Did you know that on the average, twice as many kids are killed or injured while walking on Halloween as compared to any other day of the year? Therefore, we all need to do our part in trying to make sure that Halloween is a night for treats and a memorable experience as opposed to a night of tragedy for injury.
Parents and drivers both need to do their part to keep children safe on Halloween. Since children have very limited attention spans, parents should review trick or treat safety before heading out of the house.
Since most trick or treat activities are conducted in the dark, drivers should be extra careful when driving after dark on Halloween because excited trick or treaters may not be crossing streets properly or watching out for cars.
Tips to keep kids safe on Halloween for parents and children:
- When considering costumes, parents should make sure that all costumes and trick or treat bags should have some type of reflective material on them.
- Choose face paint and makeup instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
- Children should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult. Children under 12 should only cross streets with an adult.
- Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights in order to see better, as well as to be seen by drivers. Children should be reminded not to chew or break glow sticks.
- Parents or adults should always check treats for signs of tampering before children are allowed to eat them.
Tips for drivers:
- Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are usually excited about Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day so you can spot children from greater distances.
- Remember costumes can limit children’s visibility and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
- Unless absolutely necessary, it is better to stay in after dark on Halloween and not have your vehicle on the road.
From the Law Firm of Hoskins Turco Lloyd & Lloyd, we hope everyone has fun on Halloween and stays safe. We hope these safety tips will help make Halloween fun and safe for everyone.