It’s a night filled with fun, frights, and, unfortunately, a hidden danger that's all too real. Behind all the spooky excitement, there’s a scary truth: keeping our little trick-or-treaters safe on the roads becomes a bigger challenge on October 31st. In fact, on Halloween night, road traffic accidents skyrocket by a staggering 400%.
And for the drivers out there, this one’s for you: driving at night, especially on Halloween, is no walk in the park. In fact, it’s three times riskier than driving during the day. That’s why, with all the little monsters and cloak-clad figures running around, drivers need to be extra careful.
We started thinking - how can we keep our kids road-safe while they’re out trick or treating? Well we’ve put our heads together and have come up with our top tips for drivers and parents. Together, we can make sure the roads stay clear of genuine horrors this Halloween.
Top tips for parents
So, you’ve spent your evenings stitching blue sparkles onto your little sorcerer’s cloak and now they’re ready to embark on their quest for chocolate. Here’s how you can keep them safe as they flit from door to door:
Try a buddy-up system
You know that saying “strength in numbers”? Well the same goes for our little witches and wizards. If your kids are adventuring without you, making sure they team up with their friends is a good way to make sure there’s always someone looking out for them.
It doesn't stop there though, as groups of kids are much easier for drivers to spot on the sides of roads. It’s a perfect way to keep your kids safe twice fold.
Add bright colours
While an invisibility cloak might be the ultimate Halloween costume dream, you’ll want to aim for the opposite. Try adding bright colours to your little ones’ outfits, or even some reflective strips. This will make it much easier for drivers to see them in advance, giving them plenty of time to react and slow down.
Stick to well-lit areas
Sticking to well-lit areas has a couple of major benefits. When the streets are bright, it’s like a big Halloween party where all the kiddos gather, creating a bustling hotspot of fun and, yup, lots of eyes to watch out for them. If you’re adventuring into less well-lit areas, then bring the light with you and set your mini monsters up with a torch.
And this doesn't just help the kids see where they’re going - it helps everyone else see them too. This makes it extra easy for drivers and other road users to spot those little werewolves running around in search for their next treat.
Agree on a route
Craft a spell - or a plan! If you’ve decided on an area you’d like your kids to stick to, the next step is setting out a route. This gives you a map of their sweet-collecting journey, as well as some peace of mind from knowing exactly where they’ll end up.
If anything goes wrong, or they don’t get home on time, you’ll know exactly where to look for them. Though, if you follow these simple steps, you’ll set your little ones up for a safe and spooktacular evening.
Tips for drivers
Now, it goes without saying that road safety falls in the hands of drivers, as well as pedestrians. And, with the extra risk of Halloween and dark nights, it's even more important that drivers get behind the wheel prepped and ready. Youngsters out on Halloween might be jittery, nervous or overexcited. All of this can lead to erratic behaviour, so give them plenty of space and patience.
Drive slowly
When driving on Halloween, you always have to think safety first. One of the best ways to do this is to keep your speed slow. Kids are excited and might forget to look both ways, driving slowly gives you extra time to stop suddenly if a child crosses the road unexpectedly. Slow and steady is the way to go.
Stay alert
Your full attention is the most important thing when little ones are out and about. Stay super focussed and expect the unexpected; kids might pop out from between cars or dash across the street in excitement. Being alert means you can act quickly to avoid any accidents.
Beware of parked vehicles
If you see a parked car, don’t just automatically assume it’s safe. A group of kids could be standing behind it waiting to cross the road, or children could be about to jump out in search of their first stash of sweets. Approach parked vehicles slowly and always be ready to stop quickly.
Don’t overtake stopped cars
Similarly to parked cars are stopped cars - kids could be about to hop out, or come back to the car after knocking on doors. It’s also possible that the car could be pausing to let those witches and vampires cross the road. So, resist the urge to overtake them - patience is your greatest friend on Halloween.
Be cautious of driveways
Kids looking for treats will be visiting houses and may not be expecting a car to move into a driveway. That’s why you need to be especially careful when entering or exiting driveways - a slow, cautious approach gives you time to spot any costumed kiddos and gives them time to spot you too.
Take care at crossings and junctions
Crossings and junctions will be hotspots for kids looking for the next trick or treat adventure. So, like in driveways, always drive with caution and be prepared to stop. This will help ensure a safe journey for you and the mini monsters on the move.
Have a spooky and safe Halloween
As our costume-clad little ones prepare to swarm the streets with bags ready for sweets and treats, we can keep their adventures all fun and no fright. With slow driving, bright costumes and well-lit areas, parents and drivers can create a safe and spooky playground for all our kids.
So, let’s make sure the only scares this Halloween are the fun ones, where children make it home safe, sound and sugared up.