If you ask any Atlanta auto collision lawyer, they’ll tell you that every year, when Halloween comes, the streets are flooded with children and even adult pedestrians. Pedestrians are at a high risk during Halloween, but drivers are too. Drivers on Halloween take the risk of knowing that there are many intoxicated or distracted drivers on the road. Although Halloween is supposed to be a night of spooky fun, the risks associated with going out are all too real.
Then you have the even more pressing concerns about what Halloween will look like during this pandemic. Will Halloween in 2020 still have the pedestrian filled streets? Will Halloween in 2020 still bring a slew of drunk drivers? In recent months, we’ve seen people come out in the hundreds if not thousands for both protests and celebrations. Any Atlanta auto collision lawyer should definitely expect Halloween and 2020 still come with the same risks that we expected last year with a jump in DUI accidents.
Are There Scheduled Checkpoints?
So far the Atlanta police department has not announced the schedule to checkpoints, but you should expect checkpoints in neighborhood areas. The Atlanta Police Department like many other metro police forces has altered their approach to DUI checkpoints. bars and clubs are certainly in full swing in Georgia, but many people are choosing to party at home. The result is that Metro Police are targeting neighborhoods and high-traffic areas in entertainment districts for DUI checkpoints.
Keep in mind that at schedule checkpoints accounts may ask for simple identification or may have every driver exit the vehicle to conduct a field sobriety test. There is a lot of standardization when it comes to field sobriety tests throughout Georgia. Atlanta Police are often conscientious of ensuring that each driver at a checkpoint receives the same treatment.
Halloween Causes Accidents to Spike Every Year
From drunk driving issues to low lighting and low visibility, Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year. If that’s not spooky, we’re not sure what it is. For an Atlanta auto collision lawyer, the most frequently seen accident on Halloween involves drunk drivers, or children. Children are especially vulnerable on Halloween because they’re often in low lighting, start costumes, and are walking on frequently trafficked streets.
What most families enjoy in Atlanta is that there are many areas of the city that are shut down specifically to allow children to walk safely without the worry of traffic. Unfortunately, it does not seem as though that will happen this year. Instead of community hosted or supported events, it looks as though good old-fashioned door-to-door trick-or-treating will be more popular this year than in recent years.
When it comes to matters of drunk driving, there is a serious concern in that Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. There are historically more drunk driving accidents in the late hours of Saturday evening or in the early hours of Sunday morning. 2015 was the last time that Halloween fell on a Saturday and of those traffic fatalities for the 2015 Halloween night, 48% of fatalities were related to intoxicated drivers.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Children
Some unsettling facts about children and pedestrian safety on Halloween should be widespread information. For example, children are twice as likely to be killed as part of a traffic accident on Halloween than any other day of the year. Additionally, 63% of kids don’t carry flashlights or other items that would make visibility easier for drivers.
The best you can do is keep your eyes peeled for children and keep your speed low. Speed and the likelihood of a fatality, even for children, or closely related. The slower you drive, the less there is the opportunity for injury in the event of hitting a pedestrian or child.
Finding Support After a Crash with an Atlanta Auto Collision Lawyer
Finding support often starts in an emergency room or urgent care center. Your medical response and team will play a vital role in your recovery. However, you can start your financial recovery as well. Get a head start with your financial recovery by creating a sturdy foundation for your insurance claim. All too often people are hurt at low speeds, or even while walking and sustain injuries that insurance companies like to brush off.
Don’t get stuck in the cycle of insurance companies downplaying serious injuries. Your financial recovery is critical to ensuring that you don’t live under the medical debt associated with the accident for years. At the Weinstein firm in Atlanta, you can work closely with experience Atlanta Auto Collision attorneys. With our team, we’re going to know that someone finally has your best interest in mind when it comes to handling your accident.
