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    PennDOT, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Safety Partners Host Safety Themed Event for Students Ahead of Halloween

    October 29, 2025

    Pittsburgh, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pittsburgh Public Schools, and other Allegheny County safety partners hosted an event to promote pedestrian safety to students at Pittsburgh Westwood PreK-5 as they prepare to celebrate Halloween.

    The safety partners visited Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Pittsburgh Westwood PreK-5 to host a safety focused presentation, which shared child-friendly Halloween themes in preparation for the upcoming holiday. Topics included various safety tips, such as:

    ·         Only cross at corners and use crosswalks when possible.

    ·         Always use sidewalks. If none are available, walk facing traffic.

    ·         Wear a brightly colored costume (or adjust a costume) to be highly visible to other pedestrians and motorists.

    ·         Carry a flashlight, glow stick, or any other light up tool to increase visibility.

    ·         Use face paint instead of a mask to allow you to see better.

    ·         Only trick-or-treat with an adult or responsible older sibling.

    Pedestrians are much more vulnerable in a crash than vehicles. According to PennDOT data, in 2024 there were 358 crashes statewide on October 31, resulting in two fatalities. Of these crashes, 23 involved pedestrians and 20 were drug and/or alcohol related.

    With trick-or-treat festivities this week, drivers can expect to see many more pedestrians on the roadway. Often it can be difficult for motorists to see pedestrians at night, especially small children wearing costumes. Drivers are reminded to stay alert, abide by the posted speed limit, yield to pedestrians, and never get behind the wheel impaired.

    Adult Halloween party hosts are urged to keep their guests’ safety in mind by ensuring they have everything needed, so attendees do not need to leave, providing plenty of water and mocktails as an alcohol alternative, helping guests find a safe designated driver, and even taking impaired guests’ keys away if needed.

    For more Halloween night safety tips for pedestrians and motorists, PennDOT’s Halloween Safety Fact Sheet is available online.

    The Allegheny County safety partners are dedicated to bringing education and awareness of traffic safety to the region and consists of AAA East Central, Allegheny County Health Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention, City of Pittsburgh Police, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project.

    For more information, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.

    PennDOT’s media resources web page offers social media-sized graphics for numerous transportation-related campaigns, including safety topics such as aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving, and seat belts for organizations, community groups, or others who share safety information with their stakeholders.

    For regional updates, follow PennDOT on X and join the Greater Pittsburgh Area PennDOT Facebook group.

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