Factors that Contribute to Halloween Car Accidents
Written by Cooper & Friedman PLLC on October 23, 2023
When you step outside on a crisp Halloween night, it would be nice to think that the only scary things out there are some quality costumes, hyper-realistic décor, and showings of all the horror classics. However, there are always some people that have more than simple tricks and spooky mayhem on their mind, and Halloween is a holiday where crime and accidents spike by approximately 17%.
Car accidents in particular are a big concern, increasing by as much as 14% on Halloween with pedestrian deaths due to vehicle collisions increasing by 43%. Why are these statistics so high?
1. Alcohol Use
Halloween parties are a very popular pastime- it presents an opportunity to dress up with your friends, play silly games, watch scary movies, eat candy, and dip into the drinking culture. When there are parties with alcohol, there are sure to be those who do not know their limits and attempt to drive home after. Underage drinking, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), and Driving Under the Influence (DUI) are three crimes that increase on Halloween, and with how many children and families are out walking in the neighborhoods or driving to trick-or-treat locations, drunk driving and the resulting accidents become a much more serious problem on Halloween.
2. Car Theft
While it might seem silly, car theft is more prevalent during Halloween than other holidays, since cars are parked in places they usually aren’t so that parents can take their kids to other neighborhoods and parents are already distracted trying to keep their children safe. Since car thieves might not be used to the operating functions of the stolen cars, it is harder for them to control the vehicle and can result in unpredictable driving behavior.
3. Halloween Celebrations Happen at Night
Halloween trick-or-treating and Halloween parties all usually happen once the sun starts to go down. Visibility can be low in many ways: streetlights and headlights that are out, cars parked in spots that limit turn-visibility, the presence of excited, small children running around in dark costumes; there are dangers everywhere. It might be best to avoid driving in residential spots around town, and trick-or-treaters should stay in groups to increase their visibility, too.
4. There’s More Foot Traffic
This is one of the primary reasons that pedestrian deaths increase; there are simply more of them on Halloween. According to the US census in 2020, there were 73.1 million children (aka, potential trick-or-treaters) under the age of 18, and this does not account for their parents that go with. Not only are there more people out at night on Halloween, but there are more people out in places that might not usually have much foot traffic. Drivers that aren’t paying attention, or pedestrians that aren’t paying attention, could easily be lured into a false sense of familiarity and lose some of their caution.
5. A Lack of Sidewalks
Did you know that 70% of streets in the US do not have sidewalks? The lack of a safe place for pedestrians to celebrate really increases the risk of pedestrian/car collisions. Impatient drivers that drive too fast down roads and children that dart in and out of the street are both risks that have contributed to the increased statistics of Halloween car accidents.
Kentucky Car Accident? Call Cooper and Friedman.
Cooper and Friedman have experience in many different fields, including motor vehicle collisions, personal injury, child injury, civil rights and police misconduct, and slip and fall cases. If you’ve found yourself the victim of a car accident in the State of Kentucky and are in need of an experienced motor vehicle attorney, give the lawyers at the Cooper & Friedman law firm a call. The attorneys at Cooper and Friedman PLLC have over 50 years of combined experience defending the rights of victims. Contact us with questions you might have or schedule a free case consultation with an attorney by calling 502-459-7555 today.