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Trick-or-Treat Haunts the Whole Weekend, AAA Warns Motorists

19 October 1999

Trick-or-Treat Haunts the Whole Weekend, AAA Warns Motorists

    ORLANDO, Fla.--Oct. 18, 1999--With Halloween falling on Sunday, October 31 this year, AAA is warning motorists to slow down and watch out for costumed children all weekend long.
    "Halloween traditions continue to change and observations are different from place to place, so it is important for motorists to realize young children could be crossing streets at various times of day and night that weekend," said Mark Edwards, managing director, AAA Traffic Safety Services.
    Some communities will celebrate Halloween on Sunday, others will choose to Trick-or-Treat a day early on Saturday. Costume parties will also place some children in at-risk traffic situations on Friday.
    "Halloween is a time to practice defensive driving," Edwards said. "Children wearing costumes and masks often can not see oncoming traffic. The excitement of running house to house for candy and treats may also cause young ones to abandon normal traffic caution."
    Another factor adding potential danger to an otherwise fun activity is diminished daylight at this time of year. Unfortunately, daylight-saving time ends for most of the nation on October 31, losing an hour of evening light.
    AAA recommends parents consider the following safety tips, when helping their children prepare for trick-or-treats:

--   Walk in a group.  Don't run.

--   Travel with a parent, or a responsible older child.

--   Start early when it is still light, and finish before 
     it is completely dark.

--   Carry a flashlight.

--   Wear make-up instead of a vision-restricting mask.

--   Wear light colored or reflective costumes, or trim costumes
     with reflective tape. o Cross the street carefully at corners and
     never in the middle of the block, or between parked cars.

   For motorists, AAA recommends:

--   Purchase treats early and stay home on the evening your
     community has chosen to celebrate Halloween. 


--   Slow down to 5 miles per hour below the posted speed limit, if
     you must drive.

--   Turn your lights on well before dusk.

    Parents taking children to events at shopping malls or other public gathering places should be alert to parking lot dangers. The mall parking lot may be crowded. It is important to use extra caution when entering and exiting parking spaces.
    AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 90 clubs with 1,100 offices providing more than 42 million members in the United States and Canada with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.