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Preventing Fort Worth Pedestrian Collisions on Halloween

Texas car accident attorneyKids of all ages enjoy trick or treating on Halloween night throughout Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, when children go out to trick-or-treat, they face the risk of being killed in a pedestrian collision. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, one in five traffic-related deaths of kids five to 15 occur when the child is a pedestrian.  An accident attorney in Fort Worth knows that kids face double the risk of being killed in a pedestrian crash on Halloween night. Parents need to be aware of the added danger and do what they can to help ensure their children do not get hurt. Drivers also need to know that Halloween brings an influx of kids onto the roads, and motorists need to make smart choices to avoid causing these children injury.

Halloween Risks for Child Pedestrians

State Farm reviewed more than four million records of motor vehicle collisions that occurred between 1990 and 2010. According to these records, there were 115 children killed in pedestrian collisions on Halloween night.  This is an average of 5.5 children killed each year on Halloween.  On a normal day of the year, an average of just 2.6 children are killed in pedestrian crashes. The data thus shows that the risk of a child dying in a pedestrian accident on Halloween is more than double than on any other day of the year.

The majority of deadly Halloween pedestrian crashes (60 percent) occur between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. The 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM hour is particularly dangerous as this is when daylight starts to fade but young children are still out on the roads. Kids between the ages of 12 and 15 were actually the most likely to be killed in pedestrian accidents on Halloween, perhaps because 12 is the age when a lot of parents start letting their sons and daughters go out alone to go trick or treating or to spend time with friends. Kids ages five to eight were the age group with the second highest number of fatalities. A total of 23 percent of the deaths occurred among this age group.  The deaths were more likely to happen in the middle of the street on Halloween than on the corners, suggesting that many collisions were caused when kids ran out into the block from between parked cars.

Drivers need to be aware of the added risks to kids  on Halloween night. It is advisable for driver's to slow their speed, especially in residential neighborhoods where kids are likely to be trick-or-treating. Drivers should avoid using any type of electronic devices that might be distracting and that might prevent them from seeing a child run out into the middle of the road.

Parents can also play a role in helping to stop deadly pedestrian collisions from occurring on Halloween night. Parents should make sure that they talk to their kids about traffic safety and about crossing at corners only. Kids can be dressed in brightly colored costumes and reflective stickers should be placed on trick-or-treat bags in order to make it easier for driver's to see children. Finally, masks should be avoided as these can obscure a child's vision and make it harder to cross safely.

If you or a loved one has been injured contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. at 800-994-1966 or visit https://www.cobywootenlaw.comServing Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, TX and surrounding areas. 

 

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Coby L. Wooten Attorney at Law, P.C.

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