BLOOMINGTON, Ill.,
30
October
2019
|
14:40 PM
America/Chicago

What’s scarier than costumes? Colliding with a child on Halloween!

Around 35 million children, between five and 13 years old, go trick-or-treating every year in the U.S. Statistics show:

  • They are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. 
  • 23% of fatalities occur with children between the ages of five and eight.
  • 70% of accidents occur away from an intersection or crosswalk.

Whether you're going door-to-door, driving or passing out treats at home, State Farm wants to help keep your little princesses, pirates, and police officers safe this Halloween with these tips:

If you're going door-to-door

  • Always accompany young children.
  • Exercise great caution during the "scariest" hours - between 5 and 9 p.m. It is especially dangerous for pedestrian accidents between 6 pm and 7 pm.
  • Stick to neighborhoods with sidewalks. If you must walk on the street, keep to the far left, facing traffic.
  • Practice safe crossing procedures - use crosswalks; wait for corners; and look left, right and left again before crossing.
  • Stick reflective tape onto costumes to make your child more visible. Also have them carry a flashlight.
  • Make sure costumes and shoes are the correct size to prevent tripping.
  • Use face paint and leave the masks at home. They can obstruct vision.
  • If an older child is venturing out without supervision, ask them to go with a group. Discuss the route and agree on a curfew. Give older kids cell phones so they can stay in touch.

If you're driving

  • Drive slowly
  • Be alert for children and eliminate in-car distractions.
  • Practice extra caution at intersections and corners.
  • Pull in and out of driveways carefully.
  • Discuss these and other driving pointers with your teen driver. Drivers ages 15-25 were involved in approximately one-third of fatal crashes involving child pedestrians on Halloween.

If you're handing out treats

  • Keep your home brightly lit indoors and outside.
  • Clear debris and other obstacles from your lawn, sidewalks and steps.
  • Opt for battery-operated candles in jack-o'-lanterns or other areas where costumed trick-or-treaters might stand.
  • Keep pets kenneled or in another room.

In addition to protecting children from accidents, remind them of "stranger danger" on Halloween. Teach children to visit only well-lit homes. Tell them to avoid dark streets and to not enter unknown homes. Kids should show their candy to parents before eating it. Homemade treats from people they don't know shouldn't be eaten.

 

 

 

About State Farm®:

For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, lifehealth, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for rentersbusiness ownersboats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 44 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

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