Pannysylvania Magazine

Chicago, IL – October 28, 2026 – Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman, LLC released a study examining how Chicago crash patterns change on Halloween. Using City of Chicago Traffic Crashes data from 2021 through 2025, the analysis found the city recorded more crashes than average every Halloween, with a far steeper increase in crashes involving pedestrians.

Key Findings

• Pedestrian-involved crashes rose an average of 62.2% during the Halloween window, compared with an average increase of 17.6% for crashes of all types.

• In 2025, Chicago recorded 21 pedestrian crashes during the Halloween window, compared with a same-weekday average of 10.1, a 107.6% increase.

• Pedestrians under 18 made up 22.6% of those involved in Halloween crashes, compared with 14.4% during comparable same-weekday periods.

• Children ages 3 to 9 accounted for 6.5% of pedestrians in Halloween crashes, more than double their 2.9% share on corresponding weekdays.

• Pedestrian-involved injury crashes averaged 12.4 during the Halloween window, compared with 7.9 during comparable same-weekday periods.

• The largest hourly increases came at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., when Halloween crash averages were 19.4% and 23.6% higher than comparable weekday averages.

“Halloween draws families, children and partygoers onto Chicago streets well into the evening,” said a researcher with 1Point21 Interactive, the agency that helped conduct the study. “What stands out most is that the youngest pedestrians made up a larger share of those involved in crashes. The afternoon spike also suggests the risk starts well before dark.”

Why This Matters for Pedestrian Safety on Halloween

The afternoon increase may coincide with school dismissal and the start of trick-or-treating as the sun sets earlier in the fall, making school zones and residential neighborhoods areas that call for extra caution.

The analysis also found pedestrians were more likely to be in the roadway during Halloween crashes, 38.8% compared with 31.4%, the largest difference among all locations studied. The study encourages adults to accompany young children, pedestrians to wear reflective materials and cross at designated crosswalks, and drivers to obey speed limits, put away phones, and never drive impaired.

Methodology

The analysis used five years of data from the City of Chicago’s Traffic Crashes dataset, covering 2021 through 2025. Crashes were counted for a Halloween window running from midnight on Oct. 31 through 4 a.m. on Nov. 1. Each year’s Halloween window was compared with all other same-weekday dates that year over the same time frame. The study examined total crashes, pedestrian-involved crashes, and the ages of pedestrians involved.

For more information about this study, visit: https://tpmblegal.com/chicago-halloween-pedestrian-crash-analysis/

About Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman, LLC

Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman, LLC is a personal injury law firm with offices in Chicago and Lisle, Illinois, handling car and truck accidents, construction injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases. The firm’s attorneys have secured more than $400 million on behalf of clients, including a $67 million jury verdict for one client. If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian crash, contact Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman, LLC at (312) 586-1700 or visit https://tpmblegal.com/ for a free consultation.

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Company Name: Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman, LLC
Contact Person: Media Relations
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Phone: (312) 586-1700
Address:225 W Wacker Dr Suite 1650
City: Chicago
State: IL
Country: United States
Website: https://tpmblegal.com/