Halloween Safety and Drunk Driving

Every year, trick-or-treaters walk around neighborhoods dressed up in their favorite costumes and enjoying Halloween. There are all kinds of horror stories about this holiday and safety, including famous ones like checking candy or apples for hidden razor blades. 

While there haven’t been many true cases of attempting to harm trick-or-treaters with candy or apples, there have been a few scattered instances in both the U.S. and Canada. Famously, a man poisoned his son’s pixie stick by lacing it with cyanide.

Halloween stories involving poison or other harm to participants tend to capture the spotlight, even if they’re just urban legends. While it’s important to emphasize that your children shouldn’t accept candy from complete strangers and pass on anything that isn’t wrapped by a manufacturer, this isn’t the most critical way to keep you and your family safe during Halloween.

Drunk Driving Accidents: the Most Common Halloween Injury

For the five years between 2014-2019, there were a reported 126 deaths after 6 p.m. on 10/31 and 11/01. Of those incidents, 41% were caused by drunk driving. Motor vehicle accidents pose a serious risk to anyone choosing to celebrate this holiday by walking in neighborhoods, especially after dark. 

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How to Protect Against Drunk Drivers

While protecting against drunk drivers may seem like something you can’t control, there are a few different ways you can help mitigate the danger to you and others out celebrating. 

1. Wear Reflectors

If you have small children or have an especially dark outfit, it can be very helpful to make your costume higher visibility. You don’t have to wear a neon yellow shirt to be visible at night, either. Instead, you can borrow a trick from cyclists and hang small reflectors off your costume. If you don’t have access to reflectors, you can also use reflective tape.

It’s generally recommended to hang two reflectors on jackets, one in the front of your costume and one off the back, and hang one on any backpacks or bags. That way, even if it’s dark and your costume isn’t brightly colored, drivers can still see their lights shining off your reflectors. This increases the likelihood that they’ll see you and take evasive action before an accident can occur. 

2. Travel in Groups

Halloween is generally more fun the more people celebrate together. This can also be a great way to stay safe when you go out for trick-or-treating. When you travel in groups outside, the group is far more visible than a single person would be. Even a drunk driver can see a crowd of people and may be able to avoid any collisions. There’s safety in numbers!

3. Hire a Ride-Sharing Service

Even if you aren’t accompanying children out trick-or-treating, you can do your part to promote safety on Halloween. It can be fun to go to a party and celebrate with friends by drinking into the night, but it’s your responsibility to make sure that you get home safely. If you have had any drinks or feel in any way that your driving could be inhibited, consider calling a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft. 

While it’s important that you stay safe, it’s equally important that you aren’t the cause of a drunk driving accident. By having a sober designated driver, even if that driver is paid, you can actively avoid becoming another Halloween night statistic. 

What to Do If You Have Been Injured

Unfortunately, even with all the precautions out there, injury can still happen during your celebration. In the case of car collisions or other vehicle-related incidents, your first priority is to call the accident and report it. Seek immediate medical attention as necessary.

If you have been injured while at a party or for other events held on private property, you may have grounds for a premises liability case. Seek medical attention and then consider contacting a personal injury attorney to review your case.

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Contact Van Law Firm 

The attorneys at Van Law Firm are experts in determining liability incidents that can leave you with serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of a drunk driver, contact us today to get a free consultation. 

Our expert legal team will handle your case and walk you through the qualification process step by step. Additionally, we will work hard to answer all your questions and earn you justice in your case.