Important Reminders & Tips for Staying Safe This Halloween (5 Minute Read)

Like many, the G3 team has been looking forward to “spooky season” since… well, this time last year! It’s a time of fun and fantasy, and we love getting to spend it creating memories with our families and friends.

Unlike some, however, our team has also witnessed firsthand the benefits of prioritizing safety and being cautious around the holidays. With the number of traffic accidents rising due to offenses like drunk driving and tailing (usually by some crazed shopper), the road is especially dangerous this time of year. And while we shouldn’t let it ruin our fun, it’s still important to remain extra aware of our surroundings on major holidays.

Sometimes, even the smallest tip or reminder to ourselves or our loved ones can make all the difference in terms of road safety on Halloween night.

Reminders for Drivers on Halloween Night

1. Plan ahead and drive slowly. Tonight, allow extra time to get to where you need to be. Speeding through a neighborhood that has small children and pets walking around is a disaster waiting to happen. As a good rule of thumb, Turner and his team always recommend going 5-7 mph under the speed limit in residential neighborhoods.

1. Remember… children dart! Young kids have a mind of their own… but that doesn’t always mean they know what’s best for themselves. On Halloween (and pretty much every other holiday), kids tend to be everyone. They dart in and out of the road, having disappeared from their parents’ side in the blink of an eye. More than ever, that means it’s important to keep your eyes laser-focused on the roads around you.

1. Do a mental vision and headlights check. It may sound silly, but when you go out tonight, remember that your vision is the most important aspect to proper road safety. For every driver wearing fake, vision-impairing glasses or contacts as part of their Halloween costume, there’s a small child wearing a dark Batman cape and mask.

Pre-download Uber or secure a Designated Driver (DD). If you’re planning to go out on the town tonight, stay safe and help keep others on the road safe. Friends don’t let friends drink and drive!

Tips for Parents on Halloween Night

1. The safest route is often the popular route. Whether you’re driving or walking, choosing a crowded route may feel frustrating from time to time… but simply enough, it also increases your chance of being seen by oncoming drivers. As an added benefit, these routes can make for some of the most fun as they are often filled with festively-decorated yards and lit up porches.

1. No sidewalk? Stay to the left! When possible, always stick to sidewalks. If there isn’t one on your road, make sure to walk on the left side of the street, facing oncoming traffic. This helps ensure drivers see you in their headlights, but it also helps ensure you see them. For both a driver and a pedestrian to stay safe on the road, BOTH need to be aware of their surroundings.

1. Carry some type of light. Not only is trick-or-treating difficult in the dark, it can be dangerous. One of our favorite tips for road-side safety is to carry flashlights in your candy buckets. Simply put it face down so the light shines up and you and your loved ones can be seen from the road (without shining it into drivers’ eyes). Not interested in fussing with a bucket or flashlight? You can always opt to incorporate retro-reflective material into you or your loved ones costume. Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s bright enough to see without temporarily blinding any oncoming drivers.

Listen to your gut. When out trick-or-treating with your loved ones tonight, avoid dark porches, stay away from garages, and NEVER enter a stranger’s house.

Okay, so that last one wasn’t technically a traffic tip. What can we say… we want you and your loved ones to stay safe! From our team to you and yours, have a happy Halloween and thanks for reading!

*Disclaimer: The G3 team is dedicated to promoting road safety by sharing relevant, helpful content with our readers. The information in this blog was sourced from a AAA Exchange article on Halloween Safety.

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After spending his secondary years of study at The McCallie School in Chattanooga, G Turner Howard III earned his BA at Tulane University. A member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, he received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Before becoming an attorney, he earned a Master’s and Doctor of Divinity at Andrews Theological Seminary and Columbia Theological Seminary. He also served as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army in Vietnam. With more than 20 years of experience, his firm has helped clients receive millions of dollars for personal injury, and in many cases, much faster than they ever expected.

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