STANDING UP FOR YOU WITH SKILLED ADVOCACY

We’ve talked several times in past posts about how dangerous distracted driving is. Driving while distracted by electronic devices, eating while driving, lively conversations with passengers, or personal grooming can – and does – result in injury-causing accidents.

Distracted driving is dangerous at any time of the year, but it is of particular concern on Halloween, when countless little ones across the country head out in costume for a fun night of trick-or-treating. If drivers don’t fully focus on their surroundings, a child could pay the price for that negligence.

In addition to the obvious strategy of putting away the electronic devices (no texting, no cellphone conversations, no email, no social media or apps, etc.) while driving on Halloween, drivers should also:

• Slow down, particularly in residential areas and near locations of Halloween events like local haunted houses, community center or church gatherings, and retail centers offering business-to-business trick-or-treating.
• Pay close attention when going through intersections, turning into driveways or entering alleys, as children may be crossing ahead.
• Use your headlights, even if it isn’t fully dark; this makes your car more visible and gives you a broader field of clear vision ahead.
• Watch closely at the sides of roads, when driving by parked cars, along curb lines and on medians, as children may be focused more on their candy haul than the roadway; they might inadvertently step out into traffic or cross in the middle of the block in their zeal to hit the next house.
• Try to scan ahead to see upcoming porches and yards and be attentive to possible children coming from those.

Remembering these tips will not only help you avoid an accident, they could literally save a life. Keep yourself – and others – safe this Halloween by driving carefully.