Saturday Halloween doubles death risk for trick-or-treaters

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and AAA is warning that the combination of trick-or-treaters, party-bound drivers, and e-bike and e-scooter riders sharing dark neighborhood streets could be deadly.

What’s happening: According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Peak trick-or-treating hours run from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., meaning most kids will be out after dark. A Saturday Halloween pulls more drivers onto neighborhood roads at the same time.

What’s important: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 201 people were killed in crashes involving drunk drivers on Halloween night between 2020 and 2024. That is an average of about 40 people every Halloween, and this year’s weekend date is expected to push more impaired drivers onto the road.

“Halloween already demands a driver’s full attention, and having it fall on a Saturday night adds another reason to be especially cautious,” said Montrae Waiters, a spokesperson for AAA . “Expect more people to be out after dark and slow down in neighborhoods. A child in a costume, or someone riding an e-bike or e-scooter, can appear in your path with very little warning.”

For drivers, AAA recommends slowing down in neighborhoods, turning headlights on early, staying off phones, and never driving impaired. Drivers should also watch driveways, alleys, medians, and curbs, where children can dart out with little warning.

For trick-or-treaters, AAA says kids should carry flashlights or glow sticks, add reflective tape or stickers to costumes and bags, use sidewalks and crosswalks, and look left, right, and left again before crossing. Costumes should fit properly and not block vision. Children younger than 12 should go out with an adult.

For e-bike and e-scooter riders, the picture is a little more complicated. Costumes that look great at a party can restrict vision, movement, or the ability to control a bike. AAA says riders should wear a properly fitted helmet, use lights and reflective materials, avoid phones and headphones, and never ride impaired.

“A helmet may not be part of the costume, but it should be part of the ride,” Waiters said. “If you’re heading out on an e-bike or e-scooter, wear a properly fitted helmet and make sure drivers can see you.”

How this affects real people: If you are driving anywhere near a neighborhood between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, slow down. Children in dark costumes are hard to see, and they do not always stop at the curb.

The path forward: With e-bikes and e-scooters becoming more common in neighborhoods, Halloween safety warnings are likely to keep expanding beyond the traditional driver-and-pedestrian conversation. AAA has published an E-Ride Safety Guide for families who want more detail on helmets, visibility, and sharing the road safely.