DALLAS — While Halloween is happening on a Monday, trick-or-treaters will likely hit the streets this weekend and that means you’ll need to take it extra slow in residential areas.
Parents, if you want to help make sure your little goblin is seen, try adding reflective tape or glow sticks to their costumes.
For those of you playing taxi driver for trick-or-treaters this Halloween, you do want to check your kid’s costume before you buckle them up. Consumer reports say some outfits have added padding or hard surfaces that make it difficult for the car seat or seat belt to hold them in correctly.
Always make sure the costume doesn’t get in the way of the seatbelt or wait to put it on until you get where you’re going.
For all the grownups celebrating this weekend, expect more police out on the roads to catch folks drinking and driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends the following tips:
Safety Tips for Drivers
- Be alert for trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Slow down and continue to scan the road in areas where they are likely to be or where sight distances are limited.
- On Halloween, there will likely be more pedestrians on the roads and in places where they are not expected. Slower speeds save lives.
- Stay alert for pedestrians who may come out from between parked cars or behind shrubbery. Stop & wait for them to pass.
- Don’t look at your phone when you’re driving. Your attention needs to always be on the road.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement.
Safety Tips for Pedestrians
- Walk on a sidewalk if one is available and use crosswalks.
- Before the Halloween festivities begin, create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely and prevent walking alone.
Tips for Party Hosts
Be a responsible party host and take action to make sure guests get home safely.
- Serve plenty of food and provide non-alcoholic beverage options.
- Collect car keys from guests who are drinking.
- Prepare to call taxis, rideshares, provide sleeping accommodations, or—if you’re sober—drive guests home yourself.
TALK TRAFFIC TO ME: If you have a traffic concern you’d like me to look into, send an email to tparker@wfaa.com.
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