Why Halloween Can Be Dangerous in America
Cars kill more pedestrians on Oct. 31 than any other day of the year. Traffic reform advocates want to change that.
Trick-or-treating in San Francisco
Photographer: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
Each year around Halloween, everyone from concerned parents to city transportation officials sound the alarm about the most frightening part of Oct. 31: cars killing kids.
While the street party tragedy this weekend in South Korea shows the added risks of mass gatherings, in the US, Halloween remains every year the most dangerous night for pedestrians. The risk of death increases 43% compared to other nights in the US, according to one study, as costume-clad children and their parents crisscross streets after dark. Making matters worse, this year’s holiday comes at a time when the US is facing record traffic casualties, with pedestrian fatalities at their highest in 40 years.