Amidst the excitement of costumes, parties, and bags full of sugary-sweet delectables, we urge parents to make safety a top priority this Halloween. From 1990 to 2010, child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween averaged nearly 6 per year more than double the amount of pedestrian accidents that occur on any other day of the year. Don't let your child become a statistic. Review these tried-and-true Halloween safety tips with your children to help ensure they have a safe and enjoyable time trick-or-treating. And don't forget to pass these tips along to other parents as well!
Creating A Safe Costume
- Costumes should always fit children properly. Costumes which are too long or bulky can cause falls and restrict your child's movement.
- Always choose costumes made from flame retardant materials.
- If a mask is part of your child's costume, make sure it does not restrict their vision. Consider using face paint if masks cannot be seen through well.
- When possible, choose light, bright colors for costumes. Add reflective tape to your child's costume and accessories, or have your child wear glow sticks. This will help make your child more visible to motorists as they trick-or-treat.
Trick-Or-Treating Safely
- Children ages 12 and younger should always be supervised by an adult while trick-or-treating. Advise older children to stay in groups if they will not be going with an adult, and establish what time they must return home.
- Plan a safe trick-or-treating route ahead of time. Choose well-lit neighborhoods with sidewalks when possible. Review the route with your children before leaving home.
- Instruct children to stay on sidewalks. If no sidewalk is available, children should walk along the roads left side while facing traffic.
- Remind children to only cross at street corners, and look left-right-left before crossing. Children should always walk and not run while crossing streets.
- Instruct children to never go inside a home or garage while trick-or-treating, and to only visit well-lit houses.
Treat Safety
- Never let your children eat any treats until they have been inspected by a parent.
- Ensure your children receive treats from as many trusted households as possible.
- Any suspicious candy should immediately be reported to your local law enforcement agency.
