Shorter days and cooler evenings remind us that Halloween is just around the corner. With our littlest neighbors dressed up and on the streets to trick or treat, let's work together to keep them safe. From 2009 to 2013, 79 pedestrians were killed on Halloween night. In 2013, one-fifth (21%) of children 14 and younger who died in traffic crashes were pedestrians.

If your little one is headed out tomorrow evening, remember these helpful tips:

• Children out at night and under the age of 12 should have adult supervision.
• Kids should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Choose face paint when possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Decorate costumes with reflective tape and have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights.

But even if you don’t have a child heading out this Halloween, you have little neighbors out there—and it’s up to all of us to look out for them. We’re already adjusting to evening commutes with less sunlight, so it’s important to:

• Use caution while behind the wheel.
• Slow down and be alert in residential areas.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• Eliminate distractions so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Of course, you don’t have to be a kid to love Halloween. But if you’re an adult reveler who might celebrate with alcohol, then make a plan to stay safe and keep an eye out for the safety of others. From 2009-2013, on Halloween night, 43 percent of all fatalities in motor vehicle crashes were due to drunk drivers. 

If you can plan your costume, then you can certainly make a plan for a sober ride home. So, before you go out:

• Designate a sober driver and plan a way to get home safely.
• Use a taxi or car service, or use public transit.

If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement. And if a friend has been drinking, then put the brakes on their attempts to drive. Take the keys, and put them in a sober ride home. They’ll thank you later.

This weekend also brings the end of Daylight Saving Time, and in the early hours of Sunday, November 1, most of America will officially set clocks back one hour. 

That means changing light conditions for afternoon and evening driving. It also means that in some communities, kids will be walking home from school in less sunlight.  We at DOT encourage drivers to exercise particular care as they adjust to this change.

Halloween and the fall season can be a special time for kids and families.  Let’s keep it that way by protecting our kids and driving safely as darkness falls.