Halloween Health & Safety Tips

Halloween is a time for spooky thrills and imagination. But the holiday also brings some extra risks for children and teens.

Did you know that child pedestrian injuries are more likely on Halloween than on any other night of the year, for example? Help keep Halloween fun and safe for your family with these tips.

Safety on the trick-or-treat trail

Halloween street smarts

• Always accompany young children on 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 just because 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.

A message to parents of teen drivers

Before you let your child drive on Halloween, take precautions and set specific rules. Use our Parent-Teen Driving Agreement.

Stranger danger & tricky people

• Older children should travel in groups and 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.

• Review with your child how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they ever have an emergency, get lost or are prone to wander. See "Help Prevent Your Child from Going Missing" for tips.

 

Preparing your home for trick-or-treaters

• Remove tripping hazards to keep your home safe for visiting trick-or-treaters. Keep the porch and front yard clear of items such as garden hoses, toys and bikes.

• Check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.

• Sweep wet leaves from sidewalks and steps to prevent anyone from slipping on them.

• Restrain pets so they do not jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx