Drivers and kids need to watch for each other around Halloween

SALT LAKE CITY — Now is the time to be even more careful while you drive through neighborhoods, because of the danger of hitting someone walking nearby.

Authorities said more people get hit and killed by cars in the fall and winter months, and October being the deadliest time.

Drivers and Halloween

“As a driver on Halloween, you have to expect pedestrians everywhere. They will be out in neighborhoods. Trick-or-treaters will be not only in crosswalks, but all over the place. You have to account for that and really slow down and look for them,” said UDOT spokesman John Gleason.

UDOT said statewide, pedestrian fatalities have jumped 25% in the last seven years.

The UDOT and the Utah Department of Public Safety teamed up this week to launch a campaign to get people to be more careful. There’s concern about children being out both Saturday and Sunday night in the dark.

“There’s a lot of things we can talk to our kids about. Making sure if we have to cross the street that they cross safely, make sure they’re looking both directions, no one assumes the driver sees you as you cross the street,” said UHP Sgt Cameron Roden.

He said there will be extra troopers out on patrol this weekend, and a DUI blitz.

“Put away the phone, pay attention. Always look for pedestrians, and never drink and drive. Especially on Halloween. There’s going to be so many trick or treaters out there,” said Gleason.

And they said as the end of daylight saving time approaches, the danger increases even more.

“It’s the time change, it gets dark earlier in the evening. As drivers and pedestrians, we need to work together to make sure we are doing everything to prevent these types of crashes,” said Gleason.

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 7.

The UDOT and DPS campaign tries to educate on both pedestrian and drivers responsibilities, in the Halloween  form of mythical creatures. It can be viewed at Drivermyths.utah.gov and pedestrianmyths.utah.gov.

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