AUSTIN – October 25, 2023 – With Halloween falling on a Tuesday, the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and AAA Texas urges Texans that celebrate Halloween to Survive the Drive by watching out for trick-or-treaters throughout their neighborhoods. AutoInsurance.com states Halloweens occurring on a weekday have 11 percent more fatal crashes than Halloweens happening on a weekend. Eighteen percent of the people who die in fatal crashes on Halloween are children. Pedestrians have a 50 percent higher chance of dying on Halloween than on average.

“The statistics for dangerous and distracted driving in Texas are staggering, coupled with the high number of pedestrians, busy streets, and festivities around the city; thesetrends put more people at risk,” said Rich Johnson, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Insurance Council of Texas. “Along with the support of AAA Texas, we’d like to remind drivers to take extra responsibility and vigilance around this time to keep themselves and trick-or-treaters of all ages safe.”

Forbes ranked Texas as the top state in the nation for “Worst Drivers” based on an analysis of six metrics that reflect dangerous driving behavior, including drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, wrong-way driving, failure to obey traffic signs and signals, and drivers who looked at a phone.

ICT and AAA Texas launched the Survive the Drive auto safety awareness campaign in August 2023 to educate Texans about the importance of driver safety and the consequences of distracted driving through data from safety and insurance experts.

“Halloween can be celebrated safely; all it takes is a little bit of planning,” said Daniel Armbruster, a spokesperson for AAA Texas. “Plan your safe ride home or designate a sober driver if you are going out. Pedestrians should have some sort of reflective or bright material on their costume and remember that just because you see a car does not mean the car sees you.”

Tips for Texans to Survive the Drive on Halloween:

    Pedestrians should keep costumes visible and always cross at crosswalks.
    Drivers should take it slow in residential areas; little goblins might dart out unexpectedly.
    Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
    Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving after dusk.
    Do not look at your phone when you’re driving.
    Partygoers, make plans to get home safely.
    If you see a reckless driver on the road, contact law enforcement.


Texans can learn more about the campaign online at @insurancecounciloftexas, insurancecouncil.org, and @AAAtexas, AAA Texas Newsroom.


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About the Insurance Council of Texas

The Insurance Council of Texas is a nonprofit trade association that promotes the property and casualty insurance industry by providing relevant information and resources to its members, the public, regulators, and the media. Learn more at www.insurancecouncil.org.



About AAA

AAA provides more than 62.9 million members with automotive, travel, insurance and financial services through its federation of independently owned motor clubs and nearly 1,000 branch offices across North America. Since 1902, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the motorist and safe mobility. Drivers can request roadside assistance, identify nearby gas prices, locate discounts, book a hotel or map a route via the AAA Mobile app. AAA Texas branch offices throughout the state can be found by visiting www.AAA.com.