We Save Lives in our ongoing efforts to save lives strongly urges our members to follow the CDC Guidelines. If you choose to trick or treat, We Save Lives has provided the following tips on how to keep your family safe this Halloween. Stay safe. Because we care.

Did you know that Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for children who are pedestrians? On this day, more than twice as many children are killed in pedestrian car crashes between the hours of 4 and 10 PM than on any other day throughout the year at the same time? Drivers between the ages of 15-25 accounted for nearly one-third of all fatal crashes involving child pedestrians on Halloween. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

I am one of the few people I know who loved Halloween more than Christmas when it came to children. When I wanted to take my 3 year old grandson, Michael, trick or treating for the first time, his mother was extremely reluctant because she said he would be scared and unwilling to approach the houses. Little did she know! He not only ran to the door when he realized candy was the reward, but nothing, and I mean nothing, deterred him, including barking dogs and a gang of tough looking older children running around the neighborhood with scary costumes. I had a hard time holding onto him, but I did because I knew from first-hand experience the lifesaving benefits of holding on tight.

It is a wonderful time of year and we want you and your family to enjoy it, safely. Below are a few tips for those who will be pedestrians and drivers:

• Wear bright clothes. If your costume is dark, carry lighted lanterns, and load up every visible part of your anatomy with reflectors. Put them on your shoes too.
• Hold onto your child’s hand. They get excited and want to run across the street if they see their friends or a decorated house. Hang onto them for dear life.
• Always try to cross in crosswalks. However, that does not mean you shouldn’t be on alert. Drivers will be looking at the costumes, and not necessarily at your children crossing the street. Or, they may be using their cell phone while driving. Shame.
• Make sure you and your children look every which way before you do cross the street.
• Wait for signals. They are there for a reason.
• Do not jaywalk. It could be dangerous.
• Do not try to beat a car (run across the street when you see a car coming). Wait for the car to first pass where you want to cross.
• Use a flashlight to show you are there.
• All drivers should stay off their cell phones, watch the intersections, and the rest of the street. Children may dart out in front of you, so go very slowly. Watch for children who may be jaywalking (despite our advice).
• If you are partying instead of trick or treating, stay sober or find another ride home.
• Do not under any circumstances drink, drug, and drive. I don’t care if you do think you drive more carefully when stoned. You don’t.
• Wait behind other vehicles that are pulled over. They may be dropping off a group of children.
• Always warn your children that they are not to get into the car of anyone they do not already know well. Give them a cell phone to use in case of an emergency. Make sure the attending adult has one too.
• We all know the other tips about razors in the apples (actually found one once), etc. However, now that states are legalizing marijuana, be especially cautious of anything that isn’t pre-wrapped and hard. People can do some very stupid things.

Stay safe—because we care.
WeSaveLives.org