As the veil thins and Halloween looms just around the corner, the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and State Fire Marshal (SFM) are sharing important safety tips to ensure the spook-filled holiday remains delightful rather than frightful.
Despite Halloween being a night steeped in playful terrors and sugar-fueled mischief, there is nothing more horrifying than preventable accidents. Last year's Halloween was marked with a decline in driving while impaired (DWI) incidents, yet, it still topped the list as the worst holiday for DWIs, recording a staggering 358 instances over the celebratory weekend – higher than any other major holiday, according to a recent state safety blog post.
To counteract this trend, the OTS advises motorists to put away distractions, such as mobile phones, to comply with the hands-free law, and to exercise heightened vigilance when driving during the night. As part of their campaign, they emphasize that "if you feel different, you drive different," urging party-goers to secure sober rides home and refrain from driving impaired by alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications, or other substances.
Furthermore, for the little goblins, and ghouls trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, costume safety is paramount. The SFM cautions parents against costumes with long trailing fabrics, which can easily ignite – a common hazard with curious children venturing too close to candle-lit jack-o-lanterns. "Stay away from costumes that include long trailing fabric that can end up in a lit pumpkin before you even notice," advises the state safety team. Additionally, ensuring proper visibility through costume masks can keep the spooky festivities from turning into a real-life scare.
Parents are further encouraged to coach their children on fire safety with the stop, drop, and roll technique in case their attire catches fire. With the National Fire Protection Association revealing that decorations are a leading cause of home fires during this season, advice to opt for battery-operated candles and keep decorations clear from flames becomes all the more pertinent.
