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ODOT Halloween
Study Warns of Goblins, Ghouls and Car Crashes
New safety analysis shows rise in risk of children being struck by cars
while Trick-or-Treating
COLUMBUS (Monday, October 27, 2014) – With Halloween creeping up fast,
a new safety analysis by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)
may send chills down the backs of both parents and drivers alike: The
likelihood of pedestrians and bicyclists getting hit by a vehicle
increases 35 percent during the last seven days of October.
Even more scary, the ODOT safety study reveals that most at risk could
be children taking part in Trick-or-Treat.
The new five-year ODOT safety analysis reviewed crash data for the last
seven days of October, when communities across the state celebrate
Halloween with children trick-or-treating from house to house.
ODOT’s safety experts say the increase is due to a combination of
factors. First is the time of day: research shows that vision and depth
perception are increasingly limited at dusk.
The second contributing factor is the large concentration of children
walking, who often repeatedly cross the road at locations other than
crosswalks or intersections.
ODOT’s safety experts offer these tips to make your trick-or-treat
night safer:
Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters:
1. Stay on the sidewalk
2. Look both ways before you cross the street
AND only cross the street at intersections
3. Remember to trick-or-treat in groups and
help each other follow pedestrian safety laws
4. Make sure your costumes are visible to
motorists
5. Carry a flashlight
Safety Tips for Drivers:
1. Pedestrians have the right of way
2. Drive with headlights on
3. Reduce speed
4. Be especially careful at intersections
5. Avoid distractions like cell phones
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