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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Halloween's scariest boogeyman is cars. Here are some tips to stay safe
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Happy Halloween! Make sure to bundle up tonight and watch out for all the Barbies, Kens, Wednesdays, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and four-legged pumpkins out there. But seriously, watch out…
The real Halloween boogeyman: Despite the perennially overblown fears about drugs or razors hidden in candy, experts say the biggest Halloween danger is hiding in plain sight: cars. “In Massachusetts, state crash data shows that more children are struck by vehicles on Halloween than any other day of the year,” Mark Schieldrop, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast, told WBUR’s Dave Faneuf. The same statement holds true nationwide. Schieldrop attributes the fact to the “sheer numbers of kids” that are out on the streets to trick-or-treat at the same time as the evening commute — particularly as the days get shorter and darker. This also comes after a year during which Massachusetts saw pedestrian deaths spike.
- By the numbers: Between 2002 and 2022, 57 pedestrians under the age of 18 in Massachusetts were hit by cars on Halloween. “It’s more than twice the number of any other day of the year,” Schieldrop said. Across the country, a total of 49 children were fatally hit by cars on Halloween between 2007 and 2021.
- Tips for your drive home: AAA suggests that evening commuters avoid neighborhood shortcuts through residential streets where trick-or-treating is likely. Schieldrop also says that drivers should slow down and be extra vigilant about people on the curb.
- Tips for trick-or-treaters: Schieldrop says parents should accompany kids under 12. He also suggests putting reflective tape on costumes and picking a neighborhood with good lighting, sidewalks and lots of homes. “So you get a lot of candy, but it’s just that much better to be a pedestrian,” Schieldrop said.
- Last but not least: Drive sober. While Halloween is the deadliest day for child pedestrians, Nov. 1 is the deadliest day for pedestrians of all ages. “Oftentimes, kids get back home before midnight but the adults are out and about,” Schieldrop said.
The Biden administration is committing $1.3 billion to propel National Grid's plans to build a 211-mile power line to bring hydropower from Canada into New England. The so-called Twin States Clean Energy Link would run the other way, too — allowing electricity from offshore wind farms off Massachusetts to be sent to Canada as well.
- The project will use underground cables and existing power line paths through Vermont and New Hampshire — so it’s expected to be less controversial than the delayed hydropower line through Maine or the nixed Northern Pass project in New Hampshire.
- What to expect: National Grid is hoping to begin construction by 2026, according to a spokesman. Click here for a map of the line’s planned route.
An emergency court hearing will be held this afternoon on the lawsuit challenging Gov. Maura Healey’s decision to cap the state’s emergency shelter system. The legal aid group Lawyers for Civil Rights is asking a judge to stop the Healey administration from enforcing the new cap and waitlist system on Wednesday.
- Go deeper: WBUR’s Gabrielle Emanuel has more here on how the waitlist system would work if it does take effect Wednesday and where families would go in the meantime.
Pats take another hit: Kendrick Bourne, one of the few bright spots for the New England Patriots this year, is likely out for the rest of the season after reportedly tearing his ACL during Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. Through eight games this season, Bourne had been New England’s leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.
The picturesque Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls is closing for the season today, as it does every year. But it will be an extra long wait before people can stroll through its plant-lined walkway again. New England Public Media reports the bridge won’t reopen until the spring 2025 due to repair work. (Yes, they have a plan for all the flowers.)
P.S.— Back Bay gets a lot of attention for its Halloween decorations. But there’s no shortage of creative, elaborate displays this year, from Somerville to Jamaica Plain, Winchester to Westford. How does your community compare? Send us a photo of your favorite local Halloween setups and we may include it in a future roundup online.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly said construction on the Twin States transmission line is set to begin in 2025. It has been updated to correctly reflect National Grid's plans to begin by 2026. We regret the error.
