The Atlanta Police Department is pleased to join Metro Atlanta law enforcement agencies, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to announce Halloween HEAT, a holiday traffic safety blitz. Motorists across the state will encounter saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the Halloween holiday.
Media representatives are encouraged to attend the press conference/roll call tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Atlanta Police Special Operations Precinct, 180 Southside Industrial Parkway, SE, then deploy with officers to locations for enforcement activity. Officers will focus on impaired driving, speeding, aggressive driving and use of safety restraints.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of one pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes in this country, with the hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. being the most dangerous time for child pedestrians. Dubbed the “witching hours” by child safety advocates, this is also the time of day most children will be outside trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Although pedestrian fatalities have declined in recent years in the City of Atlanta, typical Halloween activities place children at greater risk. “I urge parents and caregivers to be sure to accompany trick-or-treaters as they make their way around neighborhoods,” said Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington. Parents are encouraged to hold children’s hands when they cross the street, and to make sure their costumes are brightly colored and visible to motorists. Children should also carry flashlights or ‘glow sticks’ to help them see and be seen.
Chief Pennington calls on motorists and parents to take extra care to ensure children remain safe and follow Halloween safety tips while trick-or-treating. The Atlanta Police Department will have added patrols throughout the weekend and during the Halloween holiday to promote increased safety.
Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating
- Carry a flashlight while walking to be as visible as possible at night and in low-light conditions. Visibility is an extremely important factor for pedestrians who should always assume that drivers cannot see them, especially at night.
- Use other kinds of light sources in addition to a flashlight, such as a flashing LED light.
- Wear retro-reflective materials. These materials are often found on athletic shoes or gear. Retro-reflective materials that outline the human form provide an even stronger visual cue to drivers that a pedestrian is in front of them, and that they should slow down and proceed more cautiously.
- Always stop and look left, right, left before entering the street.
- Don’t assume that it is safe to cross in marked crosswalks if there isn’t a stop sign or traffic light. Make eye contact with the driver and make sure the vehicle has stopped moving before advancing into the intersection.
- There’s “traffic safety in numbers.” Whether walking with parents or friends, encourage children to trick-or-treat in groups.
- Children under 10 years old should not cross streets alone. They should trick-or-treat with parents or older youth.
- Costumes are part-and-parcel of Halloween, but when trick-or-treating avoid wearing masks or other items that could impede vision.
Trick-or-treat on streets with sidewalks if possible. If sidewalks are not available, walk against traffic. This allows pedestrians to take evasive action sooner if they think an oncoming vehicle is getting too close.
- Carry a cell phone for emergency situations.