Stay Seen This Halloween

It’s that time of year when Cayman’s supermarket shelves fill with spooky candy, as families prepare a night of costumes, candy, and community fun. However, Halloween is also a night where vulnerable road users are at a heightened risk, especially young trick-or-treaters walking along poorly lit roads in dark-coloured outfits. 

In this iteration of our blog series for the National Road Safety Cayman campaign, we’re here with a special spooky edition to remind everyone to drive with extra care on Cayman’s roads. Slowing down, staying alert and keeping your focus on the road could be the difference it takes to ensure a family gets home safely rather than ends their night in tragedy. Let’s make safe driving in the Cayman Islands part of everyone’s Halloween tradition. Remember: Smart slows down. Reckless rushes through.

Expect the Unexpected

On a spooky night such as Halloween – which falls on a Friday this year – it is important to always be aware of your surroundings and to be ready for the unexpected. Children can be unpredictable, especially on a night such as this where excitement is high – running between cars, crossing without parents, or excitedly darting across the road. Some may be wearing dark-coloured costumes that make them harder to see if they step out without warning. 

That’s why it’s essential to slow down, especially if you are driving through an area known for trick-or-treating or community events like Snug Harbour or Webster’s Estates. Reduce your speed, scan the sides of the road, and be prepared to stop at any moment — a few seconds of patience can save a life. Remember that driving slower gives you more time to react, and those extra seconds can save a life. Whether you’re driving to a party, dropping off family, or simply heading home after work, patience and caution are your best tools for keeping Cayman’s roads safe.

See and Be Seen 

Everyone has a role to play when it comes to keeping up road safety in Cayman, and this means staying focused, staying within the speed limit and avoiding distractions every time you get behind the steering wheel of your car. Halloween is no exception – in fact, it’s even more important to stay alert when driving around areas where children might be trick-or-treating; this means turning your headlights on earlier and keeping them on, ensuring your windshields and mirrors are clean, and staying alert for movements near driveways or between parked vehicles. 

If you’re walking around, there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy yourself while being safe – make visibility fun by using glow-in-the-dark face and body paint, adding reflective tape to costumes, or carrying glow-sticks and small flashlights. It is also important to make sure that scary masks don’t block your own visibility, so you can see if it is clear when crossing a road. Small choices make a big difference. Helping others see and be seen strengthens road safety Cayman-wide. Remember: Smart is visible. Reckless risks getting run over. 

Staying Safe

Even young trick-or-treaters can learn smart habits that can make Halloween both fun and safe. Take a few minutes before heading out to talk about how to enjoy the night carefully and responsibly. Remind children to walk, not run, since excitement can make them forget road rules, and encourage them to look both ways before crossing. 

Costumes should be comfortable — try to avoid buying costumes with long hems that might cause them to trip or let them wear masks that block their vision. When children understand how to stay safe, it helps everyone on the road — including the drivers watching out for them.

Parents and caregivers can also set an example by keeping phones away while walking with their children. Cayman’s roads belong to all of us, and every careful choice — whether it’s a driver staying alert or a child crossing safely — adds up to a safer community.

Conclusion:

Halloween should be a night of laughter, costumes and community — not recklessness. When drivers slow down, parents stay alert and children follow simple safety rules; everyone wins.

Road safety in Cayman is more than a checklist — it’s an act of care we all share.

Let’s make this Halloween a treat for every family and a reminder that safe habits protect the people and places we love. For more information or to read our other blog posts in the series, visit our website: www.gov.ky/roadsafety.

Together, we can make the night a treat — not a tragedy