10/09/2026
You have probably heard that Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians. And you've probably heard the safety tips: Don't wear masks, don't wear dark colors, do wear reflective tape and carry glow sticks.
Those aren't bad suggestions, but they place the entire responsibility of avoiding tragedy on the child. Meanwhile, adults continue to drive recklessly and build cities and streets that are hostile to kids and families.
The truth is, the Halloween spike in fatalities highlights "deficiencies of the built environment (lack of sidewalks, unsafe street crossings), shortcomings in public policy (insufficient space for play), and failures in traffic control (excessive speed)" that exist all year round.
The "monster" of traffic violence does the most damage on Halloween, but it preys on families every day of the year. Will we be brave enough to face the monster head-on? Or will we keep feeding it victim-blaming rhetoric and "quick hacks"?
BikeWalkKC's Tips for a Safer Halloween:
1. Advocate for safer streets. Go to public meetings. Email your city leaders. Talk to your neighborhood association.
2. Walk, bike, and take the bus more often. When people experience life outside of a vehicle, they develop empathy for others that walk/bike/bus. And fewer drivers means fewer serious crashes.
3. Prioritize safety when you drive. Stop for pedestrians. Give bicyclists plenty of space. Slow down.
Trunk-or-treats and other restricted-access events can be good short-term solutions, but don't stop with protecting just a few kids on just one night a year!
The only way forward is together, and reflective tape and glow sticks won't get us there. If we want safer streets on Halloween, we have to advocate for safer streets every other day of the year, too.
