AAA Texas Offers Halloween Safety Tips

HOUSTON--Oct. 2, 20058, 2005--For children and parents, Halloween is one of the most fun and exciting times of the year, but because of the high number of trick-or-treaters walking the street, it can also be one of the most dangerous. AAA Texas is encouraging motorists to watch out for children on Halloween.

Statistics show that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days for pedestrian injuries and fatalities, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that children are four times more likely to be struck by a motor vehicle on Halloween than any other day of the year.

Because excited trick-or-treaters often forget about safety, motorists and parents must be even more alert. AAA Texas offers these tips for helping keep young ones safe on Halloween:

MOTORISTS

-- Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals.

-- Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street.

-- Look for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. In dark costumes, they'll be harder to see at night.

-- Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.

-- Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible - even in the daylight.

PARENTS

-- Ensure an adult or older, responsible youth is available to supervise children under age 12.

-- Plan and discuss the route your trick-or-treaters will follow.

-- Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.

-- Establish a time for children to return home.

-- Mark sure Halloween costumes are flame-resistant.

TRICK-or-TREATERS

-- Be bright at night - wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and treat buckets to improve visibility to motorists and others.

-- Wear disguises that don't obstruct vision, and avoid facemasks, instead of non-toxic face paint.

-- Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries, and place it facedown in the treat bucket to free up one hand. Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

-- Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.

-- If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.

-- Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.

-- Trick-or-treat in a group or with an adult.

-- Tell your parents where you are going...and return on time.

AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' web site at www.aaa-texas.com.