Halloween Driving can be Dangerous....

The Claims Journal has reported that kids have a greater chance of being fatally injured by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day, according to State Farm and research expert, Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces, two companies that teamed up to better understand the risk kids face as they take to the streets in search of treats.

Sperling’s BestPlaces analyzed more than four million records in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) from 1990 – 2010 for children 0-18 years of age on October 31. That detailed analysis revealed the following:

·         One hundred and fifteen child pedestrian fatalities occurred on Halloween over the 21 years of our analysis. That is an average of 5.5 fatalities each year on October 31, which is more than double the average number of 2.6 fatalities for other days.

·         Nearly one-fourth (26 out of 115) of accidents occurred from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Over 60 percent of the accidents occurred in the 4-hour period from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

·         Over 70 percent of the accidents occurred away from an intersection or crosswalk.

·         Most of the fatalities occurred with children ages 12-15 (32 percent of all child fatalities), followed by children ages 5-8 (23 percent).

·         Young drivers ages 15-25 accounted for nearly one-third of all fatal accidents involving child pedestrians on Halloween.

·         Drivers ages 36-40 and 61-65 were involved in the fewest child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween. Together, these age groups accounted for nine child pedestrian fatalities (8 percent) in the 21 years of the study.

·         Each of the last six years of the study (2005 – 2010) has seen Halloween child fatalities below the 21 year average of 5.5.

Bettina Altizer- Attorney at Law

Altizer Law P.C

324 Washington Avenue

Roanoke, Virginia, 24016

540-345-2000