How to Avoid the Most Common Halloween Accidents

Halloween is next week which means increased traffic and more people out for parties and trick or treating. Safety on Halloween is more than checking your kid’s candy. Last week, we mentioned the most common Halloween accidents. Here are a few more Halloween safety considerations and how to avoid the most common Halloween accidents.

Watch out for Cars

Halloween is the most dangerous nights for pedestrians, especially children. Kids are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year. Ensure that your children know cars cannot always see them and to be careful when crossing the street by looking both ways, not crossing between parked cars, and to use crosswalks.

According to a study on child pedestrian fatalities, 70% of fatal accidents involving children occurred outside of crosswalks and intersections.

Be Seen

60% of all pedestrian deaths happen in the dark. Add some reflective tape to your child’s costume or pick up some glow sticks which kids love!

Choose Safe Costumes

Make sure if a costume has a mask that the eye slits are wide enough for your kid to see. Condensation can build up in masks and distort vision. A costume that is too long can be a tripping hazard which can lead to a more serious accident.

Look for Porch Lights

Warn kids that not everyone gives out candy on Halloween. As a rule, if a porch light is on, it is safe to go trick or treating at that house. Teach your kids a dark house means that no one is home or that the owners are in bed. Teach kids to use their instincts-if a house feels unwelcoming or unsafe, leave and move on to the next.

Give Your Child Emergency Contact Information

It is a good idea to have emergency contact information with your child in case you get separated. Slip an emergency card into their candy bag or pocket if their costume has one. Another idea is to write contact information on your child’s wrist or arm and seal it with liquid bandage so it doesn’t come off.

Be Aware of Food Allergies

Food allergies like peanuts, milk, soy, tree nuts, or wheat can be deadly. Make sure your children know what candy they can and cannot eat. A piece of candy containing an allergen can unwrap in a candy bag and contaminate safe pieces of candy. If your child has a food allergy, make sure to check their candy and remove everything they are allergic to and make sure none of that candy has contaminated the rest of the bag. Houses with a teal pumpkin on the porch, offer non-food items and allergy-friendly candy.

Source: SafeWise