Halloween Safety Tips

Everyone can let out a collective sigh of relief. The weather apps are now saying the rain will stop in time for trick-or-treating. If your house is like ours, Halloween is the second biggest holiday of the year and postponing it because of rain would be catastrophic in kid-dom. But in all seriousness, the biggest tragedy, of course, would be an unavoidable accident that leaves a child injured. That is why, we wanted to give you just a few quick reminders of how to stay safe this Halloween. Here are 5 important things you can do to help make the night all treat and no trick:

For the love, please pay attention tonight. Excited kids will be pedestrians and excited kids are not exactly known for being predictable. So, put down your phone for their sake and because it is now the law in Tennessee that drivers are not permitted to hold their phone while operating a vehicle. The new cellphone law took effect in July and it was passed for good reason. In the time it takes for you to read or send a text, you will have taken your eyes off the road for at least 5 seconds. Five seconds is longer than you think and a lot can happen in that time especially if you are speeding, which brings us to safety tip #2.
Slow down. Again, the roads will be filled with pedestrians. Even though the rain is supposed to stop in time for trick-or-treating, the roads will likely still be wet. The days are getting shorter and sunset tomorrow is 5:53 p.m. The most popular times to trick or treat are between 5:30 and 9:30 so the vast majority of trick-or-treating will take place after dark. Darkness, pedestrians, wet streets and speeding do not mix well. Give yourself enough time to react.
Make sure your kids are decked out appropriately. Costumes should fit properly so kids are not at risk of tripping or falling as they cross roadways. Make sure kids are visible. Use a glow stick or flashlight. Avoid masks that might obstruct a child’s vision.
Review safety instructions with kids including (a) staying on the sidewalk whenever possible; (b) watching for cars that are turning or backing up; (c) never assume a driver sees you and will stop – instead make eye contact before crossing; (d) no running, bolting or darting into the street (e) leave the cell phone at home or in your pocket so you can pay attention.
Do not drink and drive. Halloween parties can be fun. Just be sure to call a taxi or ride-sharing service or sleep on the couch rather than driving home in an impaired state.

From the Law Offices of John Day, our award-winning Nashville and Murfreesboro injury lawyers and staff wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween. And, if you should need us, you can reach us at 615-742-4880 (Brentwood), 615-867-9900 (Murfreesboro) or 615-669-3993 (Nashville) or 866-812-8787 (toll-free). We offer a free initial consultation and in all accident cases we only get paid if we win.

P.S. The photo is Kate Day and friends last Halloween. Kate is dressed as grapes. 🙂