With treats on their minds, tens of thousands of Manitoba youngsters will head out into their neighbourhoods on Halloween. With this increased activity comes an increased danger for both pedestrians and motorists.
Safety tips for a happy Halloween
For trick-or-treaters:
- Don’t run out onto roadways.
- Always look both ways and cross at corners or intersections.
- Wear reflective clothing to make yourself more visible to motorists.
- Walk facing traffic when there is no sidewalk.
For motorists:
- Don’t speed – motorists should slow down when they see children walking.
- Don’t assume children see your vehicle. They are excited and could run out in front of you.
- Watch for children who may dart between parked vehicles. Be prepared to stop.
As a leader in road safety, Manitoba Public Insurance recently distributed nearly 116,000 reflective Halloween treat bags to 561 schools for students in kindergarten to Grade 6.
“These bags are highly visible at night. At the end of the evening, it’s our hope that the bags will be full of treats and more importantly, that every child returns home safely,” said Ward Keith, vice-president, Business Development & Communications and chief product officer, Manitoba Public Insurance.
“Reducing fatalities and injuries, especially on high-traffic nights like Halloween, remains a priority of Manitoba’s public auto insurer but we all have a role to play.”
