Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only scary things about Halloween. In fact, the real horrors of the holiday don’t dwell in haunted houses – they haunt the roads. Traffic accidents spike annually on October 31st, with deadly results. Let’s dive into the top three most common car accidents on Halloween, and how to avoid these scary Halloween accidents.

 

Drunk Driving

On Halloween between 6pm and 5:59am during 2017-2021, 159 people died in drunk driving accidents, according to the NHTSA. That’s not including the countless personal injuries that were suffered. Drivers aged 21-34 years old made up 55% of drunk drivers on Halloween of  2021 alone. How can you avoid an accident? It’s simple – drive sober. Don’t scare other drivers! These Halloween accidents are no joke. If you’re driving on Halloween and see a car on the road that appears to have an intoxicated driver, follow these steps.

  • Give the vehicle plenty of space, and get away from it safely.
  • Call 911 and report it to keep other drivers and pedestrians safe.

 

Pedestrian Accidents

The overall average percentage of Halloween car crashes involving pedestrians from 2005-2019 is a startling 28.48%. Surprisingly, Halloweens that have fallen on weekdays are historically more dangerous for pedestrians than those on weekends… and Halloween of 2023 will be on a Tuesday. Fatal pedestrian accidents on Saturdays & Sundays make up an average of 26.67%, while these car wrecks jump to 28.84% when Halloween is on a Monday-Friday. 

To put these statistics into perspective, a pedestrian related car accident is 16.3% more likely to occur on a Halloween that lands on a weekday than on a regular weekday.

What can trick-or-treaters and parents do to protect themselves this year?

  • Place reflective patches on clothing or costumes.
  • Children should always be under adult supervision.
  • Stay on the sidewalk, and use crosswalks appropriately.
  • Wait until vehicles have come to a complete stop to cross the street.

How can drivers avoid a pedestrian accident?

  • Drive significantly slower on Halloween and stay alert – especially in residential areas.
  • Slow down at all crosswalks, even if you don’t see any parents or trick or treaters. Children may dart out unexpectedly.
  • Hands on the wheel, and eyes on the road! Distracted driving is always dangerous, and the risk of a car crash spikes even higher on Halloween.
  • Make sure your brakes, headlights, and turn signals are functioning properly before hitting the road.
  • Keep your windshield and mirrors clean.

 

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is already a highly dangerous form of reckless driving, causing 680,000 car crashes in 2020 alone, along with countless deaths and car accident injuries. According to AAA, an average of 1,000 people suffer car wreck injuries caused by distracted driving every day in the United States. With increased traffic and children running around trick or treating, distracted driving becomes even more hazardous on Halloween.

If safety reasons aren’t enough to convince you to put the phone down behind the wheel, state law will be. On August 28th, 2023, Missouri’s Bening Hands Free Law officially went into effect, banning drivers from holding any electronic devices for recording, calling, texting, etc. while driving.

If you or a loved one have suffered personal injuries in a traffic accident caused by another driver, contact us as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation. During your legal consultation, you will receive free legal advice from an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer near you. When you hire The S.E. Farris Law Firm, your attorney will guide you through the legal process and fight for the compensation you deserve.