Prafull Koli
10-20-2003, 06:18 PM
Kids and cars at Halloween: Always a deadly mix
Four times as many children are killed by cars on Halloween night than on other nights of the year. This information was issued in a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the US from 1975 to 1996, an average of four children between the ages of 5 and 14 are killed by a car between the hours of 4 PM and 10 PM on Halloween. The CDC cautions that this may be an underestimate, since off-road crashes, such as those occurring in driveways, parking lots and sidewalks were not included in these numbers. Some communities celebrate Halloween on another night, and these figures also did not take that into consideration.
Halloween safety tips from the CDC:
Parents should plan a trick-or-treat route for their children in a known neighborhood.
Children should use a flashlight, stay on the sidewalk, and avoid crossing yards.
Children should cross at the street corner, use crosswalks, and not walk between parked cars.
Children should be encouraged to use face paint instead of a mask. If wearing a mask, it should fit properly so the holes for eyes and ears do not obscure sight or hearing.
Children should avoid wearing long, baggy costumes, or oversized shoes to reduce the likelihood of tripping.
Children should be encouraged to wear bright, reflective and flame retardant costumes, rather than a black costume, which can be difficult for motorists to see.
"Parents and caregivers of young children may overestimate the ability of their children to negotiate traffic independently, underscoring the need for constant adult supervision of school-aged children during trick-or-treat activities," the CDC report states. The CDC also cautions that "motorists should drive slowly, watch for children in the street and on medians, and exit driveways and alleyways carefully."
Four times as many children are killed by cars on Halloween night than on other nights of the year. This information was issued in a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the US from 1975 to 1996, an average of four children between the ages of 5 and 14 are killed by a car between the hours of 4 PM and 10 PM on Halloween. The CDC cautions that this may be an underestimate, since off-road crashes, such as those occurring in driveways, parking lots and sidewalks were not included in these numbers. Some communities celebrate Halloween on another night, and these figures also did not take that into consideration.
Halloween safety tips from the CDC:
Parents should plan a trick-or-treat route for their children in a known neighborhood.
Children should use a flashlight, stay on the sidewalk, and avoid crossing yards.
Children should cross at the street corner, use crosswalks, and not walk between parked cars.
Children should be encouraged to use face paint instead of a mask. If wearing a mask, it should fit properly so the holes for eyes and ears do not obscure sight or hearing.
Children should avoid wearing long, baggy costumes, or oversized shoes to reduce the likelihood of tripping.
Children should be encouraged to wear bright, reflective and flame retardant costumes, rather than a black costume, which can be difficult for motorists to see.
"Parents and caregivers of young children may overestimate the ability of their children to negotiate traffic independently, underscoring the need for constant adult supervision of school-aged children during trick-or-treat activities," the CDC report states. The CDC also cautions that "motorists should drive slowly, watch for children in the street and on medians, and exit driveways and alleyways carefully."