Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips for South Windsor

From the South Windsor Police Department:

The South Windsor Police Department Traffic Unit would like to remind motorists to be alert for trick-or-treaters in the roadways this Friday, October 31st, 2014. SWPD offers the following tips for motorist and pedestrian safety for this Halloween:

Motorists

Be especially careful between 4 and 8 p.m., when most of the severe vehicle/young pedestrian collisions happen.

Drive slowly, and don’t pass stopped vehicles. The driver might be dropping off children.

Pull over and Park to use your mobile phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you’ve stopped to call, text, or browse the internet.

Watch for children darting into the street. Kids can cross the street anywhere, and most young pedestrian deaths happen at spots other than intersections.

Yield to young pedestrians. Children might not stop, either because they don’t see your vehicle approaching or don’t know how to safely cross the street.

Communicate with other drivers. Always use your turn signals. And if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your kids, turn on your hazard lights.

Parents & Trick-or-Treaters

Teach them how to safely cross streets. They should look both ways and cross only at corners and crosswalks.

Brighten them up. Give them flashlights and glow sticks, and/or use reflective tape on their costumes, so drivers can see them.

Be careful when you cross a street. Make sure to look in both directions and make sure that there are no cars coming. If you have a little brother or sister with you, take their hand and help them get across the street, too. If the street has a stop light, wait until the cross walk light tells you that it’s okay to cross now, but still check before you cross, look both ways.

Be careful with your route. Walk on the sidewalk or against traffic on the roadway. Cross at street corners, not in the middle of the block.

The South Windsor Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting focused enforcement in residential neighborhoods. Be safe and be smart.

South Windsor Police Department is a member of the Metro Traffic Services regional partnership for traffic safety. It is the mission of the Traffic Unit to increase safety and reduce motor vehicle crashes on South Windsor roadways through engineering, education, and enforcement.

Image via Shutterstock

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