LOS ANGELES, CA – Parents planning to take their children trick-or-treating on Halloween should be aware that Halloween is one of the most dangerous holidays for pedestrian collisions in Los Angeles county.
The Ryan Law Group, a personal injury law firm based in Los Angeles, took a look at data provided by UC Berkeley’s TIMS (Transportation Injury Mapping System), which sources much of its data from Caltrans and CHP. The data covered a 3-day span including the day before Halloween, Halloween, and the day after Halloween, for the years of 2020, 2021, and 2022. Specifically, they analyzed pedestrian collisions in Los Angeles county.
Overall, there is a 20% uptick in pedestrian-involved collisions during Halloween weekend for all three years, compared to the weekend prior. On Halloween day specifically, pedestrian collisions involving minors increase twofold, as compared to the same day a week prior. DUI-involved pedestrian accidents also nearly double on Halloween day.
On average, 15% of these pedestrian-involved collisions on Halloween weekend involve fatalities.
The top four biggest causes of pedestrian-involved accidents are a result of the negligence of the driver involved, and are: right of way misunderstandings, improper turning, unsafe speed, and unsafe starting or backing.
According to CHP’s SWITRS (Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System), last year a majority of pedestrian-involved collisions occurred during the hours of 6 PM and 10 PM (56%, to be exact). These are prime trick-or-treating hours for most children.
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So how can you keep your child safe from dangerous drivers while walking the neighborhoods on Halloween this year? Of course, it always helps to start with educating or reminding your children about the dangers of being a pedestrian – stay close, don’t cross without an adult, and look both ways before crossing.
Another tip The Ryan Law Group recommends is choosing a Halloween costume that does not affect your child’s visibility (like a mask), and does not affect the visibility of your child to others (costumes in dark colors). Walking the neighborhood with flashlights or glow sticks can also help increase visibility to passing drivers, but it may be wise to start and finish trick-or-treating before the sun has gone down.
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The Ryan Law Group is a personal injury law firm located in Manhattan Beach, and services all of Los Angeles County and the rest of California. The firm handles litigation for a wide array of case types, including car accidents, truck accidents, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, premises liability, product liability, dog bites, mass torts, and more. If you or a loved one is injured as a result of another’s negligence, you can reach the firm 24/7 at (310) 299-9550 or by submitting a contact form here.
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