NEWS RELEASE: October 24, 2008
FROM: The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Technical Trooper Edna Buttler (785) 296-6800
Keep the Treat in Trick or Treat - Practice Safety on Halloween
Practicing extra awareness can help save lives
The Kansas Highway Patrol would like to remind everyone during National Teen Driver Safety Week, as well as the upcoming Halloween celebration that added caution can be the key to safety. National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 19-25. Each year, Kansas teens are involved in 16,000 motor vehicle crashes. Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed a proclamation on October 20, designating the third week of October as National Teen Driver Safety Week. On Halloween there are an increasing number of people out, including pedestrians walking, parents driving their children, and young people who are excited for the evening ahead. With all of the people out, it is imperative that safety play a role in the fun during the festivities.
"We all know that Halloween can be a fun night. However, teenagers and parents of teens both need to be mindful that these young drivers are not as experienced on the roadways," Patrol Superintendent Colonel Terry Maple said. "Inexperience, late-night driving, and multiple passengers all increase the odds of teens being involved in a collision. In our state, a 16-year-old driver is five times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than a 20-year-old driver."
Alcohol is another contributing factor in collisions on Halloween. In 2006 on Halloween night, alcohol played a factor in 44 percent of all highway fatalities in the nation. Driving under the influence can cause blurred vision and coordination problems, among others, which can result in a driver going left of center, speeding or driving too slowly, and a number of other unsafe behaviors, all of which prove to be dangerous, and sometimes fatal, when traveling in a motor vehicle.
"Last year 118 people were killed on Kansas roads in crashes that alcohol played a contributing factor in,"Colonel Terry Maple, Patrol Superintendent said. "On Halloween more people are out and it's a time to be aware. Be aware of the activities of other drivers and pedestrians. And be aware of the grave impact that driving under the influence can have, whether it results in a crash or an arrest."
In Kansas in 2007, nearly 30 percent of fatal collisions were alcohol-related. From the ages of 15 to 29, the number of alcohol-related crashes is significantly higher than for any other age groups. In the past ten years, 1,150 people have been killed in alcohol-related collisions on Kansas roadways.
A reduction in drinking and driving and taking added safety precautions will help keep the citizens of our state safe on Halloween. This is an exciting time of year, so practice safety to help preserve the fun of the day. On Halloween last year, three people died in collisions on Kansas roadways. In an effort to reduce this number, the Kansas Highway Patrol is offering the following safety tips.
For Families:
- Trick or treat as a group, and never leave each other's side.
- Stay on the sidewalks and use crosswalks. When you are crossing the street, make sure you are looking both ways and check each side twice. Make sure not to dart out from behind parked vehicles, this will make you harder for oncoming traffic to see, and they will have less time to slow down and stop for you.
- Wear brightly colored costumes. Make sure they don’t block you or your child’s vision and they do not drag on the ground. Reflective tape is recommended for those costumes that are not highly visible.
- Only go to familiar neighborhoods and homes with their lights on.
- Carry a flashlight.
- Try to complete your trick-or-treating prior to dark if at all possible.
- Parents need to inspect candy before their children consume it.
- Remember to have everyone wear their seatbelts and use child restraint devices.
For Drivers:
- Drivers need to slow down and pay close attention to the curbs for pedestrians waiting to cross the street. It is important to remember that children are excited for the evening and possibly not paying attention to traffic. There also will be people in dark costumes, making them less visible.
- Never, for any reason, drive while you are impaired.
- Remember to fasten your seatbelt and use child restraint devices.
For the planning to consume alcohol:
- If you are going out to drink and celebrate, designate a sober driver before-hand and give them the keys. If a sober driver is not available, call a taxi, friend, or family member to pick you up.
- See if your community has a sober rides program, and utilize them if you are out drinking.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don't hesitate to call your local law enforcement. On the highway, you can dial *47 from a cell phone to get to your local Patrol dispatcher.
- Don't forget to wear your seatbelt.