OPD and AAA Offer Halloween Safety Tips

“As children take to the streets on Halloween, their risk of being injured by motorists greatly increases”, said Chief of Police Douglas Brenner. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days for pedestrian injuries and fatalities. “This year Halloween falls on a Wednesday, so expect trick-or-treaters out in the after school and early evening hours,.” said Donna Glass, assistant director of Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast.

Chief Douglas Brenner offers these tips from AAA to parents and their children on Halloween:

Be bright; use reflective tape on costumes and treat bags, carry a flashlight and glow sticks for extra visibility.
Don’t wear a costume that obstructs vision. Use make up instead of a mask
Wear a costume you can walk in-comfortable footwear and nothing that drags on the ground
Work one side of a street at a time, crossing only at corners and crosswalks, Stay out of the roadway
Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult or trustworthy teen; older children should be given boundaries and should communicate with their parents along the way
If driving trick-or-treaters on their rounds, don’t forget to use appropriate car seats, and have children enter and exit the vehicle from the passenger side.
Try to avoid cutting through residential areas where trick-or-treaters are likely to be present
Obey all traffic signs and signals, and travel with extreme caution in residential areas
Scan far ahead and watch attentively for children who may be excitedly running from house to house or crossing at unexpected places
Avoid driving distractions, even after traditional trick-or-treat hours- older children and teens may be out without adult supervision
And it goes without saying, if you’re attending an adult Halloween part where alcohol is being served, be sure to have a designated driver.

Let’s work together for an enjoyable and safe Halloween for all.