Five Important Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters
With Halloween only two weeks away, we felt that it would be prudent to share tips that may help keep your trick-or-treaters safe. Trick-or-treating is supposed to be fun for kids and their families, but certain hazards can ruin this holiday. These five tips may help prevent this Halloween from ending in tragedy.
- Increase your visibility: Statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that pedestrian accidents double on Halloween. You may be able to reduce the chances of a pedestrian accident by increasing your and your child’s visibility. Bright costumes can improve visibility, as can reflective tape and glow sticks. Flashlights are also an option. Just be sure to check the batteries before leaving. You could also travel in greater numbers to increase visibility.
- Provide supervision: According to Safe Kids Worldwide and NHTSA, parents should supervise trick-or-treaters who are under 12 years old. If your children are older than 12, then you can set a predetermined trick-or-treating route and have them carry a mobile phone.
- Pick safe costumes: This safety tip is more difficult to follow than it may sound. Certain Halloween costumes are simply dangerous. They may limit a child’s visibility or increase the risk of a slip and fall accident. Other costumes may contain flammable materials. Certain types of makeups or face paints can cause allergic reactions. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a list of criteria that can help you make a costume choice.
- Pick safe routes: Some streets and residences may have poor or no lighting. Even if you use tips to improve your visibility, you or your children could still be at risk of being involved in a pedestrian or slip and fall accident.
- Remain cautious: There are more drunk drivers on the roads during Halloween. Do not assume that every vehicle is going to stop for you or your group. Keep a safe distance from vehicles and make eye contact with or wave at drivers at crosswalks. Try to avoid texting and walking while trick-or-treating with your children, as the visibility could be poor and may hide obstacles.
You can still make Halloween safer for everyone even if you are not going to trick-or-treat with your family. For example, you can ensure your driveway, lawn or walkways are well-lit. You could also avoid using decorations that pose a fire hazard. If you are going to be at a party, then you could use a designated driver or ridesharing service to get home.
At Riddle & Brantley, LLP,
Safety Counts.