Kids all across the nation, including those in Pennsylvania, look forward to October 31 each year. Who doesn’t love a holiday that involves dressing up in a fun, crazy costume while having people give out candy all night? For many families, Halloween is a time to make good family memories.
But the day after Halloween may not be a happy time for some parents. For some, the day after is spent in the hospital with an injured child, the victim of a pedestrian accident. Pedestrians are at a greater risk of getting struck by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other night of the year, according to the AAA.
In general, pedestrians are in danger when motorists are distracted or careless behind the wheel. And on Halloween, the combined effect of people on the roads after parties and children milling about trick-or-treating can increase the risk of an accident.
What happens if you were out in your neighborhood with your children when a car hits one of your kids? You hadn’t been taking a shortcut across the street but had been in the middle of a crosswalk. Your kids had reflective tape on their costumes in order to make them more visible yet a drunk driver flew through the stop sign, severely injuring your child.
Now instead of counting candy bars, your child is in the hospital with several broken bones and a serious head injury. The recovery will likely be long and difficult, not to mention expensive. Is there any action you could take against the negligent driver?
There are ways to hold negligent drivers responsible for injuries they may have caused. This not only keeps the driver accountable but can also provide compensation for the victim and his or her family.
Source: WPXI: “AAA Says Halloween Deadliest Night Of Year For Pedestrians,” Oct. 28, 2011