A scary, fun Halloween is great, but safety comes first, says Utah first lady

Millcreek • Smiling at children costumed as princesses, a cat, Minnie Mouse and three as Spider-Man, Utah first lady Jeanette Herbert said her family loves a fun Halloween that is perhaps even a little scary — but not deadly.

“Sometimes we get so caught up in our preparations that we forget the most important thing is that our kids are reminded about safety,” she said at an event Thursday to urge Utah motorists and parents to be extra careful during what too often is a dangerous holiday on the roads.

She then led the children for some quick trick-or-treating through the Olympus Hills Macey’s store where they were among the first to receive free reflective treat bags made available in a partnership between the state and Associated Foods stores.

“This October alone, we’ve already had three auto-pedestrian fatalities and six serious-injury auto-pedestrian crashes. We want that to stop,” said Jason Davis, deputy director of the Utah Department of Transportation. “We want to have a great Halloween. We want children and families to be safe.”

Utah Highway Patrol Maj. Tyler Kotter said that takes some extra effort by everyone.

“Halloween is an event where everything is outside the norm,” he said. “There’s more kids out and about. They are in areas that are not sometimes well lit. So slow down. If you’re driving a motor vehicle, pay attention to what’s going on.”

For drivers, that especially means avoiding distractions during a busy holiday.

“Put away those phones and everything else that takes your eyes off the road,” Davis said.

Kotter added that about a third of the 26 auto-pedestrian fatalities so far this year occurred when a vehicle was turning — and drivers had not looked in all directions.

“Driving is a divided attention task,” the major said. “If we can avoid distractions inside the vehicles and pay attention to those that are out and about on the roadways, especially pedestrians, all of us will be a little bit more safe.”

Officials reminded parents to ensure their children can be seen by doing such things as carrying flashlights and reflective bags or wearing reflective clothing.

“When you’re out — whether it’s Halloween or just a regular walk — try to wear something reflective. You might think white clothing is reflective. It’s not. It’s just white. There’s a big difference,” Davis said. “Wear sometime reflective or carry a flashlight that alerts driver about where you are.”

Officials urged reminding children to cross only in crosswalks or at intersections — and to look both ways not only there but also at driveways. “We actually do have quite a few fatalities that happen at driveways. It's not just the roads,” Davis said.

Herbert said her favorite safety tip is to take trick-or-treaters by the hand, or to have them hold hands, as adults accompany them to help keep them safe.

“Just take a little extra time,” the first lady said. “After all your preparations, just take a breath, take a minute and make sure the kids are adequately prepared for the evening.”

The free reflective treat bags are available on a first-come, first-served basis, through Halloween at all Macey’s, Dan’s, Dick’s and Fresh Market locations between Bountiful and Pleasant Grove.