Scary How Many Car Accidents In New York Happen On Halloween

Halloween is a day that many kids look forward to every year, but sadly, there are thousands of kids who never return home. 

According to AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Halloween is the single deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians.”

On Halloween, kids are “three times more likely to be struck and killed” than on any other day. One of the biggest reasons for this is that more kids are typically on the road on Halloween night than any other night, but other contributing factors include “kids on the roads, costumes that do not reflect light, distracted driving, impaired driving, and inadequate supervision,” according to the AAA and NHTSA. 

As a result, New York state is asking parents to add some kind of noticeable color or attachment to your kids' costumes this year to make sure everyone stays safe. 

On the New York State official website, you will find the following guidelines for Halloween this year, including some examples of what kids should wear on Tuesday, Oct. 31.  

Optimize Visibility and Stay in Areas You Know

• Purchase or make costumes that are white or light colored, bright and clearly visible to motorists. 
• For greater visibility, make sure that costumes have reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car's headlights. 
• Trick-or-Treat close to home or in a safe place…perhaps a mall. 
• Young children should always Trick-or-Treat with an adult or older responsible child. 
• Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen. 
• Only approach homes where the lights are on.
• Keep your home well-lit.

Officials have suggested to add reflective tape on your kids’ costumes so they can be seen while they are trick-or-treating. It gets dark in the Western New York area just after 6 PM, so most likely, you will still be walking around when the sun goes down. 

According to Autoinsurance.org, “pedestrians have a 50% higher chance of dying on Halloween than on any other day and 18% of those who die on Halloween are children,” making it one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians.

You can see more information and tips on how to keep your kids safe this Halloween when you go to the New York State official website.   

If you are looking for reflective tape, it is not too expensive. You can get a whole roll of it for $8 on Amazon. Stay safe while out and about this week, and have a happy Halloween.