Halloween offers many ways to get out and enjoy the last of the seasonal warmth before Minnesota gives way to snow and cold. Children eagerly go from house-to-house trick-or-treating while many adults attend bar crawls, parties, haunted houses, and other spooky activities that conjure images from our childhood of dressing up and telling ghost stories with your friends. With all that added activity, injuries are going to happen.
Pedestrian Accidents
As you can imagine, there are a lot of people crossing streets on Halloween night. There are also a lot of drivers making their way to activities. Even though it is recommended that people wear bright reflective colors, that is not always the case, and even if they did, many drivers are too distracted, careless, or intoxicated to notice who might be walking across the crosswalk. According to autoinsurance.org, pedestrians are 50% more likely to die on Halloween.
Getting hit by an automobile as a pedestrian can lead to serious injuries. Keep in mind that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 14% of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween involve drunk drivers, so staying out of the way of automobiles should be a priority. Be extra cautious for drivers while crossing streets. Pedestrians have the right of way at both marked and unmarked crosswalks. Make sure to cross at the corners of intersections, preferably those that have marked crosswalks.
However, do not assume that just because you have the right of way that the driver will stop. Consider wearing at least a brighter coat and carrying a flashlight or a glow stick. Realize that if you are wearing black and it is dark outside, you are camouflaged.
Tripping and Falling
This is known as a slip & fall accident or premises liability and can encompass many scenarios. This occurs when a property or business owner fails to maintain their premises. For Halloween, some common situations include extension cords for Halloween displays stretched across walkways, wet floors in a bar, or dangerous unseen obstacles in a haunted house. The best advice is probably one of the first your parents gave you: Watch where you’re going. Of course, not all obstacles are obvious, but being careful might help prevent an injury. Remember that you are assuming some risk when you are participating in Halloween activities, so keep an eye out.
Burn Injuries
Since most Halloween activities take place in the spookiness of night, there tends to be a lot of flames. Lit pumpkins, bonfires, and torches dot the neighborhood landscape. Pair this with common inflammable Halloween items like decorations and even some costumes, and you might find yourself both surrounded and clothed in potential burn-injury situations. If you have reason to know there was fire in the area you should do your best to avoid it. If the flame was a surprise, such as a decoration that shoots out fire unexpectedly, the owner should warn you in advance about the risk.
Auto Accidents
The added traffic on Halloween naturally leads to more accidents. According to autoinsurance.org, 44% of those killed in car accidents on Halloween involved a drunk driver. A particular sobering statistic is that 18% of those who die in auto accidents on Halloween are children. When children are present, it is up to all of us to help ensure their safety.
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, taxis, buses, designated drivers, and crashing on a friend’s couch are all terrific options to avoid finding yourself be the cause of something terrible. It is important to have a plan when you go out. If you have any questions about whether or not you have a buzz after a night of fun, play it safe. Do not drive.
Minnesota has what is known as dram shop laws or liquor liability. This penalizes establishments serving alcohol in an illegal manner, such as when the consumer is underage or is past the point of intoxication that they should not be served any more. If you find yourself injured by a drunk driver, it is important to call a personal injury attorney promptly, so they can quickly investigate to determine if this was a contributing factor.
In an ideal setting, Halloween can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the occasional injury does occur. If you were expecting a night of fun only to find yourself injured due to the negligence of another, call or text us at (612) 465-8733 for a free consultation.
