Children excitedly await Halloween, the day they can dress up as their favorite character and go door to door looking for candy and all sorts of other treats. Children may not recognize the consequences of scurrying around the streets and roads. Furthermore, trick-or-treating usually occurs in the evening, meaning vehicles will have less visibility.
After analyzing 42 years of data, the Journal of the American Medical Association found Halloween to be one of the deadliest days of the year for young pedestrians. Parents and motorists should be extra cautious because of increased pedestrian traffic and driving distractions.
What can parents do to prevent motor vehicular injuries and deaths?
Parents should make their children aware of the dangers of crossing roads and moving from one house to another. They can take other preventive measures, such as the following:
- Designate a guardian or responsible adult to accompany children ages 12 and below
- Remind children to walk instead of run
- Remind children to look both ways before crossing the street and to be vigilant when vehicles are around
- Let their children trick-or-treat before it gets too dark
- Choose lighter-colored costumes and give children flashlights so drivers can see them better
But parents are not the only ones who should be more careful on this day. Drivers have a duty to avoid causing injuries or hurting other road users, meaning they should also exercise additional care when operating their vehicles on Halloween. They should drive slower than usual and avoid driving distractions.
Parents in North Carolina can hold drivers responsible
When a parent does all they can to ensure their child is safe and an accident still happens, they can hold the driver liable. North Carolina allows any crash victim to try to recover damages from a driver who is 100% responsible for an accident.
Parents should always prioritize safety over fun, but that does not mean they should prohibit their children from enjoying Halloween. They have a right to seek justice for their children.