On Halloween night, children in dark costumes fill neighborhood streets just as more drivers are on the road. T. Madden & Associates, P.C., an Augusta personal injury lawyer and catastrophic injury law firm, is urging drivers, parents, and party hosts to put safety first so the scariest part of the night stays a costume.
How Dangerous Is Halloween Night on the Road?
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year. Federal traffic safety data tells a similar story about impaired driving. From 2019 through 2024, 176 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night, and 31 of them were pedestrians.
Crashes involving pedestrians can cause severe injuries, from fractures to traumatic brain injuries. An Augusta pedestrian accident lawyer can help a family understand its options after a driver strikes a child or adult on foot.
What Does Georgia Law Require of Drivers?
Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-91, a driver must stop and remain stopped to let a pedestrian cross in a crosswalk and may not pass another vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian. Georgia's Hands-Free law also prohibits holding a phone while driving. Pedestrians have duties too. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-92, someone crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles, which is one more reason to teach children to cross at marked crossings.
When a driver ignores those rules, an Augusta car accident attorney can investigate whether speed, distraction, or impairment played a role.
How Can Families, Drivers, and Hosts Stay Safe?
T. Madden & Associates, P.C. recommend that trick-or-treaters carry flashlights or glow sticks, add reflective tape to costumes, and choose costumes that do not block vision or drag on the ground. Young children should be supervised and should stay on sidewalks. Drivers should slow down in residential areas, watch driveways and curbs, turn on headlights early, put the phone away, and arrange a sober ride before a party begins.
Hosts can help keep the night safe, too. Well-lit walkways, clear steps, cords, decorations, and fog machines kept out of walking paths all reduce the risk of falls. Hosts serving adults can also make sure no guest drives home impaired by arranging rides or offering a place to stay.
What Should Someone Do After a Halloween Crash or Fall?
“Halloween should be about candy and costumes, not emergency rooms,” said Terance Madden, founder of T. Madden & Associates, P.C. “Most of these injuries are preventable. When they are not, families deserve answers and a lawyer who will hold the responsible party accountable.”
The firm advises anyone injured to call 911, seek medical care, photograph the scene and injuries, and collect witness information. People should be cautious about giving recorded statements to an insurance company before they understand their rights. Georgia generally gives injured people two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, so waiting can put a claim at risk.
Anyone in the Augusta area searching for a personal injury lawyer can contact T. Madden & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation.
About T. Madden & Associates, P.C.
Established nearly 25 years ago by Georgia personal injury lawyer Terance Madden, T. Madden & Associates, P.C. is a boutique catastrophic injury law firm providing experienced legal representation statewide from its offices in Atlanta, Decatur, Jonesboro, Macon, and Augusta. Led by an executive partnership of veteran attorneys, the firm specializes in severe automobile and trucking collisions, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death. The firm operates on a no-fees-unless-we-win basis to keep legal help accessible to all, coupling high-powered trial advocacy with dedicated client care. The firm also gives back through The Terance Madden Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that has awarded college scholarships to more than 250 Atlanta-area students over the past decade. Learn more at https://www.tmaddenlaw.com/. Contact T. Madden & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation.