For many people and families, Halloween is one of the most treasured, carefree nights of the year. An opportunity to dress up, go out in the neighborhood or to parties, and generally let loose, the anything-goes attitude of Halloween can also, unfortunately, lead to a heightened risk of accidents.
Accident awareness on Halloween can help you and your loved ones stay safe. However, should you happen to be injured or involved in a Halloween accident, there are many resources available to you.
Pedestrian Accidents
While anyone can be at risk walking at night on Halloween, it’s important to take extra care with children. Halloween is the deadliest night of the year for child pedestrian safety, according to an analysis by State Farm. On October 31st, child pedestrian fatalities more than double compared to the average number that take place on any other day of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day.
Making sure your children are visible is one of the most important ways to protect them, and yourself, while trick-or-treating on Halloween. Relying on the fading light of twilight unfortunately may not be enough, as one-fourth of reported child pedestrian accidents occur between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. Reflective tape, glow sticks, and ensuring your children’s masks or costumes are well-fitting and provide adequate visibility are all useful ways to reduce the risk of Halloween accidents.
Automobile Accidents
On average, almost half of traffic fatalities on Halloween night involve alcohol. These tragic losses would have been preventable had it not been for someone’s negligence. In general, drunk driving tends to pose an even greater risk to all parties than a usual vehicular accident, as drivers tend to be moving at a higher speed, and often without a full awareness of the situation.
Relying on a sober designated driver is especially important on Halloween night, as is cautioning younger drivers. Young drivers ages 21-34 account for the most fatalities involving drunk driving on Halloween night.
Dog Bite Accidents
As children go door to door on Halloween trick-or-treating, their risk of encountering a dangerous dog is higher than normal. Even otherwise friendly dogs can be easily alarmed by the influx of strangers, flashy costumes, and loud noises on the holiday, and a frightened dog may bite or attack.
While anyone can be at risk of a dog bite, children are already at a higher risk, with 5 to 9-year-olds and boys experiencing the most dog attacks. Avoid staring at strange dogs or encountering gangs of dogs at all times; on Halloween, it’s important to be even more cautious.
Slip & Fall Accidents
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 36,000 people end up in the emergency room each year for Halloween-related injuries. Of that number, 27% of those accidents were slip and falls, whether from tripping over costumes, putting up decorations, or other incidents.
Jump scares and spooky front yard decorations shouldn’t lead to a bad experience for you or your children, but unfortunately they sometimes can. If you’re injured due to someone’s negligence or unsafe environment that they’ve created, you may be entitled to compensation. Speaking with an attorney can help you understand your legal options after a Halloween accident that never should have occurred in the first place.
Staying Safe on Halloween
The risk of an accident befalling you or your loved ones is much scarier than any zombie, vampire, or witch costume can ever be. Take care this Halloween to ensure your family stays safe. However, should an accident or injury such as a dog bite, slip and fall, or vehicle accident, happen to take place, there are financial options available to help you navigate this difficult situation. Contact CrashGuru’s expert network of attorneys for a free legal consultation to explore how we can help.
The post Fright Night: Halloween Accidents & What To Do If You’re Involved in One appeared first on Crash Guru.
