TXDOT announces traffic safety tips for Halloween weekend

Texas (KAUZ) - The Texas Department of Transportation has announced some safety tips to help protect all the kids out celebrating Halloween.

Below are the safety tips provided by TXDOT:

1. Use your headlights:
- Even in the daytime, trick-or-treaters are much more likely to see you if you are shining your headlights (not your brights, you don’t want to blind anyone. Especially important in residential areas.
2. Don’t drive distracted:
- It’s a good idea anyway to avoid distractions while driving. Put your cell phone away, don’t reach for anything until you’re safely stopped, and save your snacks for your destination.
3. Turn the radio down:
- We all love to jam out in the car, but Halloween is a time when it’s vitally important to be able to hear what’s going on around you. Have the radio low enough to be able to hear another car’s horn or someone yelling outside. Better safe than sorry.
4. Drive slower than the posted speed limit:
- Especially in residential areas. Children get very excited about their candy and won’t always pay attention before darting out into the road to cross the street. Drive slowly so you can respond more quickly, and yield to young pedestrians.
5. Scan the road, especially at corners or crosswalks:
- Be alert of your surroundings. Do not assume that children can see you or that they are paying attention. Children are small, harder to see, and take longer to cross the street than adults. Many could be wearing dark-colored costumes, so be on alert when driving.
6. Don’t pass other cars stopped in the street:
- They could be picking up or dropping off children. Wait several seconds before attempting to pass, and only if you see there are no people near the car. Watch for children when passing parked cars as they often cross the street behind or between them.
7. Exit driveways and pull onto streets with extreme caution:
- Children have a harder time judging how a driver will react. They are more likely to think they have the okay to go ahead. Be careful backing out into a street.
8. Use your hazards and use your turn signals when changing lanes or turning.
9. Designate a sober driver or arrange a taxi if you’re celebrating with alcohol.
10. If you see a drunk or unsafe driver on the road, alert law enforcement.