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Halloween Drivers Beware - Ghosts & Goblins on the Roads

24 October 2000

Halloween Drivers Beware - Ghosts & Goblins on the Roads

              Progressive Offers Tips to Ensure Halloween Safety

    MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio, Oct. 24 Celebrating Halloween is a
family tradition that brings children and families on to the streets at the
end of October each year.  And while the ghosts, goblins and assorted critters
roaming neighborhood streets aren't real, they do represent legitimate safety
concerns for drivers, according to Progressive , one of the
nation's largest auto insurance companies.  Data from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that:

    *  Fatal collisions between motor vehicles and young pedestrians (under 15
       years of age) happen most frequently between 4 pm and 8 pm -- prime
       trick-or-treating time.

    *  In 1998, 82 percent of deaths among young pedestrians occurred at non-
       intersection locations (indicating children are most likely to dart and
       dash from mid-block into the street).

    *  Of the 5,220 pedestrian/motor vehicle fatalities in 1998, 538 were
       young pedestrians.  Of those, 62 percent were male.

    To help keep everyone's Halloween safe, Progressive offers these
additional tips for drivers operating their vehicles in neighborhoods where
children may be trick-or-treating:

    *  Know when your neighborhood is holding Halloween activities.  The
       actual holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, so some neighborhoods may
       opt to conduct trick-or-treating on the previous Friday, Saturday or
       Sunday evenings.

    *  Don't use a cellular telephone while driving through neighborhoods -- a
       single distraction could lead to a tragedy.  A recent countrywide
       survey by Progressive shows that 44 percent of Americans talk on the
       phone while driving.

    *  Stay well below the posted speed limit during trick-or-treating hours.

    *  Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway -- they
       could be dropping off children.

    *  Stop when making turns, even if there is no stop sign or light.  A
       child could be crossing the road.

    *  Never assume a pedestrian approaching the roadway will yield to your
       vehicle; children may not see your vehicle approaching or might not be
       familiar with crossing roadways.

    *  Use these common sense tips to be sure everyone arrives home safely.