Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With several children and families expected to be out enjoying the festivities of Halloween this week, it is expected to be a busy night on the roads and sidewalks across Western New York. That means vehicle traffic, pedestrian activity, and concerns of impaired-driving and even vandalism increase, making extra caution essential for motorists, pedestrians, and partygoers alike.
"With Halloween falling on a Saturday, AAA is warning about a triple threat, because this isn't your typical Halloween," said Elizabeth Carey from AAA of Western and Central New York. "On a Saturday amid the warm weather that we've had, that means more pedestrians, more trick or treaters out. It also means more Halloween parties, which could be more impaired driving. And then we're turning the clocks back - that gives partygoers an extra hour to celebrate, but also could lead to more impairment and drowsy driving."
While Halloween falling on a Saturday is ideal for kids and their families, motorists are urged to be responsible this coming weekend across Western New York.
"There's going to be house parties, bar parties, a lot of opportunities for people to go out, wear costumes, celebrate, have a good time. But the point is you need to make sure you have a plan in place with a designated driver or ride sharing, just so you're not getting behind the wheel if you're impaired," Carey noted with WBEN.
Carey reminds motorists that New York State Police and other local law enforcement will be out-and-about this weekend.
"We've actually been working with the New York State Police and different police agencies, and they do plan to step up patrols. It's not about spoiling anyone's holiday; it's about making sure the people that are out there that need to be protected are safe," she said.
Halloween is, statistically, one of the more dangerous nights on the roadways for motorists and pedestrians alike.
"There's definitely an increase in crashes on Halloween. It's one of the top nights for pedestrian crashes and fatalities, so this is something that people need to be aware of, especially with it being on a Saturday," Carey said. "Impaired driving crashes definitely increase at Halloween time. If you look over the past few years, from 2019-to-2024, over 200 people were killed in the United States in alcohol-related crashes on Halloween. So people definitely need to plan ahead and make sure they're being safe."
To add on to the concerns of Halloween festivities, early Sunday morning is when the clocks will be set back an hour for Daylight Saving Time. Carey says it's important to not just get acclimated to the time change this weekend.
"It's going to be getting darker earlier. This is going to affect people even into next week with the morning commute and the evening commute. Drivers need to be aware," she said. "Their systems might be off a little bit, and they need to be scanning the road ahead, watching for pedestrians who are still out for their morning walks or out for an evening walk. Kids playing in the afternoon when it's getting darker earlier."
And with it getting darker earlier, it's not just motorists and pedestrians that people have to look out for behind the wheel.
"There's a car-animal collision every 15 minutes in New York State, and that's the time the deer and the other wildlife are out - dawn and dusk. Drivers need to be aware of that too," Carey noted.
And with the Halloween weekend, AAA is also reminding people to make sure vehicles and other personal property is safely secure from the potential of vandalism.
"It's a top night for vandalism, so make sure your house is seen as well. Light up your house, don't park in a dark area, try to park near a streetlight, and make sure your car doors are locked. Unfortunately, there's a lot of tricks that go along with the treats," Carey added.
"AAA is warning about a triple threat, because this isn't your typical Halloween" - Elizabeth Carey
"AAA is warning about a triple threat, because this isn't your typical Halloween" - Elizabeth Carey
