Coming off the heels of Teen Driver Safety Week ( Oct. 18-24), and gearing up for Halloween and Trick or Treaters, we want our families to have lots of fun and stay safe. With treats galore and exciting costumes, this weekend will be an exciting (and a little stressful) time for families, and an opportunity to remind them of the road safety rules.

6  Halloween Driving Tips for Parents and Teen Drivers

Practice, and then practice some more. Teens are learning a skill for the first time; they need time and practice to develop proper driving techniques and skills. Please don’t assume Driver Education classes will teach them all they need to know.

Know Your Teen. Teens mature and develop at varying rates, and the legal age may be too young for some. Is your teen ready to drive? If not, allow them to take the classes, but give them more practice time before they go off alone. Your teen may think otherwise, but a license is not a guarantee of car keys or unrestricted driving time.  

Eliminate Impaired Driving. Impaired driving not only includes alcohol or drug use, but also being distracted, tired, or powerfully emotional. Put electronic devices away and keep your head up, you never know when a ghoul or goblin may try and cross the street. If you’re “trunk or treating” this year, make sure you remove all decorations that can obstruct while driving.

Limit Teen Night Driving. Research has shown the risk of a crash goes up dramatically at night, and most crashes occur between 9 p.m. and midnight. Halloween is a particularly stressful time for teen drivers, who may be excited about school parties and costumes, or looking at decorated houses,  and less on the heavy foot traffic.

Pedestrian Safety. Make sure your trick or treaters are walking with an adult, and cross at crosswalks whenever possible. It’s best to teach them to make eye contact with the driver before crossing. Glow sticks, reflectors, and flash lights should be required accessories to help improve visibility while walking.

Set an Example and Rules. Be a good role model for your young driver and treat driving expectations similar to homework and chores. Having rules, conditions, restrictions, and consequences, of your teen’s driving written down in advance, establishes driving as a privilege. AAA offers parent-teen driving agreements at http://teendriving.aaa.com.

Harvest festivals,  Día de Muertos, trick or treating,  or Halloween parties; no matter what your weekend plans include, we hope you take a moment to plan your driving arrangements and remember to slow down and watch for the heavy pedestrian traffic.  If you liked this treat, you’d find this one especially sweet, our winterize maintenance package is only $69.95 and includes an oil change, rotating and balancing of tires, and a bumper to bumper inspection including testing battery and heating system. No tricks here, just honest affordable car maintenance service you can count on.

If you’re decorating your car for “Trunk or Treat”, be sure to share your pictures with us on Facebook. HAPPY HALLOWEEN