HAPPY HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

PEDS is one of my favorite organizations in Atlanta, promoting safe walking, for children and adults. Here's some great information for Halloween safety. Even if you don't have kids out trick-or-treating, please be on the look-out for the little monsters, goblins, princesses, et. al., especially if you are driving:

Help Prevent Pedestrian Horrors on Halloween

The facts are scary. Four times as many young pedestrians (ages 5 - 14), the CDC reports, are killed on Halloween than any other evening of the year. Please help us prevent pedestrian tragedies by forwarding this message to your friends, co-workers and neighborhood email lists. Keep Halloween Happy.

Trick-or-treating, a fun-filled activity for children, can quickly turn into a nightmare if someone gets hurt. On Halloween, children dressed in dark colors and in costumes that sometimes cover their eyes start walking the streets at dusk when many adults are rushing home from work.

While young, excited trick-or-treaters may forget the rules of the road and be oblivious to the hazards, we, as drivers must be vigilant.

"Tricks" for Drivers:

• Drive well below the posted speed limit.
• Don't use a cell phone while driving through neighborhoods. A single distraction could be tragic.
• Watch for children darting across streets, especially between parked cars.
• Be extra alert when pulling in and out of driveways.
• Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway. They could be dropping off children.

"Tricks" for Parents:

• Make sure drivers can see the children. Give them flashlights and glow sticks. Dress kids in bright clothing or use reflective tape on their costumes.
• Use makeup, rather than masks, so children have a clear, unobstructed view of their surroundings.
• Be sure children know how to cross a street: look left, right, and left again before crossing.
• Instruct children to stay on sidewalks and to cross only at corners or crosswalks.
• Accompany your children as they trick or treat.

About PEDS...
PEDS is a member-based advocacy group dedicated to making metro Atlanta safe and accessible for all pedestrians.

email: info@peds.org
phone: 404-522-3666
fax: 404-522-3686
web: http://www.peds.org
Sign-up for PEDS' e-newsletter on the website.

H A P P Y ~ * ~ H A L L O W E E N ! ! !