NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and AAA is warning drivers, trick-or-treaters and e-bike and e-scooter riders to use extra caution after dark.
The combination of trick-or-treaters walking through neighborhoods, motorists heading to parties and other weekend activities, and children and teens on bikes and e-scooters creates what AAA describes as a potentially dangerous mix on neighborhood roads.
Safe Kids Worldwide reports that children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Peak trick-or-treating hours fall between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 201 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes on Halloween night from 2020 through 2024.
"Halloween already demands a driver's full attention, and having it fall on a Saturday night adds another reason to be especially cautious," Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group, said. "Expect more people to be out after dark and slow down in neighborhoods. A child in a costume, or someone riding an e-bike or e-scooter, can appear in your path with very little warning."
Safety tips for drivers
AAA encourages motorists to slow down in neighborhoods, where children may unexpectedly step into the street or cross between parked vehicles. Drivers should look carefully at intersections, medians, curbs, driveways and alleys, and check around their vehicle before backing out of driveways or parking spaces.
AAA also urges drivers to put phones away, turn headlights on early and actively scan for pedestrians, bicyclists and e-ride users. Anyone celebrating with alcohol or other impairing substances should arrange a safe ride before the festivities begin.
Safety tips for trick-or-treaters
Parents and caregivers can help children stay safer by adding reflective tape or stickers to costumes and bags and having children carry flashlights or glow sticks. Costumes should fit properly and not obstruct a child's vision.
Children should use sidewalks and crosswalks, avoid darting into the street or crossing between parked vehicles, and look left, right and left again before entering the street. Phones should be put away and earbuds removed while walking, particularly when crossing streets. Children younger than 12 should trick-or-treat with adult supervision.
E-bikes and e-scooters add another consideration
E-bikes and e-scooters introduce an additional traffic safety concern on Halloween night, particularly when riders are sharing dark, busy streets with trick-or-treaters and motorists.
"A helmet may not be part of the costume, but it should be part of the ride," Cooper said. "If you're heading out on an e-bike or e-scooter, wear a properly fitted helmet and make sure drivers can see you."
AAA recommends e-bike and e-scooter riders wear a properly fitted helmet and use appropriate lights and reflective or brightly colored materials. Costumes should not restrict vision, movement or control of the e-ride. Riders should avoid phones and headphones, slow down around pedestrians and follow traffic laws. AAA says riders should never ride impaired.
Families can find additional information about helmets, visibility, riding safely around traffic and other e-ride safety topics in AAA's E-Ride Safety Guide.
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