There’s no denying Halloween is a fun and festive holiday, but we believe it should also be a safe one.
As Tampa personal injury attorneys, we stress the importance of safety, especially for young children on Halloween night and that’s why we’ve put together a list of the top seven Halloween safety tips to consider.
These tips are meant to help you enjoy the spooky festivities safely. However, we strongly encourage you to do your research as well to better prepare you and your family.
PREPARE YOUR HOME
When children trick-or-treat, their main concern is filling their bags with as much candy as possible. With one objective on their mind, they likely won’t pay close attention to where they’re walking.
That’s why it’s important for you to prepare your home before the big night. This includes:
- Illuminating your walkway – With long capes, masks, glasses and more, trick-or-treaters often have reduced vision. Help them find your doorway by turning on all of your outdoor lights and illuminating your walkway so they can easily see their path.
- Picking a safe spot – If you have steep steps or an uneven pathway that lead to your front door, consider finding an alternate spot to safely pass out candy to decrease any potential for injury.
TIP: If you’re passing out candy, before the night’s festivities begin, shut and lock all of your doors, windows, and cars to thwart any burglars who might try and break in.
CONTAIN YOUR DOG(S)
Although dogs are man’s best friend, sometimes they can get overly excited. In these cases, there’s a chance your dog could escape, jump on, or even bite a trick-or-treater. Keep your dog safely confined in a place where it cannot escape like a room in your house or a properly fenced in back yard.
WALK WITH YOUR KIDS
Pedestrian accidents are much more common on Halloween night than on any other night of the year. Low lighting and lack of visibility are contributing factors. Smaller children, especially, should be accompanied by an adult while on their trick-or-treating route.
IMPROVE VISIBILITY
Building off the last point, a combination of low lights and dark costumes could make it difficult for motorists to see trick-or-treaters.
Did you know? Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year?
That’s why we suggest adding reflective tape to your child’s costume and/or their trick-or-treat bags. Flashlights and glow sticks are also an excellent option to improve visibility on sidewalks and roadways.
REVIEW SAFETY RULES
Before your kids head out the door for a night of fun, it’s a good idea to review safety rules with them. Consider covering the following:
- Older children who will trick-or-treat on their own should agree on a time they are to return home.
- Review the route your children are allowed to follow when trick-or-treating.
- Remind your children to never, under any circumstance, enter a stranger’s home and/or car.
- When walking, always keep their heads up and not be glued to the screen of a mobile device so they can see where they’re going.
- Make sure your child is carrying some form of identification with them while trick-or-treating.
- Do not eat any of the candy until they arrive home (see next tip).
LOOK OVER THEIR TREAT BAGS
It only takes a few minutes, but looking over your kids candy before they enjoy them could avoid catastrophe.
When reviewing their treat bags, look for:
- Discoloration or unusual appearance
- Homemade items or treat bags
- Tears and/or pinholes in wrappers
As a general rule of thumb, remember, “when in doubt, throw it out.”
BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS WHILE DRIVING
Pay special attention to your surroundings and reduce your speed when driving in a neighborhood during trick-or-treating hours. Some costumes are made with dark, non-reflective material. It’s for this reason, among many, motorists should keep an eye out for kids running across the street, walking on sidewalks, and cutting through driveways on Halloween night.
From all of us at Cappy Law, we’d like to wish you and your family a safe and fun Halloween!
