COUNTY LIFE
Halloween safety tips for motorist, parents, kids
Parents should accompany small children as they go in search of treats during Halloween.
Staying safe can be tricky for children going through neighborhoods in search of treats, unless they stay aware of possible traffic dangers on the streets, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension expert.
“This time of year, the days are beginning to get shorter, and with shorter days comes more low-light and nighttime driving,” said Bev Kellner, AgriLife Extension passenger safety program manager, College Station.
Kellner said nighttime driving requires extra attention from both motorists and pedestrians.
More than 70 percent of all fatal pedestrian incidents occur in low light conditions, and nearly 50 percent of fatal bicycle crashes occur in low-light or dark conditions, according to NHTSA.
“There are also increased instances of drunken driving on Halloween,” she noted. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reporting 42 percent of those killed in traffic crashes on Halloween night from 2013 to 2017 died in crashes involving a drunk driver.”
Kellner said the large number of young pedestrians on the streets Halloween evening makes this an especially dangerous time, but motorists, parents and children can take some safety measures to make it less daunting.
Safety tips
for motorists
• Slowing down in neighborhoods and watching for children on roads, medians and curbs.
• Taking extra precautions when entering or exiting driveways.
• Being alert to children possibly darting out from between cars or behind bushes or shrubs.
• If attending a party where alcohol is to be served, designate a driver.
Tips for parents
• Having an adult accompany children at all times to supervise their activities.
• Reminding children to stop, look and listen before crossing streets.
• Taking a flashlight and having your child wear reflective strips or patches on their clothing or costume to be more visible.
• Be certain children’s masks do not impair their vision or hearing.
• Ensuring costumes do not impede the ability to walk or drive.
Tips for pedestrians
• Before crossing a street, stop at the curb or edge of the road and look left, right and then left again before crossing.
• Walk, don’t run, from house to house or across the street.
• Cross streets only at intersections and crosswalks, then obey any traffic signals and watch out for turning cars.
• Walk on sidewalks whenever possible. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the street facing traffic.
“Many people are also choosing to have in-home Halloween parties for children or Halloween parties in schools or community centers in order to increase child safety,” Kellner said. “But if you’re doing Halloween the old-fashioned way by door-to-door trick or treating, taking some extra time and making sure everyone obeys the rules of the road and remains vigilant can make Halloween reasonably safe.”
Have fun and remember to be safe.
(Top image: Courtesy photo, Jody Langston runs an informative table on Wise Hope Shelter & Crisis Center at the National Night Out Oct. 6.)
An American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. One in three Texans experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Statewide, intimate partner violence claimed the lives of 160 individuals in 2025 alone.
Behind these staggering statistics from organizations like Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and the Texas Council on Family Violence are real people, and that is precisely why the Wise Hope Shelter & Crisis Center exists.
This October, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the agency stands as a vital resource. Originally founded on Aug. 2, 1999, following the 1997 organization of the Wise County Domestic Violence Task Force, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit was created to address violence in rural north-central Texas.
Supported by hundreds of volunteers, Wise Hope has since grown to encompass a 20-bed, 4,800-square-foot shelter, three outreach offices and a thrift store, and the agency is preparing to announce an upcoming renovation project soon.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
There will be a community blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov 2 at AVIR in Bowie, 700 W. U.S. Highway 287 South.
The Carter BloodCare Bus will be present with its staff to collect blood donations. The sign- up link is: greatpartners.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/168764.
Carter BloodCare is offering a plush new blanket to thank local blood donors for giving in November. Carter BloodCare’s annual blanket incentive has become a popular holiday tradition. The blanket is available while supplies last.
Eligible donors can give blood starting at age 16 with parental consent; those 17 and older can donate on their own. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and feel well at the time.
Carter BloodCare donors help Texans with life-threatening injuries from car wrecks; children fighting cancer; burn patients; older adults with health issues; organ transplant recipients; new mothers and others in need.
For details, visit CarterBloodCare.org or call 800-366-2834.
Carter BloodCare has proudly served Texans since 1951. The independent community blood center provides transfusion resources in 59 counties of North, Central and East Texas, supporting thousands of patients in more than 225 medical facilities. Carter BloodCare is one of the largest nonprofit blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 450,000 doses of blood, platelets and plasma each year to meet the health care needs.
As the holiday near blood is often in short supply, but the need never goes away. Make time to scheduled your date to donate blood to help your community to be prepared for the upcoming season.
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court opened bids for the reconstruction of the Montague County Veterans Memorial Wall during regular session Oct. 26.
The memorial, located on the courthouse square, was heavily damaged on March 4, 2025, when a severe storm with high winds supposedly caused two large black panels containing the names of local veterans to fall over and shatter.
It was the second time a panel had fallen at the site. A single panel previously fell in November 2021, costing $16,000 to replace and raising questions regarding the monument’s structural integrity. Following the 2021 incident, it was discovered no steel rods or internal supports secured the stone panels to the concrete foundation.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
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