Iowa DOT News

Halloween can be frightening for both drivers and pedestrians


AMES, Iowa – Oct. 28, 2009 – Little ghouls and goblins will be roaming the streets for trick-or-treat night over this Halloween weekend. The increased pedestrian traffic at twilight and after means drivers need to be more mindful than ever to scan streets and intersections for pedestrians, especially children.

A study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute showed that after daylight hours on trick-or-treat night pedestrian fatalities involving children age 15 and under are about 4.5 times the level of other nights of the year.

Excitement may overtake judgment for some trick-or-treaters, and parents sometimes overestimate children's street-crossing skills. The pedestrian skills of children may be limited by several factors related to their physical size and developmental stage. For instance, young children may lack the physical ability to cross a street quickly, and their small size limits their visibility to drivers. Children are likely to choose the shortest rather than the safest route to cross streets, often darting out between parked cars. In addition, young children do not evaluate potential traffic threats effectively, cannot anticipate driver behavior and process sensory information slower than adults.

Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics for 2008 show two pedestrians were killed in Iowa from Oct. 28-31. In 2007, one pedestrian was killed during this time period. No other fatalities are recorded on Oct. 28 through Oct. 31 dating back to 2001, but in that timeframe in 2001-2008, nine pedestrians sustained major injuries and 30 received minor injuries in vehicle/pedestrian crashes. Twenty-three other crashes were reported during this time period where injuries were possible, but not confirmed.

"On trick-or-treat evening, we're placing our children in some of the most dangerous traffic situations you could imagine," said Milly Ortiz-Pagan, pedestrian coordinator in the Iowa DOT's Office of Systems Planning. "Our children are outside after dark, they walk on and cross unfamiliar streets and they often wear dark colors that are difficult for motorists to see."

Safety tips for drivers

  • Drive slowly.
  • Watch for children in the street and on medians.
  • Exit driveways and alleyways carefully.

The Safe Kids Coalition encourages parents to use Halloween as an opportunity to remind children of the rules for navigating the streets and sidewalks and to take precautions to ensure that their costumed kids will be seen by drivers this Halloween.

Safety tips for children

  • Use flashlights, stay on sidewalks and avoid crossing yards.
  • Cross streets at the corner, use crosswalks (where they exist) and do not cross between parked cars.
  • Stop at all corners and stay together in a group before crossing.
  • Wear clothing that is bright and reflective.
  • Consider using face paint instead of masks. (Masks can obstruct a child's vision.)
  • Avoid wearing hats that may slide to cover the eyes.
  • Avoid wearing long, baggy or loose costumes or oversized shoes (to prevent tripping).
  • Look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
  • When exiting a vehicle, get out of the vehicle on the curb side and not on the traffic side.

 

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Contact: Kathy Ridnour at 515-239-1713 or [email protected]

 

 

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