CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Halloween is just days away and kids all over the Carolinas will soon put on costumes and start knocking on doors for candy.
That means drivers need to be on the lookout for ghosts and goblins as they walk from neighborhood to neighborhood.
It's not just the candy that needs a once-over.
"You do want to look. You want to make sure nothing has been messed within the candy, but the real dangers are much more every day," said Eric Morrison, EMS Director of Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill. "The most dangerous thing about Halloween that most of us never think about is that your child is twice as likely to get hit by a car on that night as any other night of the year."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Safety experts said there are some things parents can do to lessen the danger:
- Wear light and reflective clothing
- Carry a bright flashlight
- Stay on sidewalks and grass
- Kids 13 and younger should have an adult with them
"We, unfortunately, focus on the really rare risk -- that possibility that someone has an evil intent, but we have to be aware of those everyday risks," added Morrison.
Morrison said drivers need to be aware as well, adding that drivers should never text and drive. Distracted driving contributes to accidents.