still end up in an accident. If you or someone you know is the victim of a drunk driver, we can help. Contact our office online or via phone at (800) 501-3011 to speak with an experienced, empathetic personal injury attorney who will tirelessly champion your rights.
