According to a study, Halloween can be deadly for pedestrians

Beware of people who do "tricks or treats" (tricks or treatments): The tradition of Halloween can be deadly for pedestrians and children are facing the greatest danger.

A survey released Tuesday revealed that there was a greater risk of 43% of pedestrian deaths on Halloween night compared to other evenings close to that date.

The study builds on four decades of traffic data in the United States, including 608 pedestrian fatalities across 42 Halloweens.

Canadian roadside investigators began the study after seeing advertisements for Halloween parties posted on street lights in their country. This made them think of a dangerous witch witchcraft: festive party goers moving away from bars mixed with "legions of street kids" in disguise, said senior author, John Staples from the University of British Columbia.

Canada is also celebrating Halloween, but the US traffic data is remarkably comprehensive. Staples and his colleagues focused their analysis south of their border. The study appears in JAMA Pediatrics.

Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researchers compared pedestrian fatalities on Halloween nights with two-week deaths: the previous one and the next. They discovered that car accidents kill four more people on average than Halloween on other days.

The results reflect an analysis of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. data 1975-1996, from the road safety agency.

According to the new study, children aged 4 to 8 years were the most at risk: there were 55 Halloween deaths in this age group, compared to 11 days of control.

"This age group can be particularly excited about Halloween and perhaps, amidst that emotion, it forgets the real danger that vehicles pose," Staples said. "They may not know that drivers can not see them."

The dead reach their apogee at sunset, around 18 hours.

Dr. Donald Redelmeier, co-author of the study, works in the largest trauma hospital in Canada and remembers treating a wounded pedestrian on Halloween.

Staples gave some common sense advice: put reflective patches on the costumes, wear a flashlight or a light stick to be more visible and make sure the masks do not interfere with vision; Look also from both sides before crossing the street.