Tips to avoid pedestrian accidents this Halloween
Welcome back. As we began discussing earlier this week, most people associate Halloween with being scary, but for all the wrong reasons. While haunted houses, horror movies and ghost stories might leave you frightened, a pedestrian accident could turn into a real-life nightmare.
After a serious pedestrian accident has already occurred, it is too late to turn back the hands of time and prevent it from happening. That’s why it’s important for parents, drivers and pedestrians to consider the following safety tips from the National Safety Council before Friday’s festivities.
For trick-or-treaters:
- Only trick-or-treat in well-lit areas that you are familiar with.
- Carry a flashlight and attach reflective tape to costumes and treat buckets.
- Make sure to walk and not run from house to house.
- Stay on the sidewalk whenever possible. If there isn’t a sidewalk, walk on the far edge of the road facing traffic.
- Look both ways before crossing the street and use a crosswalk whenever possible.
- Avoid costumes that make you hard to see or cause you to trip.
For drivers:
- Watch for children running out into the street.
- Be aware that there will a lot more pedestrians on the roads to watch out for.
- Be especially careful when backing out of driveways or going through alleys.
- Don’t use your cellphone while driving.
- Don’t drink and drive.
If a serious pedestrian does occur, a negligent driver can be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit. These claims help the injured pedestrian recover the financial losses that they sustained as a result of the accident such as past and future medical expenses.