10 Safety Tips for Young Trick-or-Treaters
With the season of all things spooky underway, many young children, teens, and adults are getting ready for a night of tricks and treats on October 31st. This means a large amount of pedestrians on sidewalks, crossing large intersections, and crowding around residential streets.
Pedestrian safety is always important, but with this holiday, there are certain things minors and their parents should keep in mind. With October being National Pedestrian Safety Month, the BD&J California pedestrian accident attorneys share 10 safety tips for trick-or-treaters this upcoming holiday on Halloween pedestrian safety, and what parents can do after an accident.
Call BD&J pedestrian accident lawyers at 855-906-3699!
10 Ways to Stay Safe While Out This Halloween – No Tricks Involved
Pedestrian accidents happen frequently throughout California and the country. In fact, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted a pedestrian was killed every 74 minutes in vehicle crashes in 2024.
A night meant to be filled with fun, terror, and the chance to enjoy your favorite candy shouldn’t be interrupted by a terrifying accident that leads to real-life consequences. Enforcing safety habits on your young trick-or-treater can help actively prevent an accident or prepare them to act fast in the aftermath of one.
10 ways to stay safe while out this Halloween include:
- Obey All Signs and Signals
It is extremely important to remind trick-or-treaters to obey all signs and signals, especially at crosswalks.
- Always Look Left, Right, and Left Before Crossing
Looking left, right, and left again before crossing can allow kids and teens to check for incoming cars while making their way along residential streets and intersections.
- Walk With a Buddy
Walking with a friend to a trick-or-treat destination can not only bring extra fun for your trick-or-treater, but it can also mean an extra set of eyes at crosswalks and other busy areas of the road.
- Wear Something that Makes You Easy to Spot
This can mean wearing reflective stickers or tape, or decorating a treat bag with them, as well as carrying flashlights or glowsticks.
- Choose Face Paint and Makeup Over Masks
Masks can obstruct a person’s vision and combined with the darkness of the night, can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to trying to spot turning vehicles, make out crosswalk signals, and similar events.
- Avoid Costumes that Are Too Long
While that long ghost costume may seem cool and scary, trying to navigate the sidewalks with long costumes isn’t recommended. This can lead to tripping, stumbling, or even distract trick-or-treaters while they’re trying to cross a street.
- Do Not Run
It may seem like there’s only so much time in the night to get through all the houses for that coveted candy loot, but running across streets only increases the risk of an accident.
- Avoid the Phone
Taking costume photos and checking in with friends can be something done while at home or before reaching the area where you’ll be walking.
- Stay on Sidewalks
Sidewalks are designated pedestrian areas for a reason, and if for some reason there are no sidewalks in that particular area, walk while facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Do Not Cross In Between Parked Cars
One study showed that dart-out pedestrian accidents are a unique hazard for children aged 0-19, with the age group 10-19 at a higher risk for fatalities.
What if My Child Was Injured While Crossing the Street?
If your child was injured while crossing the street on Halloween, whether by a distracted, fatigued, or impaired driver, you have the legal right to file a claim on their behalf for compensation. Minors under 18 can’t file a personal injury claim on their own.
Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way?
According to California law, pedestrians will always have the right-of-way in intersections and in marked or unmarked crosswalks.
However, certain instances where a pedestrian has to wait or cannot cross include:
- Crosswalks when the Don’t Walk signal is activated
- Crossing outside of an unmarked crosswalk (jaywalking) when there’s incoming traffic signaled to move forward
- Walking in areas where pedestrians are strictly prohibited, like along a freeway
How Can I Be Safe as a Driver on Halloween?
Pedestrians can take all the precautions they can, but it’s also up to drivers who will be out during Halloween to uphold safety habits while on the road. Whether you’re driving a couple of trick-or-treaters, going to a Halloween party, or doing other festive events, here are some of the ways you can practice safe driving habits:
- Be extremely cautious if you will be out on Halloween between 6 pm to 9 pm
- Drive slowly and wait a little extra at stops or signal lights before moving
- If you will be drinking, have a designated driver with you
- If you are too impaired to drive, schedule a rideshare service
- Avoid driving through large residential areas if you don’t need to
- Switch headlights on a bit earlier than usual, such as around dusk
How To Report Your Child’s Pedestrian Accident
If your child was struck while walking on Halloween, the following steps can help you report the pedestrian accident:
- Get to safety immediately. – If you and your child are able, move to a safe area of the street away from the road.
- Call for emergency services. – It’s important to act fast and call 911 for the police and immediate medical attention.
- Attend to any serious wounds that may need attention. – Any visible wounds that are bleeding and require quick attention should be managed until medical help arrives.
- Do not move the child from the accident scene. – However, if you notice your child has been seriously hurt from the accident, it’s best to not move them to prevent any further injuries.
- Get witness information. – Other families or teens in the area may have also seen the accident unfold, so try to get contact information from as many witnesses as possible.
- Talk to a pedestrian accident attorney in California. – You don’t have to get justice for your child alone, a pedestrian accident lawyer from BD&J can help!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accidents in California
What if I Was Hit by a Drunk Driver?
If you were hit by an impaired driver, it’s crucial that you report the accident and don’t engage with the other driver. If the driver flees the accident scene, it may become a hit-and-run accident that requires further investigation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Pedestrian Accident Claim?
You typically have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a claim.
Is Halloween the Most Dangerous Day of the Year for Pedestrians?
For pedestrians, especially child pedestrians, Halloween may be the most dangerous day of the year. In fact, data shows that the risk of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween rises by 43% when compared to other nights.
What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?
Compensation recovered in a pedestrian accident lawsuit may include current and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income (if applicable for teen or adult victims), and punitive damages if a driver has committed past violations or practiced extreme negligence.
Do My Injuries Have to Be Fully Healed to File an Accident Claim?
No, you can start a lawsuit while your injuries are healing, but you shouldn’t settle until you know the prognosis for your injuries and if future medical care is needed.
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is the stage of healing where your injury has peaked in recovery, and no further treatment will better it. You will want to settle your claim only until you’ve reached this stage, and an attorney can help you value your case.
What if I Was Wearing a Costume Piece that Obscured My Vision, Leading to an Accident?
If you were wearing a costume piece that obscured your vision and played a part in an accident, you can still recover compensation for your injuries. This is due to comparative negligence, which allows accident victims to recover compensation for injuries even if they were found to have some fault in an accident.
How Serious Are Injuries from Pedestrian Accidents?
Pedestrian accidents can be serious, even fatal. Common pedestrian accident injuries include brain injuries, spine injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and organ damage.
What Makes a Road Dangerous for Pedestrians?
Some of the factors that increase the risk of an accident on certain roads include roads with crosswalks but no signals, roads with higher speed limits, multiple lanes, and roads near commercial spaces.
Will a Driver Always Be Responsible for an Accident?
While drivers are often the responsible parties of a pedestrian accident, there can be others. For example, a car parts manufacturer may be responsible if the accident was caused by faulty brakes or defective battery.
The local municipality may be liable for an accident if it was caused by defective road design or malfunctioning road signals.
How Much Does It Cost to Work with BD&J?
At BD&J, we understand you may be going through a lot of financial stress as you navigate medical treatments and more, which is why we provide our legal services with no upfront fees* under a contingency fee basis.
Attorney fees are recovered from the final compensation amount after your case has settled.
Can I Schedule a Consultation with a BD&J Attorney Right Now?
Absolutely! Our team is available to answer your call 24/7.
You can schedule your initial consultation at any of our California offices, located in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Rancho Santa Margarita, Sacramento, and elsewhere. If you can’t make it to us, we’ll come to you!
Dedicated Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in California Who Fight Tirelessly for You
Halloween is meant to be a time for spooks, tricks, and fun, but when a real-life accident happens leading to serious injuries, it’s time to call legal attorneys who aren’t afraid of going against big and scary insurance companies.
BD&J’s pedestrian accident lawyers are here to fight for you. While Halloween is only once a year, we look forward to working with our clients every day to fight against insurance tricks and recover the compensation they deserve.
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