Halloween is a fun holiday for kids to celebrate, but it can also be dangerous. In fact, a study published in Pediatrics journal found that October 31st often has some of the highest numbers of emergency room visits of any holiday. According to information from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Halloween is also the deadliest time of the year for child pedestrian fatalities.
Whether you plan on attending a costume party, going trick-or-treating with the kids, or staying home to hand out candy, there are a number of things you can do to stay safe. Consider these tips to avoid injury this Halloween:
Trick-or-Treating & Roadway Safety
- Make sure cars can see your children.
- When trick-or-treating, stick to sidewalks, use crosswalks, and watch children to make sure they don’t dart into streets.
- Increase your child’s visibility by adding reflective tape to their costumes or having them wear glow sticks. It is also a good idea to carry a flashlight.
- Trick-or-treaters should have supervision or walk in groups. A cell phone should be carried in case of emergency.
- If you plan on handing out candy, make sure your property is safe for trick-or-treaters and address any potential hazards. Safety advocates recommend using non-flammable lights in jack-o-lanterns or placing lit candles away from the path of trick-or-treaters.
- Roadways can be dangerous places on Halloween, and the number of car wrecks and drunk driving accidents tends to increase. If you plan on driving somewhere, use extra caution! Drivers who plan on attending Halloween parties should designate a sober ride.
Costumes
- Be careful of costumes that come with swords, knives, and other pointy props. Make sure these accessories are safe for young children and supervise them to ensure that they don’t accidentally injure themselves or another child.
- Choose fire-retardant costumes and be careful of costumes that have dangling fabrics or accessories, as they could get caught in candles or flames. If you’re making your own costume, use flame-resistant fabrics like nylon or polyester.
- Safety experts recommend that trick-or-treaters wear bright clothing or place reflectors/reflective tape on their costumes, shoes, or trick-or-treat bags to make them more visible at night.
- Make sure trick-or-treaters wear sturdy and comfortable shoes. Costumes should also fit well so as not to create tripping hazards
- If a costume calls for face paint or makeup, the FDA recommends testing the product first on an arm or leg of the person who will be wearing it, as some novelty makeup can cause rashes and other reactions.
Candy
- Parents should always take a look at the candy their trick-or-treaters bring home. Make sure that candies don’t present choking hazards to young children. Also, check for signs of tampering and make sure candy is factory wrapped. Avoid homemade candies and don’t eat too much!
- The Teal Pumpkin Project is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters at Halloween. If your child has food allergies, look for participating houses with Teal pumpkins to collect non-food treats.
Whatever your plans are this Halloween, we want you to stay safe. As always, our attorneys want to help South Carolinians who suffer injury because of another person’s negligence in car accidents, pedestrian accidents, or accidents that happen on someone else’s property.
To speak with a lawyer about your case, contact George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today for a FREE case review.