WESTLAND, Mich. –– Halloween might be all tricks and treats
for kids, but for drivers it can be a night of fear-driven anxiety and goose bumps as they cruise down neighborhood streets hoping the goblins, ghosts, and
ghouls stay on the sidewalks as they creep from door-to-door shouting for
candy.
While we recommend that you don’t drive on Halloween in
order to avoid any potential hazards due to an influx of kids strolling the
nighttime streets, if you must drive somewhere, be sure to follow these scare-proof neighborhood-driving tips for
Halloween that will help you keep the trick-or-treating kids in your area
safe.
Stay off neighborhood
streets.
That is, stay off neighborhood streets if you’re able to. Of
course, this is a lofty demand, and we don’t expect that everyone will be able
to carry it out. If you have to drive somewhere during trick-or-treating hours,
try to find the safest possible route out of your neighborhood based on where
kids are and aren’t trick-or-treating.
Take it easy on the
gas pedal.
It’s important to keep your driving speeds low during
Halloween when you’re traveling through a neighborhood. Driving slowly give you
more time to react in a situation that could require quick thinking, such as a
group of trick-or-treaters running across a street without looking your way
first.
Be a beacon of light.
Meaning, don’t be afraid to use your brights, or fog lights,
when you’re driving in dark areas of your neighborhood that may not be lined
with streetlights. Using your brights will give you a broader scope of vision
in these instances and allow you more time to react quickly in situations like
those mentioned above.
If you see a stop
sign, stop.
You know who you are, rolling stoppers. The truth is the
majority of drivers never come to complete stops at stop signs, although we all
should because it’s a safety law. But specifically on Halloween this law is
vital for drivers to follow religiously. Most kids don’t look both ways before
crossing a street, despite what their parents taught them. By rolling through a
stop sign, you aren’t giving yourself enough time to check your surroundings
before continuing, but if you come to a full stop you have plenty of time to
make sure there aren’t an ghosts lurking on corners, ready to take flight in
front of your vehicle.
Yield sign or no
yield sign, slow down at intersections.
This tip dovetails with coming to complete stops at stop
signs. However, in this case we’re recommending that you slow down at
intersections and check your surroundings before proceeding, even if there aren’t
any yield signs telling you to do so. Again, most kids aren’t paying attention
to anything but candy and creepy costumes on Halloween, so it’s your job to
look out for them.
We hope with these scare-proof neighborhood-driving tips for Halloween, you and all your little ghouls and goblins make it home safe with loads of candy in hand! One easy way to stay safe on the road and keep your vehicle running well is with routine maintenance. Check out all our Fall Car Care tips and schedule your auto service online!
