Stay Safe This Halloween: Tips from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is encouraging the public to be mindful of traffic safety issues during Halloween festivities on Tuesday, and it also recommends parents make use of its online sex offender registry “to make sure your children are visiting safe houses.”

Unique Safety Concerns on Halloween

“This year, Halloween falls on a Tuesday which means the regular workday commute will coincide with the time children may be walking the streets to trick-or-treat or participate in other seasonal activities,” ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said in a statement issued by the agency. “This creates a unique set of circumstances that require careful planning and awareness. No matter how you and your family celebrate the day, we want everyone to get home safe and sound at the end of the festivities.”

High Risk for Pedestrian Injuries

The ALEA release cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days of the year for pedestrian injuries and fatalities. It also cited National Safety Council (NSC) reports that children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.

Essential Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters:

Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.
If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.
Watch for cars turning or backing up.
Cross streets only at the corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.
Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you.
Tell your parents where you are going.
Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries. Never shine flashlights into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Crucial Advice for Parents

For Parents:

Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and light in color to improve visibility.
Be bright at night – have trick-or-treaters use glow sticks or wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and on treat buckets.
Ensure disguises don’t obstruct vision and avoid full facemasks.
Create face masks that coordinate with costumes and won’t obstruct vision.
Ask an adult or older child to supervise children under the age of 12.
Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and to never enter a stranger’s home or garage.
Review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.

Important Reminders for Motorists

Motorists:

Eliminate distractions while driving, focus on the road and trick-or-treaters.
Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals, giving yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street.
Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and may cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.
Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys, taking extra care if you are backing up or turning.
Turn your headlights on to make yourself more visible – even in daylight.

ALEA said it recommends parents check the state’s online sex offender registry.

ALEA’s full list of safety tips follows.