[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Unless you’re a superhero, you’ll need to plan ahead, especially for your commute home from work. According to Jerry Carnes of WXIA, your Halloween drive home might be more dastardly depending on your destination. GDOT’s reports of previous years’ data reveals some spine-tingling traffic patterns you might not expect, including:
-Downtown corridor northbound congestion peaks at 3:45 p.m. (typically 6:30 p.m.)
-I-85 northbound congestion is worst at 3:15 p.m. (instead of 5:30 p.m.)
-I-285 westbound traffic peaks at noon and again at 5:30 p.m. (usually later)
-I-75 north congestion is highest at 1:15 p.m. and up and down until 6:00 p.m. (typically 6:00 p.m. and later)
Don’t go before the goblins. Once you are on your way to your Halloween haunt, keep these safety tips from AAA in mind:
For motorists:
-Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Watch for children who may dart into the street.
-Watch for children on roadways, medians and curbs. Look for children crossing the street; they may not always use crosswalks. Scan front porches and yards while driving.
-Be cautious when entering and exiting driveways and alleys.
-Keep your headlights on to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.
For trick-or-treaters:
-Wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and treat buckets to improve visibility to motorists and others.
-Don’t wear a disguise that obstructs vision or causes tripping. Make sure props are flexible and blunt-tipped to avoid injury.
-Bring a flashlight with fresh batteries, and place it face-down in the treat bucket to free up one hand. Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
-Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
-Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street. Cross streets only at the corner, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.
-Trick-or-treating in groups is safer.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
