Georgia Injury Lawyers Blog
Every October 31st, children and adults throughout the Atlanta area put on costumes and head out to celebrate Halloween. This spooky and fun holiday often involves trick-or-treating, attending parties, or just heading out on the town to celebrate.
Unfortunately, Halloween festivities also significantly increase the risk of pedestrian accidents, particularly to children. In fact, according to statistics published by ProtectAmerica, children are twice as likely to be killed in an accident involving a motor vehicle on Halloween than any other night of the year. Thankfully, the Atlanta personal injury lawyers at Slappey & Sadd are standing by to help.
What Makes Halloween Night Dangerous?
There are a number of factors that make Halloween night dangerous for young pedestrians, including:
Drunk Drivers
Adults celebrate Halloween too, and their celebrations often involve alcohol. As a result, there may be more drunk drivers on the road than usual. Drunk drivers have impaired reaction time and judgment, increasing the risk that they may hit a trick-or-treater or other pedestrian.
Poor Visibility
Trick-or-treating often happens at dusk or at night, which can make it harder for drivers to see trick-or-treaters who happen to be in the street – especially when they are wearing dark costumes. In addition, masks can reduce trick-or-treater’s visibility, making it more difficult for them to see oncoming traffic.
Keeping Your Kids Safe on Halloween
Fortunately, there are concrete steps that you can take to keep your kids safe this Halloween. These include the following:
- Make sure that young children are accompanied by a responsible adult
- Plan your route before you go
- Choose areas that have been designated as trick-or-treating zones
- Make sure that your children have brightly-colored costumes and carry flashlights or glow sticks
- Remind both children and adults to stay off their electronic devices while walking
- Only cross the street at designated crosswalks
What to Do if Your Child is Hurt in a Pedestrian Accident
If your child is hurt by a careless motorist this Halloween, there are certain steps that you should take to protect his or her rights. First, you should call 911 and report the accident. Doing so will summon police and emergency medical personnel to the scene. The police will determine whether any traffic violations occurred, which could potentially make your case easier to resolve.
Next, you should seek medical attention for your child, even if first responders cleared him or her to go home or your child was discharged from the hospital. It’s critical that you establish documentation of his or her injuries, and seeing your pediatrician will accomplish that. Finally, you should call an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as you can.
Call Us Today to Speak with an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or your child has been injured in a preventable accident, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. The aggressive personal injury lawyers at Slappey & Sadd know how to get injured victims the compensation to which they are entitled. To schedule your free case evaluation, call our office today at 888.474.9616 or send us an email through our online contact form.