SBPD reminds the public to be safe this Halloween

The San Bernardino Police Department is reminding everyone to stay safe this Halloween and reminds drivers to look out and always stop for Trick-or-Treaters.

With traditional in-person Halloween activities resuming this year, the San Bernardino Police Department encourages everyone on the road to be extra careful as more children are out walking the neighborhood and collecting candy. As everyone participates in Halloween and Día de los Muertos celebrations, San Bernardino Police Department offers the following tips for families to be as safe as possible on Halloween night:

Drivers

• Slow down and watch out for more foot traffic in residential neighborhoods.
• Take extra time looking for trick-or-treaters at intersections and entering/exiting driveways.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Parents and trick-or-treaters

• Make sure costumes fit to prevent trips and falls.
• Decorate costumes and bags/buckets with reflective tape.
• Have kids use flashlights or glow sticks to make it easier for drivers to see them
• Walk on sidewalks, when available. Avoid darting into the street or crossing between parked cars.
• Stick to familiar, well-lit routes.
• Look both ways before crossing the street.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.

If you are heading to a local bar, restaurant or house party and plan to drink, bring the designated sober driver with you, use a ride-hailing service, or stay the night.

The real danger is not tainted candy (which is mostly an urban legend) but traffic accidents and trips and falls which are elevated on Halloween and surrounding days.  The vast majority of fatal car vs. pedestrian accidents happen at night, according to the Pedestrian Safety Institute and low light and poor visibility are major contributing factors to fatalities.