With Halloween coming up Wednesday, many children across the country will be trick-or-treating door to door and walking dangerously close to or on residential roads.
With that in mind, many law enforcement agencies are encouraging drivers to make sure to use extra caution during this time. Gainesville Police Sergeant Kevin Holbrook says that the costumes that kids have on can make things even more dangerous.
"There are going to be a lot of pedestrians out, and a lot of those pedestrians are going to be wearing dark-colored clothing, so it's important to be mindful of your surroundings, to be patient and to set a little time aside for your traveling purposes," Holbrook said.
He said that everyday safe driving practices, such as avoiding distracted driving and speeding, will become even more important during Halloween. Also, he said that drivers should try to avoid roads where there is likely to be high amounts of trick-or-treaters.
"Plan your routes away from neighborhoods if possible," Holbrook said. "Many times, people do utilize neighborhoods for cut-throughs, so we ask that you please use the main routes and state routes as typically those are not roads that trick-or-treaters are going to be on."
Holbrook also advises that, while Halloween night will fall on Wednesday, there are likely to be trick-or-treat-style events going on throughout the week and drivers should stay cautious throughout the week and through next weekend.
Officials, however, are not only issuing warnings to drivers, but to trick-or-treaters themselves.
"Travel in groups," Holbrook said. "Typically large groups are easier to see, and have someone who is dedicated to be in charge, someone that's going to ensure the safety of all the participants in your group."
