ISC Coverage

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Driving Tips
HALLOWEEN: A SCARY NIGHT FOR PEDESTRIANS

On October 31 each year, millions of children throughout the United States celebrate Halloween by walking door to door collecting candy from neighbors. But, here's a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be killed while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year, according to the organization Safe Kids USA.

Help keep trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween by following these driving safety tips:

Perform a pre-trip inspection to ensure that your vehicle’s headlights, taillights, signal and auxiliary lights are clean, properly adjusted and in working order. Thoroughly clean all windows and mirrors, and adjust the mirrors for optimal visibility.

Drive below the posted speed limit in areas where children are likely to be or where sight distances are limited. Doing so will give you extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. Children often behave unpredictably, and most young pedestrian deaths occur at non-intersection locations.

Scan the road for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs, and be especially cautious at corners or crosswalks. Look for children left and right, into yards and on front porches. In dark-colored costumes, they’ll be harder to see at night, and costumes often limit a child’s ability to see. And, remember, if you spot one child, there are likely more ready to cross.

Keep a lookout for children on bicycles and in strollers. The lack of lights on these wheeled vehicles makes them more difficult to recognize, and their small profile makes it hard to judge their distance and speed. Bicyclists also are more likely to ignore the rules of the road.

Be patient. Children and adults with small children or strollers may need more time to cross the street.

Be especially careful between 4 and 8 p.m., when most severe vehicle/young pedestrian collisions happen.

Do not pass other vehicles stopped in the roadway as the driver may be dropping off or picking up children. Wait several seconds before attempting to pass, and only if you see there are no pedestrians near the vehicle. Watch for children when passing parked cars as they often cross the street behind or between them.

Enter and exit driveways and alleys with extreme caution. Children have a harder time judging how a driver will react, and are more likely to think they have the okay to proceed.

Turn on your headlights – even in the daylight. Having your headlights on will make it easier for children to see you, and will also help you see children in dark-colored costumes.

Obey all traffic signs and signals, and communicate with other drivers. Use your turn signals when changing lanes or turning.

Avoid distractions while driving. Keep your radio volume low enough, particularly in residential areas, to be able to hear the sounds of nearby trick-or-treaters. Don’t reach for anything until you’re safely stopped, and save eating for your destination.

Keep an eye out for impaired drivers. The social nature of Halloween means there are more parties and an increase in alcohol consumption.

Lastly, keep in mind that some communities host Halloween activities on other nights during the week. By being cautious and mindful of safe driving throughout Halloween week, you can make sure the holiday is a treat for all.

DRIVERS BEWARE…IT’S DEER SEASON!

Deer are always a potential road hazard for drivers, but the odds of a deer-related collision increases exponentially during October, November and December. This is deer breeding season, and these hoofed animals are oblivious to traffic as they crisscross America’s roadways in search of a mate, as well as food and shelter for the winter ahead.

While deer versus vehicle accidents can happen on all types of roadways and highways, and in urban as well as rural areas, there are precautionary measures you can take to help prevent an unplanned meeting with one of these animals:

Continually scan the roadway and roadsides. Deer can dart in any direction without warning, especially when faced with fast-moving vehicles, blowing horns and glaring headlights.

Be extra cautious at dusk and dawn when deer are most active, and visibility is limited. While deer-vehicle collisions can occur at any time of day, the overlap of deer and commuter “rush hours” means that there are more opportunities for potential conflict.

Reduce your speed and increase your following distance, particularly at night and in poor weather conditions. This will give you more time and space to avoid potential hazards.

Buckle up. The impact of hitting a deer can be enough to eject you from your vehicle or throw you into the windshield.

Use your high beams when appropriate to illuminate more of the area ahead. Watch for the reflective eyes of deer, which are often visible from a distance. Also look for flickering headlights of oncoming vehicles and taillights of the vehicles ahead of you, as well as roadside reflectors that disappear and reappear, which may indicate an animal is moving across the road.

Pay attention to deer crossing signs, which are placed in areas well known for high and active populations.

Keep a lookout for evidence along roadways where deer were previously struck. This should be a warning that deer may be in the area.

Remember where you have previously spotted deer. They are creatures of habit and use the same travel paths.

Be aware that other vehicles may hit deer, causing chain reactions. Watch for sudden flashes of brake lights that may signal danger ahead.

If you see a deer near the roadside, slow down until you have passed it. Also, remember that deer travel in herds. If you spot one, know there are likely others nearby and heed caution.

If you spot a deer on the road ahead, stay in your lane while braking in a controlled manner. Attempt to steer around the animal only if your speed has been sufficiently reduced to maintain control and you will not interfere with the path of another vehicle.

If a collision with a deer seems inevitable, apply the brakes firmly to slow your speed as much as possible, and remain in your lane. You will instinctively want to swerve, but avoid doing so. The risk of hitting another vehicle, or leaving the roadway and hitting a fixed object such as a tree, could result in worse injury and damage. If your vehicle is unsafe to operate or you are injured, pull off the road, if possible, and wait for help. Do not approach the animal; it may be in shock and could get aggressive. Report the accident to the police and your insurance company promptly.

While deer collisions tend to get the most attention, it’s important to remember that other animals including elk, moose, cattle, feral hogs and bears can also dart into the way of unsuspecting drivers. You can’t predict the erratic actions of animals, but staying vigilant and slowing down improve your chances of avoiding a vehicle animal collision, and the costly expenses and injuries that occur as a result.