TORONTO, October 27, 2014 — On Halloween, Parachute and FedEx Express Canada are urging all road users to drive with extra care so that all ghosts and goblins, as well as their parents and grandparents, will stay safe and sound this ghoulish night.

Through their national campaign, Walk This Way, Parachute and FedEx Express Canada have tips for drivers and parents to ensure children can walk safely on Halloween, as well as every day, in their neighbourhoods. This means drivers need to slow down in residential areas and parents need to show their children safe pedestrian practices.

“With it getting darker outside earlier, Halloween is a great time for parents and children to talk about pedestrian safety, especially when it comes to crossing the street,” says Louise Logan, Parachute’s President and CEO. “Set a good example, practice with your children and make road safety part of your conversation.”

Child pedestrian incidents are a leading cause of death for Canadian children under age 14. More than 30 children are killed and 2,400 are seriously injured in a typical year. Most incidents happen between 3 and 6 p.m., when drivers are coming home from work and children are walking home from school or after-school activities.

“We all play a role in keeping our children safe while they walk in their communities,” said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. “At FedEx Express we put safety above all, both in the workplace and in the communities in which we operate. Our drivers know the importance of being extra alert around school and pedestrian crossings, since these are the most important stops they make each day.”

For more than 10 years, FedEx and Parachute have been delivering Walk This Way, a national awareness campaign aimed at reminding parents and drivers about road safety to ensure kids can walk safely to and from school, from a friend’s house and on Halloween. As part of this initiative, another effective way to increase road safety in neighbourhoods is by registering to become a Pace Car community.

Parachute offers parents, children and drivers these tips for a safe Halloween:

  • An adult or responsible older child should accompany children, under age nine, since they may lack the skills to cross the street on their own.
  • Teach your child to stop at the curb, look left, right and left again, and to listen for oncoming traffic.
  • Select costumes with bright colours to increase your child’s visibility and choose face paint instead of masks.
  • Always cross at crosswalks, street corners or intersections – it’s unsafe to cross between parked cars or other obstacles.
  • Stay on the sidewalk when walking from house to house, and if there is no sidewalk, walk beside the road, facing traffic so drivers can see you.
  • Drive slowly in residential areas where children are more likely to be trick-or-treating.
  • Watch out for kids, many of whom will be wearing costumes that limit their vision.
  • Reduce distractions, such as cellphones or loud music, and stay alert.

Parachute is generously funded by FedEx Express Canada to provide the Walk This Way pedestrian safety program year-round, providing education, resources and support for parents. For information on Halloween safety and to register as a Pace Car Community, visit parachutecanada.org.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $46 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain « absolutely, positively » focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

About Parachute

Parachute is dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. A national charity, Parachute officially formed in July 2012, when the former Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada joined together to become one leader in injury prevention. Parachute’s injury prevention solutions, knowledge mobilization, public policy, and social awareness efforts are designed to help keep Canadians safe. Parachute’s vision is an injury-free Canada with Canadians living long lives to the fullest. For information, visit us at parachutecanada.org, follow us on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

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Contact:

George James
Parachute
647-776-5125
416-402-3783
gjames@parachutecanada.org

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