“Halloween safety ensures a fun holiday.”
– Alain Burrese
Halloween can be a very fun time for kids. Dressing up in costumes is exciting, and what kid doesn’t like getting lots of free candy? Unfortunately, it is also a time where home invasions, assaults, robberies and drive-byes have occurred. Innocent children have been taken advantage of, or worse, on this night that should have been a lot of fun filled with great memories. Additionally, more than twice as many children are killed in pedestrian-car accidents on Halloween between the hours of 4 p.m. And 10 p.m., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrian fatalities! I’m repeating this because it is that important. There is a greater chance of kids being fatally injured by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year.
On Halloween, all of us should keep in mind that kids will be out in costumes and focusing more on getting candy than traffic. We must use additional caution when driving! Eliminate all distractions and keep your eye on the road for kids out trick or treating.
One report I read stated that drivers ages 15-25 were involved in around one-third of fatal accidents involving child pedestrians on Halloween. If you have a teen driver in the house going out on Halloween, be sure they understand the increased risks. The National Safety Council urges motorists to be especially alert on Halloween.
- Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
- Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
- At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.
I don’t want this to scare you from having a great Halloween, I just want you to take a moment to watch this short video with some Halloween Safety Tips and read the rest of the tips to ensure you have an enjoyable and safe holiday.
Know the neighborhood you and your kids, or your kids (if they are old enough) will be trick or treating in. I know sometimes people don’t have the best choices, but if you can choose a safer area to begin with, you have just eliminated possible risks associate with the bad parts of town. Planning your route, and knowing the route your older kids will take, as well as setting a time for older kids to be home can decrease the anxiety of your kids being out by themselves. (Parents need to make sure their child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves or friends of the same age.)
Young children should always have a responsible adult with them. If kids are going in a group, which often makes trick or treating a lot more fun, make sure you have several adults to keep an eye out for the group. As many parent already know, watching a group can be a chore, but on Halloween, in the dark, with other kids running about too, it only makes sense to have several eyes on your group of kids. Plus, it gives the adults someone to talk with. (Just don’t get so carried away talking that you don’t pay attention to your trick or treaters.)
Try to stick to the sidewalks of well lit streets. Avoid cutting through back alleys and fields. It is always better to stay in the lit populated areas. Make sure older kids going out alone know they should avoid these fringe areas and stay in well lighted areas with lots of people around. Also, only trick or treat at those houses with lights on and that look inviting to trick or treaters. If you are in a well populate area, you’ll know because all the groups of kids will be going to the same lit up houses.
While we are talking about streets, make sure you pay attention when crossing streets. It can be exciting to zig zag back and forth to hit houses on both sides, but be careful when crossing the road. And while drivers should be careful, especially on Halloween with a lot of kids out running around, some might not be, and it is important to be careful and not get hit by a car. Even if the driver is wrong, it is the person or child getting hit that will be hurt. So pay attention when crossing the street.
To help cars see your kids, and for you to see them, use glow sticks, lights, etc. to identify and make them more visible. Reflective clothing is also wise. You may wish to put a glow stick bracelet around ankles or wrists to help identify them and make them visible. Glow sticks come in a wide variety (see picture) these days, and they are cheap, so use them. (The ones in the picture were all purchased at the Dollar Tree for $1.00 each.)
If you town or city sets a curfew for trick or treating, you should follow it. These curfews help people know when to expect people at the door and are designed to help make the holiday more safe and enjoyable for everyone.
Adults should carry a flash light with charged batteries and a charged cell phone. Make sure emergency numbers are programed in or you know how to quickly dial them if needed. Older kids that are out by themselves should have a flashlight and cell phone. It’s also a great idea to take a picture of your child with your cell phone in case something happens and you are separated.
Make sure you children know to NEVER go into a stranger’s home or car. Also, never drink any beverages from anyone. Take along your own water bottle or wait till you get home.
Make sure costumes and shoes fit. You don’t want your kids tripping over clothing or shoes that don’t fit correctly. (Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries on Halloween.)
Face paint is often better than masks that can obstruct vision. If masks are worn, they should have large eye openings to ensure your child can see easily, as well as mouth and nose openings. If you live in colder areas, make sure your children are dressed warm enough. When buying or making a costume, be sure it is loose enough that warm clothes can be worn underneath. Also be sure costumes are made of fire-retardant materials.
If your child doesn’t know his or her own address and phone number, the National Safety Council advises to pin a slip of paper with the child’s name, address, and phone number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group. And while we never want a “bad” stranger to know personal information about our children, the odds are way in favor that a good person will help your child get back to you than the other.
Never eat any candy until you have gotten home and gone through it. Toss anything that has been opened. One tip is to run a magnet over the candy and packages to check for pins, razor blades, etc. If you find any such item, or something wrong with the candy, notify the police right away. I’ve read where some people throw out everything received from trick or treating and then give their children their favorite candy that they purchased themselves to eliminate any risk of tampered with treats. I’ve never done this, but it is an option. (I don’t want you scared. The likely hood of metal objects found in your treats is extremely low to zero. But if you are like me, a few extra minutes to ensure your children’s safety and your peace of mind is worth it.)
Monitor how much of the safe candy your child eats. A few sweets after a long walk of trick or treating are not going to hurt, but too much can ruin a fun night by causing a tummy ache or worse. It’s also just good practice to teach kids to eat healthy and not to indulge too much, even on holidays. Plus, eating candy in small amounts makes the night’s rewards last longer.
Tips for Staying at Home on Halloween Night
Halloween is a night full of people going door to door in costumes or disguises. It’s a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it is also an environment that makes it easier for criminals to approach your door and have you open it up for them. It’s the one time of year where an intruder can walk right up to your door to rob you or worse, and you open if for him. So to be more safe, here are a few tips and suggestions for staying at home on Halloween night.
Don’t stay at home alone. It’s more fun to spend a holiday with friends anyway, right? Well, it’s safer too. It’s always better to not be alone when answering the door for trick or treaters.
Look outside before answering the door. Just as you would normally, or should anyway, check before opening the door.
If you want trick or treaters coming to your door, make sure you have the lights on. The better lit, the better. Also ensure your doorway is safe for trick or treaters. Keep driveways and walkways clear and free from anything that could cause a person to slip or fall.
Unfortunately, pranksters will be about on Halloween, and to minimize mischief at your house, put cars inside garages if you have one, and then lock the garage doors. Don’t leave things in the yard that might invite mischievous youngsters into making your home the target of one of their pranks.
Don’t overload electrical outlets when plugging in your scary indoor and outdoor decorations. This is especially true with older decorations. Always make sure your wires are undamaged and follow manufacturer instructions when setting them up.
Be careful with candles. Battery-operated candles and lights are safer than actual candles. Be sure to keep flames away from curtains, trees, bushes, and other combustible decorations. Keep in mind that candles can be easily knocked over by pets, kids, or guests. It is wise to have a multipurpose fire extinguisher accessible.
It is a good idea to keep pets kenneled or in another room. This will keep them from being scared by the strangers coming to your door in gruesome attire, and prevent any bad situations from happening.
Awareness is Still Key!
Awareness is still one of the most important ingredients to your safety. If you haven’t downloaded and read my free guide to Awareness, please do so now. You can download this guide by entering your e-mail on the right side of this blog. This information is important for all times, and it is especially important to be aware on Halloween. Pay attention when you are out and about. Watch for vehicles that might be slowly approaching you or your child. Watch for adults out without children that want to approach you or your child. Don’t be distracted by your cell phone or iPod. Just pay attention and be aware. You’ll see more of the fun and cute costumes and decorations that way too.
Remember to always listen to that little voice that tells you something isn’t right. If you think or feel something isn’t safe, leave immediately and get to someplace that is safe. Way too often police here victims say, “I knew something wasn’t right…”
Halloween can be such a happy and fun time, and it is sad that some people want to use this holiday as an opportunity to hurt others by being mean, mischievous and criminal. Taking a few simple precautions can help you and your loved ones have a safe and happy Halloween.
Rossen Report on Halloween Costume Safety
Here is a segment from the Today Show on NBC pointing out some safety considerations with costumes.
Here’s another segment from NBC’s Today (10/31/18):
Thanks to NBC and Rossen Reports for spotlighting Safety
