Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is coming soon. I'm sure the kids have their costumes ready by now. Who doesn't enjoy a good scare on Halloween? But no one wants a scare related to their child's safety. Let's talk about ways to help keep kids safe on Halloween.

Is it safe for kids to trick or treat without an adult?

Children under the age of 12 should not be out alone at night without adult supervision. If your child is mature enough to go out without an adult, they should:

• Trick or treat in groups, preferably 3 or more
• Stay in familiar areas
• Stick to well-lit areas
• Only go to homes that have a porch light on
• Accept treats at the door and never go inside

What should you and your kids know about walking safely?

• Always walk on sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks as much as possible.
• Put electronic devices down! Keep your head up and pay attention to your surroundings.
• Teach children to look left, then right, then left again before crossing a street and to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Teach children to walk, not run, across the street. Never walk between parked cars to cross the street.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.

How can you make costumes safer?

• Choose face paint or makeup over masks when possible. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough not to obstruct your child's vision.
• Avoid costumes with long trailing fabric.
• Choose light colored costumes when possible.
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.
• Have kids carry flashlights and/or wear glow stick bracelets or necklaces so they are visible to drivers.
• Choose costumes that say "flame resistant" on the label and tell kids to stay away from open flames, such as in jack-o-lanterns.

Driving safely on Halloween

• Slow down and be particularly alert in residential neighborhoods.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections and along the side or the street.
• Enter and exit driveways and make turns slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate distractions in the car. Put electronic devices down! Concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Expect heavy pedestrian traffic. Leave early if you need to be somewhere at a specific time.
• Turn your headlights on earlier than you might normally.

What should you do at your home if you are expecting trick or treaters?

• Clear your porch or front yard of obstacles that might trip someone. Sweep your sidewalk.
• Light the area well.
• Use battery powered lights in jack-o-lanterns instead of candles whenever possible.

What about the candy?

• An adult should check all candy before kids eat it. Tell kids not to eat candy until they get home.
• Remove loose candy and open packages.
• Remove any candy that could pose a choking hazard for younger children.
• Discard homemade items or brand names that are unfamiliar.

I hope you all enjoy a safe Halloween!

If you have any questions about halloween safety, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor