October 29,2020 –As Halloween 2020 approaches, AAA Oklahoma is warning of a dangerous traffic safety trifecta – increased pedestrian activity, drunk driving, and drowsy driving – all of which converge this Halloween weekend.  The holiday falls on a Saturday this year, followed a few short hours later by “falling back” at the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 1.

“A scare in good fun is expected on Halloween, but not when it comes to pedestrian safety,” said Leslie Gamble, AAA Oklahoma public and government affairs manager.

• According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as any other day of the year.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days of the year for pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

“It’s so important that safety not get lost in the festivities of costumes, trick-or-treating and parties,” Gamble said. “Excited trick-or-treaters can forget about safety, so drivers, party-goers and parents must be even more alert, as the risk of kids being injured by moving vehicles increases.”

With an increased risk of pedestrian crashes on Halloween night, AAA urges parents to take the time to make trick-or-treaters and their costumes safer and more visible to motorists. “In addition, motorists must eliminate distractions, slow down and watch for children, as well as have a completely sober designated driver if drinking is part of a Halloween celebration,” Gamble said.

Halloween is also a statistically dangerous night for drunk driving. The combination of drinking and increased pedestrian traffic on Halloween is a deadly combination. AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) found that:

• From 2013 - 2017, 22 percent of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver. (NHTSA)
• In 2017, more than half of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween occurred with the pedestrian outside of a marked crosswalk. (NHTSA)

This year, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends just a few hours after Halloween, giving tired trick-or-treaters and party goers an extra hour of sleep as clocks “fall back” to standard time.  However, AAA Oklahoma reminds motorists to be prepared for potential challenges, such as changes in sleep patterns that may increase chances of drowsy driving and shorter days which means driving home in the dark.

Sleep-deprived drivers cause more than 6,400 deaths and 50,000 debilitating injuries on American roadways each year, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

“The end of Daylight Saving Time will bring shorter days and longer nights and while many will enjoy an extra hour of sleep this weekend, few motorists realize the added dangers that can come as the result of a time change – especially when they are behind the wheel,” said Gamble. “Although we gain an hour of sleep, our sleep patterns are disrupted. This can result in unsafe drowsy driving episodes.”

AAA Oklahoma offers these Halloween safety tips for all celebrating:

Motorists

• Do not use your phone while behind the wheel, so you can focus on the road and trick-or-treaters.
• Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and on front porches.
• Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and may cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.
• Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys, taking extra care if you are backing up or turning.
• Turn your headlights on to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.

Parents

• Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and light in color to improve visibility.
• Be bright at night – have trick-or-treaters use glow sticks or wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and on treat buckets.
• Ensure disguises don’t obstruct vision and avoid full facemasks.
• Create face masks that coordinate with costumes rather than regular costume masks.  This won’t obstruct vision and follows health and safety guidelines for COVID-19.
• Instead, use nontoxic face paint. Also, watch the length of billowy costumes to help avoid tripping.
• Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped to avoid injury from tripping or horseplay.
• Ask an adult or older child to supervise children under age 12.
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
• Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and to never enter a stranger’s home or garage.

Trick-or-Treaters

• Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.
• If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
• Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.
• Watch for cars turning or backing up.
• Cross streets only at the corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.
• Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you.
• Tell your parents where you are going.
• Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries. Never shine flashlights into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Party Goers

• Arrange a safe ride home and/or designate a driver before partaking in any festivities.
• Always designate a sober driver.
• If you are drunk, take a taxi or ride share service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Before leaving for a party, load ride share apps or put numbers of local cab companies or your designated driver(s) into your phone.
• Walking impaired can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.