(Radio Iowa) – Halloween is one of the deadliest nights of the year for pedestrians, according to a University of Iowa researcher who studies how to make roads, sidewalks and crossings safer.
Elizabeth O’Neal, a U-I professor of community and behavioral health, says costumed kids get excited — and distracted — while trick-or-treating and that can be a dangerous combination when it comes to crossing a street. Parents can drill into a child how they need to look both ways before crossing the street, but they may have to repeatedly reinforce that mantra during trick-or-treat night.
A few cosmetic changes to a costume could make a tremendous difference in their visibility without destroying the spooky illusion, like using glow sticks and bracelets to help illuminate pedestrians.
