According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Oct. 31 is the second highest pedestrian death day of the year behind the Fourth of July. 

“Halloween is a cherished tradition, but the excitement of the night can cause children to forget to be careful,” Kennesaw Allstate Agent Rob Longyear said. “Drivers need to stay alert and aware of children walking through their neighborhoods.”

The following tips from the Allstate Insurance Company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association offer some excellent guidelines for ensuring that children have a safe Halloween and motorists use caution:

• Obey all traffic rules
• Slow down. Watch for children walking on roads, medians, and curbs – and take notice if there are no sidewalks.
• Enter and exit driveways carefully.
• Be especially alert. Children are darting out from between parked vehicles and from behind bushes.
• Never drink and drive. If you are attending a Halloween party, designate a driver.
• Keep your eyes on the road. Neighborhoods that don’t normally have pedestrian or bicycle traffic may experience an increase in activity on Halloween.
• Remember that children are excited and may forget to stop, look, and listen before crossing the street.
• Be patient. Young children need time to cross the street, especially if their costumes impair their ability to see or hear what is around them.

About the Allstate Corporation

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names. Widely known by its slogan “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate^®,” Allstate offers insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®. As part of Allstate’s commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $28 million in 2011 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.