Halloween Pedestrian Safety: Tips for Drivers and Families

Halloween is an exciting time for children and families in our Northeast Ohio community. But as neighborhoods fill with trick-or-treaters, the combination of increased pedestrian traffic, Halloween celebrations that often involve alcoholic beverages, and early fall darkness can create dangerous conditions for pedestrians and drivers alike.

At Plakas Mannos, our personal injury attorneys have represented pedestrians injured in motor vehicle accidents – and their families – and we understand the devastating injuries and damages that can occur when pedestrians are struck by negligent drivers, or drunk drivers.

Plakas Mannos’s attorneys also have significant experience representing people who have been injured in drunk driving accidents. For nearly 70 years, we have seen again and again how a moment of carelessness behind the wheel, or a bad decision to get behind the wheel when you shouldn’t, can change a person and their family’s life forever.

This Halloween, we encourage everyone to take a few simple precautions and follow these Halloween pedestrian safety tips to help keep our children and communities safe.

Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers

Children are often unpredictable, especially when they are hopped up on candy, dressed like their favorite characters, and are just generally excited about Halloween. Drivers should anticipate that children may unexpectedly enter the roadway and exercise extra caution in residential neighborhoods.

Follow these Halloween driving safety tips to help prevent pedestrian accidents:

• Slow down. Drive cautiously through neighborhoods, particularly during designated trick-or-treat hours.

• Stay alert. Watch for children crossing streets, running down driveways into the roadway, emerging from between parked cars, or walking along roadways.

• Don’t drive distracted. Put down your phone and keep your attention on the road.

• Use extra caution at intersections and driveways. Look carefully for pedestrians before turning or backing up, or even driving past driveways.

• Never drive impaired. If your Halloween plans involve alcohol, arrange for a safe ride home; don’t risk the safety of yourself and others.
  

The Devastating Consequences of Halloween Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians have virtually no protection when struck by a vehicle. Even a collision at relatively low speeds can cause catastrophic injuries or death.

At Plakas Mannos, our attorneys have extensive experience representing individuals and families whose lives have been forever changed by serious motor vehicle accidents, including cases involving pedestrians struck by negligent or impaired drivers.

We understand that these cases are about more than financial loss or damages but they are about holding the negligent parties accountable, helping families chart a course to rebuild their lives, and preventing similar tragedies from happening to others. Nearly every time we meet with an injured person or family we are told that their goal is to ensure what happened to them does not happen to anyone else in the future.

Whether you're out trick-or-treating with your kids or driving through residential neighborhoods this Halloween, please do your part to keep our community – and especially our children – safe.

From all of us at Plakas Mannos, have a safe and happy Halloween!

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident or a motor vehicle accident involving a negligent or impaired driver, contact our experienced and compassionate personal injury attorneys at Plakas Mannos to learn how we can help.