Photo by Yuting Gao
Every year, parents fret over choking hazards in candy bags, tempered candy (pins, needles or razor blades hidden inside treats) and safety pins on costumes. But experts are warning that the injuries showing up on Halloween night aren’t coming from any of them; they’re coming from the street.
National crash data backs this up.
Research published in JAMA Pediatrics (Staples et al., University of British Columbia) analyzing four decades of federal crash statistics found pedestrian fatalities run 43% higher on Halloween night than on comparable control evenings, and children ages 4 to 8 face a tenfold increase in risk, with danger peaking right around 6 p.m., just as trick-or-treating gets underway and daylight disappears.
According to Kevin Henrichson, Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, searches for “safety tips for Halloween,” “Halloween safety tips for kids” and “Halloween safety tips for drivers” have all surged more than 5,000% in the past 30 days alone., and searches will keep climbing as we get closer to Halloween.
Expert Tips to Minimize Injuries and Accidents this Halloween
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Plan one direction down the street. Work one side all the way to the end, cross once, and come back up the other side, instead of crossing back and forth all night. Before heading out, remind kids to cross only at corners or crosswalks.
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Stay with younger children the entire time. For older kids in groups, make sure someone stays with them; the safety gaps show up when groups split or kids roam ahead unsupervised.
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Choose costumes that fit well and don’t obstruct vision. Masks that block peripheral vision make it harder for kids to spot oncoming cars, and reflective tape helps drivers spot them.
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Stick to well-lit, familiar streets with sidewalks. Visibility for both kids and drivers matters more than which neighborhood has the best candy.
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Watch the weather and have a backup plan. Poor visibility conditions compound every other risk on the list.
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Drivers: slow down in residential neighborhoods, especially between 5 and 8 p.m. Kids dart out between parked cars and cross mid-block, where drivers least expect them. And if you’re heading to a Halloween party, plan a sober ride home.
What This Means for Families
Kevin Henrichson explains what parents should keep in mind:
“The one thing I want to make sure parents understand is that the risks everyone gives the most attention to, like costumes and candy, aren’t the ones that show up in the cases I see. It’s vehicles and repeated street crossings that are the most dangerous. The good news is, protecting your children isn’t complicated. Minimize street crossings and carefully supervise them for a fun and safe night.”
Kevin Henrichson explains why dusk and distracted drivers make Halloween night so risky:
“Halloween festivities happen at dusk or after dark, which is when drivers can have a difficult time seeing and reacting to children in the street. To make matters worse, inexperienced or distracted drivers may be driving down unfamiliar streets with kids darting between parked cars and into the street without looking for traffic.”
He adds on what makes Halloween night different from any other evening:
“According to a JAMA Pediatrics study that analyzes four decades of crash data, there is a tenfold increase in the risk of pedestrian fatality on Halloween night for children aged four to eight.. On Halloween, kids tend to neglect crosswalks and cross mid-block as they move from house to house. These crossings are much more difficult for drivers to anticipate.”
About Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP
Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP is Austin’s oldest plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm, established in 1959. The firm has recovered over $100 million for clients, maintains a 98% success rate, and operates on a contingency basis — clients pay no fees unless they win. Partners Robert Alden and Kevin Henrichson are both Board Certified Personal Injury trial lawyers, ranked by Chambers, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers.
Methodology
Using Google Trends, we analyzed search increase data for terms such as:
“safety tips for halloween” – Breakout (5,000%+)
“halloween safety tips for kids” – Breakout (5,000%+)
“halloween safety tips for drivers” – Breakout (5,000%+)
Data was analyzed over the past 30 days and is correct as of October 5, 2026.
Sources:
