Staying safe on Halloween

Every year on October 31, across the country, many Canadians get into the Halloween spirit to celebrate this unique tradition of candy, costumes and decorations. This also means that, tonight, everyone from witches and vampires to princesses and superheroes will take to the streets to show off their costumes and collect their favourite candies.

The number of children of prime trick-or-treating age (5 to 14 years) in Canada was estimated to be 4,135,513 on July 1, 2021.

While trick or treating should be all fun and games, traffic safety is essential to ensuring everyone comes home safe.

Unfortunately, pedestrians, like other vulnerable road users such as bicyclists and motorcyclists, have a higher risk of injury or death when involved in a transport-related collision than other road users. On average, more than 300 pedestrian fatalities occurred in Canada every year from 2018 to 2020. 

Remind your children to look both ways and be careful when crossing the street

From 2018 to 2020, about 1 in 5 pedestrian fatalities (21%) occurred at intersections, where the deceased person was crossing an intersection of at least two public roadways or in a roundabout. While pedestrians did not always follow proper traffic signals, some fatalities occurred even when the signals were followed. 

Help keep your children safe by teaching them to stay visible and to be aware of their surroundings

Make sure to check the weather and plan accordingly before trick or treating this evening. Poor visibility, challenging weather or road conditions, and infrastructure issues were environmental factors reportedly involved in more than one in five pedestrian fatalities from 2018 to 2020. Unfavourable weather conditions, such as snow or fog, may affect both the pedestrian’s and the driver’s ability to manoeuvre safely on roadways. 

Tell your children to stay in well-lit areas while out trick or treating

It can be difficult for drivers to see pedestrians in the dark. From 2018 to 2020, approximately 21% of pedestrian fatalities that occurred at night involved the pedestrian wearing dark clothing. For increased safety, pedestrians travelling at night are advised to avoid wearing dark clothing to remain visible to vehicles on the road. 

Give each child a flashlight to carry and avoid dark costumes, or consider adding reflective vests to costumes, to make them more visible to motorists and others

Finally, it is always best to go trick or treating with your children each year until they are old enough to go with a friend.

Safety recommendations for both pedestrians and vehicle drivers are available to ensure pedestrians are protected on the roads. 

These include using sidewalks; walking facing the oncoming traffic if there is no sidewalk available; crossing the street at a designated crosswalk; looking left, right, and left again before crossing a street; making eye contact with drivers of oncoming vehicles to make sure you are seen; avoiding alcohol and drug impairment when walking; wearing bright and reflective clothing; and using a flashlight at night. 

Additionally, drivers should never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, always watch for pedestrians and be cautious when backing up.

Children are more at risk of being hit by a moving vehicle on Halloween than on any other night of the year. Whether you’re trick or treating with your child for the first time or rushing home from work to hand out candy, being aware of the risks associated with pedestrian fatalities is important for everyone. 

Using the Canadian Coroner and Medical Examiner Database and the Canadian Vital Statistics - Death Database, the Statistics Canada report, Circumstances surrounding pedestrian fatalities in Canada, 2018 to 2020, examines the circumstances surrounding pedestrian fatalities. This analysis, which compiled and examined all reports provided by coroners and medical examiners who investigate these tragic events, can help inform the continued development of preventative measures to reduce harm to Canadians. 

Read more information on Halloween safety.