For most children Halloween is tremendous fun. With all the excitement, children
can easily forget normal safety precautions and can be injured by falling or worse
yet, being hit by a car. Many Halloween-related injuries can be prevented if parents
closely supervise school-aged children during trick-or-treat activities.
The following tips can help to keep kids safe:
Halloween Safety Tips - Trick or Treaters
- Carry a flashlight.
- Walk, don't run.
- Stay on sidewalks.
- Obey traffic signals.
- Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape — or by wearing a glow stick!
- Stay in familiar neighborhoods.
- Plan your route and make sure family know what it is.
- Don't cut across yards or driveways.
- Never trick-or-treat alone; have at least 2 buddies with you.
- Be very cautious of strangers.
- Visit only houses where the lights are on.
- Accept treats only in the doorway; never go inside a house.
- Wear a watch you can read in the dark.
- Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.
- Shoes should fit (even if they don't go with your costume).
- Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house.
- Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props.
- (If no sidewalk) walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
- Stay away from and don't pet animals you don't know.
Halloween Safety Tips - Parents
- Children should eat dinner before setting out.
- Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult.
- If you buy a costume, look for one made of flame-retardant material.
- Although tampering is rare, tell children to bring the candy home to be inspected
before consuming anything.
- Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect.
- If your older children go on their own, be sure they wear a watch, preferably one
that can be read in the dark.
- Children should carry quarters so they can call home.
- Older children should know where to reach you and when to be home.
- You should know where they're going.