Hendrick Collision Center City Chevrolet

Safety Driving Tips for Halloween Night

The sun has gone down, the ghosts and goblins are out and it’s time to collect bags full of candy. Can you guess what day it is? It’s trick-or-treat time of course, on Halloween!

At Hendrick Collision Center City Chevrolet, we love Halloween, but we also want all of our customers and friends to be safe during the holiday here in Charlotte, NC, so here is some helpful information.

 Although it can be one of the most anticipated times of the year for children of all ages, it can also be a concerning night for drivers, especially between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m. This has been shown to be the time when most collisions occur. With a little extra patience and a few helpful tips, it can be a safe and memorable night for everyone.

Here are five tips for driving safely on Halloween:

1.) Take your time and drive slowly, especially in residential areas. Watch other drivers closely since they might be dropping off children. Be careful when maneuvering around vehicles that are stopped as well as entering and existing alleys and driveways.

2.) Put your phone out of reach so you aren’t tempted to text while you drive. By eliminating texting and other distractions, it will help you concentrate on the road.

3.) Drive sober or designate a driver to get home safely. According to the NHTSA, there are a high number of drunk drivers on Halloween night as well as more pedestrians. In 2011 alone, the NHTSA said 38 percent of fatalities on October 31 happened in a crash that involved a driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 or higher. Eleven percent involved a pedestrian.

4.) Pay close attention to children who are apt to dart across the street. It has been shown that the majority of young pedestrian deaths occur in places other than intersections.

5.) Always yield to pedestrians. Young children might not see your car or cross the street safely on Halloween night.

Use your turn signals so other drivers are aware of where you are going and make sure to use your headlights to help make yourself more visible. If you stop to pick up or drop off children, use your hazard lights.

Before your children head out for the night, remind them about safely crossing the street at corners, using crosswalks and traffic signals. Tell them to, “Look left, right and then left again,” and then to keep looking as they cross.

Rather than going house-to-house, some communities offer Halloween parties and programs for younger children that are worth considering. Don’t forget to give your kids flashlights, glow sticks and/or reflective tape to help drivers easily spot them. And most important, have fun!

Source: NHTSA, MSN and AOL