Halloween is the Deadliest Night for Young Children

Every year on October 31, thousands of children and adults flood the streets across the nation to participate in Halloween  But Halloween is  the “deadliest day” of the year for child pedestrian fatalities, even more than the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day, and one-third of those deaths involve children ages 12-15.

So play it SAFE this Halloween by observing the following Halloween precautions:

• Watch for children running between parked cars
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians, and curbs
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys very carefully
• Watch for children wearing dark clothing

And remember this: Car wrecks are the NUMBER 1 cause of death for people aged 15-24 (and women under 35).  Surprisingly, very few traffic fatalities are “accidents”.  Instead, studies have proven that almost all traffic deaths are caused by 7 predictable choices or decisions drivers make. The Citrin Safety Foundation calls these decisions D.A.N.G.E.R.S.:

Distractions (texting, eating, applying make-up, pets, etc.)
Alcohol/drugs (driving impaired)
No seat belts (failing to buckle up)
Groups (too many young passengers)
Exhaustion (fatigue)
Riding bumpers (tailgating)
Speed (exceeding the speed limit or failing to slow down for weather or traffic)

Each of these D.A.N.G.E.R.S. represents a choice or decision on the part of the driver or passenger to ignore basic safety rules.  At the Citrin Safety Foundation, our motto is “Decisions are not accidents”. To prevent these deadly decisions, the National Safety Council developed a 4-hour program called, “Alive at 25”, which has been proven to be 90 percent effective in reducing teen traffic fatalities. Because Alabama ranks 3rd worst in the U.S. in traffic deaths, Mr. Citrin teaches the Alive at 25 program FREE of charge at local schools through the non-profit, Citrin Safety Foundation (CSF). A top-rated, board certified trial attorney with a 26 year track record of winning large verdicts and settlements for people injured through no fault of their own, Citrin has a passion for encouraging safe driving practices and holding individuals accountable for irresponsible driving decisions that harm innocent people.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Citrin Safety Foundation, or would like information about getting Mr. Citrin to teach the program at your school, call Executive Director Pam Winstead at 251-626-7766 or visit www.CitrinSafetyFoundation.org.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident through no fault of your own, and you need passionate, proven, and professional trial lawyers on your side, call the Citrin Law Firm at251-621-3000 for a FREE consultation or complete the Free Case Review form on this page.