Stay Visible, Be Aware, and Keep Safety in Mind
With October serving as National Pedestrian Safety Month, and the Halloween holiday soon approaching, it is a great reminder that we need to take safety into our own hands. Whether operating a vehicle, while out walking our pets, or taking an evening stroll as a pedestrian, staying visible and being aware can help ensure we all safely make it home each night.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a pedestrian was killed every 81 minutes and injured every 10 minutes in traffic crashes in 2020. With Halloween festivities soon taking place throughout communities, more children will be out and about. Therefore, when dressing for the occasion or picking out your child’s costume, it is vital to keep safety at the forefront. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:
Children should wear reflectors or reflective tape included on their costumes and treat bags.
Carry a flashlight or a glow stick to increase visibility to other pedestrians and vehicles on the road.
When trick-or-treating, tell children to walk, and not run, from house to house.
Stay on the sidewalks whenever possible and cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Encourage children to look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
Have children be on the lookout for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Follow the trick-or-treat guidelines set forth by your community and keep track of the time. Many residents in the community will be expecting children to be out for trick-or-treat between a designated times and will be looking out for their safety during that time. After the designated time has ended, there is a greater chance for incidents to occur.
With all the excitement, children may forget to practice these safety guidelines; therefore, adult supervision is recommended for children 12 years old and younger.
As adults, we need to continue to serve as role models. Pedestrian safety is not reserved for a specific season, but a practice to implement each day. From using caution and patience when driving, to being mindful of our surroundings as a pedestrian, to being visible at night by using reflectors or high visibility clothing, we are leading safety by example.
Roadway safety is one of more than 30 topic areas that can be offered at Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® programs held throughout North America. During various safety sessions, children learn lessons about pedestrian safety, blind spots in and around farm equipment, the use of lighting and slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblems, the importance of street signs and signals, and more.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached more than 1.9 million youth since the program’s inception in 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.