Halloween is always a magical time for kids across the country; the one night a year in which they can pretend to be whatever they want while collecting as much candy as they can carry. As usual, trick-or-treaters were out in full force this past weekend.
Sadly, Halloween also has some traditions that are not as welcome. Among these is the rise in crashes involving pedestrians. The increase in pedestrian accidents is often caused by a confluence of factors, including drunk drivers, inattentive drivers, higher-than-normal pedestrian traffic and low visibility.
Readers here in the Bay Area may remember a Halloween tragedy in Southern California that occurred one year ago. In Santa Ana, three 13-year-old girls were struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. The 32-year-old driver sped through a crosswalk before hitting the girls.
More reports will likely be coming in throughout the week, but this year’s Halloween festivities have already been associated with some devastating pedestrian accidents.
In Michigan, a 14-year-old girl was struck by two cars while trick-or-treating. According to news reports, the second vehicle dragged the teenager almost two miles. Amazingly, the girl survived.
In New York, a 52-year-old driver apparently lost control of his vehicle and plowed into a group of pedestrians on the sidewalk. News reports say that three people were killed in that crash.
Commenting on the accident mentioned above, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio noted that “we do not accept tragedies like this as inevitable.” While the statement may seem obvious, it is nonetheless an important sentiment. Although pedestrian accidents increase on Halloween, it doesn’t have to be this way. These accidents are preventable, and entire communities must work together to prevent them.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent driver, please remember that you have rights and legal options. In order to better understand those rights and options, you may want to contact an experienced Oakland personal injury attorney.