Criado Law Group Announces the Halloween Hazards for Children Pedestrians

The Criado Law Group is reminding parents and drivers to protect kids from being involved in road accidents this Halloween. By knowing the factors that can cause pedestrian accidents, the hazards can be prevented and trick-or-treat will be kept safe.

Austin, Texas (I-Newswire) October 25, 2012 - Halloween is a fun and exciting night both for adults who enjoy partying with costumes and masks and kids who delight in collecting treats. People of all ages enjoy the thrills of the holiday that the present hazards during the holiday can easily be neglected. This is why the Criado Law Group is reminding parents and drivers to observe road safety to avoid the potential dangers, particularly for the children, when celebrating Halloween.

On average, 1-2 children from ages 5-14 are hit and killed by vehicles every day. But according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the figures of slain children in road accidents jump to four times during Halloween. In most cases, children pedestrians are hit while walking along roads or crossing streets. To protect the children from being involved in road accidents, knowing the factors that can cause pedestrian accidents is necessary. Below are some facts that will help families and drivers become aware of the Halloween Hazards and learn how to keep the trick-or-treaters safe:

• Pedestrian-Car Collision: Children are highly susceptible of being fatally injured by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year according to the research of State Farm Insurance and Sperling’s BestPlaces. Accidents can be prevented if children will be closely supervised by their parents. It is also very important to make them visible by avoiding dark costumes and carrying flashlights or glow sticks. Children should also know and observe safe pedestrian behaviors.

• Non-Intersection Crossings. More than half of the children pedestrian fatalities during Halloween happen at non-intersections according to CDC, which suggests that mid-block crossings, dashing out from unexpected crossings like between parked cars may have contributed to their accidents.

• Drunk-Driving. The rate of drunk driving on Halloween holiday has surpassed drunk driving on New Year’s according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

• Distracted Driving. Doing other activities like texting, speaking on a cell phone, eating or drinking while driving, putting on makeup, or changing the ratio station can make a driver inattentive to the road and cause accidents.

• Aggressive Driving. Driving with reckless behaviors is among the most common causes of pedestrian accidents. Reckless behaviors include violating traffic signals and signs, making improver turnings, driving in very high speeds, and right-of-way violations.

Of course, Halloween holiday is fun and enjoyable with all the excitements it offers. But apparently, it is also a time to be vigilant and stay alert to ensure safety. Based on the research of State Farm Insurance and Sperling’s Bestplaces, the deadliest hour of Halloween falls in the four-hour period from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. where 60 percent of the accidents happen. Parents are advised to be more alert when passing in the middle of the block as 70 percent of the accidents happen away from a crosswalk or an intersection. Meanwhile, drivers ages 15 – 25 posed the greatest risk to children pedestrians on Halloween.

The Criado Law Group is a personal injury law firm based in Austin, Texas that specialized in auto accidents, DWI, boat accidents, trucking accidents, wrongful deaths, dog bites, and construction accidents. For more information about any of the firm’s practice areas, please visit http://www.criadolawgroup.com, or call +1 512-326-8100 for a free, no obligation, consultation.