Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween Safety Tips

• Always accompany young childrenon their neighborhood rounds. If trick-or-treating doesn’t start until after dark where you live, consider checking with your town or park district for Halloween activities offered earlier in the day. Research shows that evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. are the riskiest times of day for child pedestrians.
• If your older children are trick-or-treating alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home and get flashlights with batteries for everyone.
• Talk with kids about the risk of distracted walking. This includes text messaging, talking on or looking at the mobile phone and listening to music.
• Cross the street as a group in established crosswalks. Most (62%) child pedestrian traffic fatalities occurred mid-block, rather than at intersections. Make sure kids know not to cross the street between parked cars or out of driveways or alleys.
• Don’t assume cars will stop justbecause they have the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters.
• Stay on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Only go to homes with a porch light on and, ideally, a well-lit pathway.
• Older children should travel in groupsand create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely.
• Caution kids never enter a home or car for a treat.Notify law enforcement authorities immediately about any suspicious or unlawful activity.

Costume safety tips

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Make sure that shoes fit well, and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, getting caught on objects or coming into contact with firepits.
• Look for “flame resistant” on the costume labels. Wigs and accessories should also clearly indicate this.
• Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes and blocking vision.
• Consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives to masks.Test makeup ahead of time on a small patch of your child’s skin to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises or allergic reactions on the big day. Toxic ingredients have been found in cosmetics marketed to teens and tweens.
• Avoid any sharp or long swords, canes or sticks as a costume accessory.Your child can easily be hurt by these accessories if he or she stumbles or trips.