Halloween is right around the corner, and for those who will be driving, this means that a few extra precautions need to be taken to make sure that it’s safe and fun for everyone. Here are our top Halloween driving safety tips so everyone can enjoy the spookiest night of the year night worry-free.

1. The most important Halloween driving safety tip: Yield, yield, and yield again

Those residential streets will likely be jam-packed with trick-or-treaters looking for a haul of candy that will leave their dentists squirming. This means that you can expect to be yielding the right of way to pedestrians often and everywhere. Leave your impatience at the office and plan on having a longer drive-time than usual.

2. Make sure that your vehicle’s headlights are working properly

Car maintenance can sometimes be overlooked in the hustle and bustle of every-day life. One of the casualties tends to be properly maintained headlights. The acrylic in your headlights has a tendency to oxidize over time, accounting for their eventual “fogginess”.

Mitigate some of that with oxidation treatment (baking soda or toothpaste alongside a little bit of elbow grease). Beyond that, you can replace your headlights with LEDs if you are still using an older style of bulb. In conjunction, these things will ensure that your headlights are bright enough to make your car’s presence loud and clear as you drive through your busy neighborhoods this Thursday.

3. Make sure your eyes are on the road

This is an obvious one, but the most important. Some of us might have a tendency to overestimate our multi-tasking skills and feel that we can send a quick text or adjust the music playing over the speakers while driving.

This is simply not the case; young children can dart in front of cars in their excitement, so anything short of rapt attention on the road simply isn’t okay.

4. Treat cars on the road as you would a school-bus

Cars stopped in the middle of the road will likely be dropping off children. Assume that children will be crossing the street as a result, and don’t swerve around the parked vehicle. Remember, stay patient while driving this Halloween so that you don’t make a mistake in your haste.

5. Stay vigilant for drunk drivers

While drunk driving is something to be always aware of on the road, it is especially important during holidays like Halloween. We all know the signs: inconsistent direction, erratic movement, and so forth.

Beyond avoiding the driver, be ready to contact the proper authorities. Dialing 911 with key details about the car in question (make, model, color, and license plate number) could save a life.

6. Wear reflective gear as a pedestrian

For those of us who will be walking the streets this Halloween rather than driving them, wearing clothes and accessories to heighten our visibility is key. There are more than a few ways to do this: one can find a plethora of clothes with reflective strips (some costumes even will come pre-fitted with them).

A fun way to give our smaller kids maximum visibility is with glow sticks or rings. These make an easy addition to any costume that will ensure they have maximum visibility and fun on the streets. Parents, can bring a flashlight to make sure that the entire party is visible. Also, walk facing traffic when possible; it’s always best to see erratically driving vehicles as they approach.