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Police urge caution on East Cobb roads this Halloween

Cobb County police are reminding residents to be careful on the roads this Thursday.

EAST COBB, Ga. — Like most holidays, Halloween offers a variety of good times for people of all ages. However, some run-of-the-mill Halloween traditions can also be dangerous. So the Cobb County Police Department is reminding everyone to play it safe.

“For our drivers, we want to remind them that they need to be cautious when they're driving in neighborhoods and areas where pedestrians are going to be,” Officer Sydney Melton said. “There will be a lot more pedestrians out, and a lot more children will be out. Children don't always abide by the pedestrian rules because they’re excited over the holiday.”

She says drivers should pay extra attention to their surroundings and lower their speeds through areas with increased foot traffic. Trick-or-Treaters should also be careful when going door-to-door.

“Make sure there's an adult with children during this time,” Melton said. “Obviously, there's going to be other people within your neighborhood that aren't normally there, so make sure they have supervision. Make sure they are staying on sidewalks, if those are available, and staying on the correct side of the road. We don't want children running across the street zigzagging from house to house. We would rather them walk on one side of the street, just to be safe.”

Credit: WXIA

She says Halloween is a great opportunity for parents to teach their children about pedestrian safety – simple things like looking both ways before crossing the street.

Credit: WXIA

“If there is a driver that stops for them, we want them to make eye contact with that driver so they really know that driver sees them and that they know to stop,” Melton said. “Make sure they are well lit - flashlights, glow sticks, any kind of reflectors, anything like that.”

Credit: WXIA

According to Melton, certain neighborhoods throughout East Cobb restrict traffic on Halloween, just to make everyone can walk through the area safely. Some areas even shift the candy collecting to a different night of the week.

Credit: WXIA

“Some communities with an HOA decide that they want to kind of control the traffic and suggest that people coming to visit their neighborhood park in the amenities lot to limit some of the traffic that's going to their neighborhood,” she said. “Make sure you know if your neighborhood plans to go trick-or-treating on Halloween or if they're going to observe it on a different day. Since it is a weekday and a school night, some communities may decide to try to change it to a Friday night or Saturday. So make sure you're aware of that.”

For more Halloween safety tips, CLICK HERE.

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