DOVER, Del. (Oct. 26, 2026) – October is National Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month, and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is highlighting pedestrian safety as families prepare for Halloween. With children trick-or-treating after dark and drivers sharing the road with pedestrians, taking a few extra precautions can help keep everyone safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 17% of children age 14 and younger killed in traffic crashes in 2024 were pedestrians. Additionally, 76% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in the dark, highlighting the importance of visibility and extra caution during evening activities like Halloween trick-or-treating.

OHS encourages drivers, parents and trick-or-treaters to follow these safety tips to help prevent crashes this Halloween.

Top Tips for Halloween Safety:

• Help kids be seen. Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and trick-or-treat bags, and choose light-colored clothing when possible.
• Supervise young children. Children should be accompanied by an adult while trick-or-treating.
• Slow down and stay alert. Children may be excited and distracted while trick-or-treating and could unexpectedly enter the roadway. Drivers should reduce their speed and watch carefully for pedestrians, especially in residential neighborhoods.
• Use crosswalks and intersections. Remind children to cross the street at corners and crosswalks and to look both ways before crossing.
• Choose safe costumes. Make sure costumes fit properly to prevent trips and falls. When possible, choose face paint over masks, which can limit a child’s vision.

Families can also visit arrivealivede.com/walk-smart/ or safekids.org/halloween for additional traffic safety information and resources.

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com. Follow OHS on the Delaware Office of Highway Safety website, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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Media Contact:

Delaware Office of Highway Safety

Caitlin Martin

caitlin.martin@delaware.gov

302-744-2746

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