information provided by the United States Postal Service
LANSING, Ill. (October 26, 2018) – The United States Postal Service is asking moms, dads, and school officials to remind children about taking extra precautions during Halloween festivities to avoid potential accidents around mailboxes and postal vehicles. With Halloween coming up on Wednesday, October 31, and with additional events at Lansing churches this weekend, more kids will be walking and riding around and potentially darting across roadways or wandering in front of alleys and driveways.
“We’ve informed our employees about working on Halloween, and the days leading up to it, including safety concerns, especially when it comes to road and pedestrian safety,” said postal Spokesperson Beverly Howard. “That’s why we are now asking everyone in the community to do the same, and help us all work together to keep kids safe.”
The National Safety Council (NSC) reported that in 2016 about 7,330 pedestrians died in traffic or non-traffic incidents, an increase from the previous year. NSC research revealed about 18 percent of these deaths occurred when pedestrians improperly crossed roads or intersections. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night also played a factor in these deaths. Additionally, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween compared to any other day of the year, according to NSC.
Here are some safety tips kids and parents can use on Halloween while out trick-or-treating:
- Put down any electronic devices and be aware of the surroundings
- Avoid walking on roadways, medians, and curbs
- Avoid entering and exiting alleys and parking lots
- At twilight and later in the evening, watch for cars, trucks, and postal vehicles
- Stay out of driveways