Halloween Tips to Keep Kids Safe

Get the costume and candy bowl ready! Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year for kids (and adults at heart). For many parents, however, the fun can be accompanied by stress and anxiety for the safety of their children. Kids love the magic of Halloween, but costume and traffic safety are essential for trick-or-treaters. To assist the community in enjoying this magical holiday as safely as possible, we want to offer some easy and effective safety tips for Halloween that will make this spooky trick-or-treating holiday a fun filled and safe Halloween for the entire family. 
 

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

• Remind all household drivers to remain cautious and drive slowly through the community. Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Get rid of any distractions - like your phone - in your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Costumes for a Safe Halloween

Costume Design:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping - falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries on Halloween.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to Costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater nighttime visibility.
• Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, look for and purchase only those that have a label indicating they are flame resistant.

Face Design:

• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Make sure to follow manufacturer's instructions for application.
• If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings and large eye holes. Consider removing the mask when crossing streets for greater visibility.

Accessories:

• Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible materials. Please do not allow children to carry sharp objects.
• To improve visibility, consider using light-colored or retro-reflective bags or sacks for carrying candy.
• Provide each child with a flashlight and/or glow sticks to help them see better and be seen more clearly.

Trick or Treating Safely

Before children start out on their "Trick or Treat" rounds, parents should:

• Ensure that a responsible adult will be supervising the outing.
• Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know the names of your child's companions.
• Encourage them to travel only in familiar areas and along the established route.
• Remind children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home.
• Establish a return time.
• Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety tips.
• Insist that treats be brought home for careful inspection before anything is eaten, and when in doubt, throw it out!
• Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

A parent or responsible adult should always accompany children on their neighborhood rounds. Children should understand and follow these rules:

• Do not enter homes without adult supervision, and only approach homes with porch lights on.
• Walk, do not run, from house to house. Do not cross yards and lawns (unseen objects or the uneven terrain can present tripping hazards).
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Do not assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters; just because one car stops does not mean others will.
• Obey traffic and pedestrian safety rules. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Do not eat treats until inspected by an adult at home. Although tampering is rare, adults should still closely examine all treats and throw away unwrapped or suspicious items.

Decorating is one of the best parts of Halloween — showing off your creativity to all the trick-or-treaters who knock on our door.  Make it fun, but make it safe. Here’s what to pay close attention to with Halloween safety in mind:

• Consider fire safety when decorating. Do not overload electrical outlets with special effects and lighting.
• Always keep Jack O’ lanterns away from drapes, decorations, and flammable materials. When possible, use a battery-operated light.
• This is a great time of year to replace smoke alarm batteries.
• Take extra care to eliminate tripping hazards on your porch and walkway. Move lit Jack O’ lanterns and other objects away from porch/walking areas. Check around your property for flower pots, low tree limbs, support wires, or garden hoses that may prove hazardous to young children rushing from house to house.
• Turn your porch light on for Trick or Treaters.
• Make sure your pets are well secured, and away from potentially frightful sights and sounds of the night.

Have a safe and happy holiday!