Safety tips for drivers this Halloween
It’s time to break out the pumpkins and fake spider webs — All Hallows’ Eve is nearly here. If you’re planning on hitting the road at some point in the evening, be mindful that many streets will be filled with kids in search of bite-sized candy, so exercise caution while driving.
While many new vehicles sold today feature advanced collision prevention features, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and not completely rely on technology. Follow these few tips to keep everyone, including you, safe this Halloween.
Walk-around
With trick-or-treaters out in full force this Oct. 31, they may not always be sticking to sidewalks or crossing the street at appropriate areas. Before backing up, get out and do a quick walk around to make sure there are no small children behind or beside your car.
Models like the new Hyundai Tucson have optional rear parking sensors embedded in the rear bumper that give an audible warning when someone or something is detected. As the object gets closer, the warning increases in both frequency and tone to alert the driver.
Slow down
It’s always advisable for children to wear bright-coloured costumes to be as visible as possible, but that doesn’t always happen. Drive slower than usual, especially in residential areas so a ninja or Dracula wearing all black running doesn’t run out and catch you by surprise.
Toyotas equipped with Toyota Safety Sense P utilize an in-vehicle camera working in tandem with a millimetre wave radar unit mounted on the front grille. When a potential collision with a pedestrian is predicted, the brakes are pre-loaded for quicker stop times, and/or the system will automatically apply the brakes as well.
Park indoors
Halloween ranks as one of the top dates in the year for automobile vandalism, according to ICBC. If possible, leave your car inside your home garage or in a parkade after dark.
The latest generation of Audi anti-theft alarms use warning horns that operate independently of the main electrical system, and will sound when a door is opened while the alarm is armed.
