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Kids are Twice as Likely to Die in North Carolina Pedestrian Accidents on Halloween Night, Says Safe Kids USA

According to Safe Kids USA, a child?s chances of dying in a pedestrian accident more than doubles on Halloween night. 4-10pm on October 31 is when child pedestrian fatality statistics go from 1 child death/night (for these same six hours) to 2.2 kid fatalities for the evening.

One reason for the increased danger is because kids who trick or treat are likely to walk outside in the dark when it is harder for drivers to see them?especially if they are small in size or short in height. Also, a child dressed in full costume, such as a mask or a headdress, might have a hard time seeing approaching vehicles.

North Carolina Child Pedestrian Accidents
While there are steps that parents and kids can take to prevent North Carolina child pedestrian accidents from happening, such as using a flashlight, not jaywalking, and making sure that costumes are easily visible for motorists, drivers are responsible for exercising caution and watching out for pedestrians regardless of the time of day or the year.

Careless or reckless driving can be grounds for a South Carolina or North Carolina pedestrian lawsuit involving injuries to minors if a child is hurt because of driver negligence.

To avoid causing a Charlotte, North Carolina pedestrian accident, you might want to look at the following suggestions offered by the The National Safety Commission:

? Look out for trick or treating kids.
? Make sure headlights are on so that you are visible.
? Do not drive drunk.
? Do not talk on the cell phone.
? Do not text message.
? Check your blind spots.
? Expect that a child might decide to run between cars or cross the street without looking.
? Consider driving lower than the posted speed limit.
? Be ready to stop at any moment.
? Be patient with child pedestrians.
? Try not to go around or pass vehicles that are stopped.

Related Web Resources:
Real horror of Halloween: Pedestrian deaths, USA Today, October 26, 2009

Holiday Driving: Halloween Safety Tips, The National Safety Commission, October 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Top Ten Tips for Safe Trick-Or-Treating this Halloween , Safe Kids USA

Pedestrians, 2008 Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA (PDF)

Full post as published by North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog on October 26, 2009 (boomark / email).