Does Trick-or-Treating Put Your Child at Risk for a Pedestrian Accident?
With Halloween just days away, children throughout Minnesota are anxious to don their Halloween costume and take to the streets in search of candy and other treats. The decades-old Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating is undoubtedly fun for children and adults alike. Unfortunately, it also exposes participants to the risk of injury in a serious pedestrian accident.
Can Victims Recover Compensation?
There are many potential causes of pedestrian accidents on Halloween. What is important for victims to understand is that when accidents are caused by driver negligence, they can recover for any losses they may incur, such as medical expenses, lost income, loss of quality of life, and physical and emotional pain and suffering. Some of the more common forms of driver negligence that causes Halloween pedestrian accidents include the following:
- Impaired driving
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving without headlights
- Failing to yield the right of way
What Can Parents Do to Keep Their Children Safe?
Fortunately, there are certain steps that parents of trick-or-treaters can take to minimize the risk that their little ghouls or goblins will be involved in a pedestrian accident this Halloween. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers parents the following safety tips1 to keep their kids safe:
- Children under 12 should be supervised by an adult
- Use face paint instead of masks whenever possible, as masks can obstruct a child’s vision
- Only trick-or-treat in well-lit and familiar areas
- Decorate costumes with reflective tape of give children flashlights or glow sticks to carry
- Practice pedestrian safety: only cross the street at corners with crosswalks or traffic signals and look left, right, and left again before stepping out into the street
What Should You do if You or Your Child is Involved in an Accident?
Unfortunately, some accidents are unavoidable and there will be people who are hurt by careless drivers this Halloween. Here are some of the things that you should do if you or your child his injured by a motorist this October 31st:
- Call the authorities
- Document information about the crash
- Seek medical attention, even if you do not believe that your or your child’s injuries are serious
- Call an attorney
Call a Minnesota Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
