Halloween is supposed to be a fun time for children in Boston and surrounding suburbs, including Cambridge and Quincy. Kids may go to parties, out trick-or-treating, on hayrides or to costume contests. Unfortunately, when children are out on the streets on Halloween night, an experienced personal injury lawyer knows there is a significant risk that a child could be harmed.
Recently, State Farm Insurance published an in-depth report based on data from more than 4 million motor vehicle collision records between 1990 and 2010. Data showed the risk that a child would be involved in a fatal pedestrian collision on Halloween night was more than double the danger of a deadly accident on other evenings of the year. Parents should be aware that their kids are in significantly more danger of getting hurt on Halloween night and they should take precautions to protect children from being hurt in a collision.
The Risk of Boston Pedestrian Collisions
State Farm found there were 115 children killed between 1990 and 2010 on Halloween night. This is an average of 5.5 pedestrian fatalities among young children every year on October 31. By contrast, on a typical day, an average of 2.6 child pedestrians lose their lives in collisions.
Young adults between ages 12 and 15 were those with the greatest risk of losing their lives on Halloween. As many as 32 percent of pedestrian deaths among kids on Halloween night involved children in this age group. The high death toll among older kids may be explained by the fact that kids of this age are frequently allowed to go trick-or-treating or out with their friends without their parents. Kids between the ages of five and eight were the second most likely population to be killed. A total of 23 percent of pedestrian child injuries involved kids within this age range.
When deaths occur in pedestrian collisions on Halloween night, 70 percent of the fatal accidents happen in the middle of a block rather than at the corners. This suggests that many of the deaths occur when a child runs out from between two parked cars into the middle of the road and a driver is not able to stop in time.
The time between 6:00 and 7:00 PM is the time when the greatest number of fatalities occur on Halloween night. Between 5:00 and 9:00 PM, a full 60 percent of the deadly child pedestrian crashes occur. The hour between 6:00 and 7:00 is likely the most dangerous because of the fact that this is the time when it begins to get dark out.
Safe Kids Worldwide provided some tips for parents, kids and drivers to avoid collisions on Halloween. Kids should wear bright costumes and avoid masks so they don't have impaired visibility. Parents should talk to their kids about crossing at corners and should go out with kids under 12. Finally, drivers need to pay careful attention and ensure they are aware of the added risk of kids being out on Halloween.
Boston accident victims may contact the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone at 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 or can visit https://www.marksalomone.com. Serving Boston, Back Bay, Fenway, North End, South End, Allston, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury and surrounding areas.