The end of summer and fall are popular seasons. Some people with young children look forward to the beginning of the school year all summer. Others are excited about the drop in temperatures or the upcoming holiday season, starting with Halloween and ending with the new year. The changing seasons come with changing flavor profiles at chain coffee shops and different fashions available at the store.
Changing seasons also mean changes in risks out on the road. The summer is the time when many teenagers get into car crashes and also when there are numerous holidays associated with drunk driving collisions. The fall brings its own unique hazards. Specifically, the autumn season includes the most dangerous day of the year for pedestrians.
Halloween celebrations cause an increase in pedestrian deaths
Children and parents alike may spend months preparing for Halloween. For young celebrants, the freedom of trick-or-treating combined with the excitement of costumes make Halloween their favorite celebration of the year. For many children, it is also the most dangerous celebration of the year.
Kids excited about bumping into a friend from school or the decorations at the house across the street might run out into traffic and get struck by a vehicle. Dark costumes and sugar buzzes also detract from public safety. Additionally, there are many adults who may consume alcohol on Halloween and may then drive afterward. The combination of countless children out on the roads and adults also celebrating is one of the reasons that Halloween is the most dangerous day of the year for pedestrians.
Some years will see a large increase in traffic fatalities on a day near Halloween, typically on the day when different communities allow trick-or-treating.
How does this information help you?
If you are a parent, knowing when your child will have the highest degree of risk can help you employ better safety practices. If you are a driver, understanding the increased risk could help you choose routes where there are less likely to be many children present and to more firmly avoid distraction because you know a child could run out in front of your vehicle at any moment.
Educating yourself about pedestrian crashes and when risks are at their highest can help you protect yourself and the people you love.
