We are officially less than one week away from Halloween! Now I know many people are excited (as you should be) for the 31st of October. It’s a day for everyone to dress up, get in character, overindulge with candy, and most importantly party. It is also a day that raises a lot of concern. So we thought we’d share 9 Halloween safety tips that you must know.
According to the Children’s Safety Network, Halloween is the most dangerous day of the year for child pedestrians. Over two times as many children pass away on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. A study done by bestplaces.net says that nearly one-fourth (26 out of 115) of accidents occurred from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Over 60% of the accidents occurred in the 4-hour period from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
What age do you think is appropriate for kids to trick-or-treat without adults? At the end of the day, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on a lot of factors like how many friends they have with them, the location of trick-or-treating, and whether the child has a phone for emergencies. A lot of parents usually let their kids trick-or-treat on their own around the age of 13.
We know it’s Scary Season, but we aren’t telling you these facts to scare you away from going out with your child this Halloween. Instead, we are using these facts as a public service announcement to have a plan for Trick-Or-Treating. Here are my 9 tips Halloween safety tips this year.
Don't Go Anywhere Alone!
Parents should be accompanying children under 12 EVERYWHERE! If your child is over the age of 12, they should be trick-or-treating in big groups.
Stay Hydrated
This should be an obvious one since we live in Florida ,but just incase this is your reminder. You and the kids are going to eating a lot of sugar, so make sure you are drinking enough water.
Make Sure Everyone Knows Pedestrian Safety
This doesn’t just apply to the kids, but to adults as well. Make sure everyone knows the Rules of the Road. Children need to be reminded that they should only cross the street at crosswalks and to never run out on the street in between cars.
Wear Bright Costumes Or Something Illuminating
It is very hard to see at night, so make it easier on drivers to see you. Disney Princess costumes are very bright so they make ideal outfits to wear, but if you or your kids aren’t in the mood to be Princesses there are other options to make yourself more visible. Children can use or wear glowsticks while they are out or even flashlights to make themselves more visible. Reflective tape can also help drivers see the kids.
Stick To Familiar Areas
Halloween isn’t the day to try out new places you’ve never been before. Stay in areas you have been before or are familiar with just incase you get lost.
Watch Out For Cars Backing Out Of Driveways
The kids have a lot going on, so it is going to be very easy for them to get distracted. So while they are checking out the other children’s costumes or looking through their candy to see what good stuff they have, make sure you are watching out for any cars backing out or turning in to their driveways.
Keep Eye Contact With Drivers
When you are crossing streets, make sure the driver can see you. One way to assure they can is to make sure they keep eye contact with you when passing in front of them. If a vehicle is backing out of a driveway, let them back out before passing by or again make sure you establish eye contact and the vehicle is at a complete stop for passing.
Costumes Shouldn't Obstruct Vision Or Movement
Kids love wearing masks and really elaborate outfits, but make sure they aren’t sacrificing their safety for their costumes. Make sure their masks are sitting comfortably on their faces and that they are able to see everything. More importantly, make sure their outfits aren’t tripping them up or preventing them from being mobile incase they need to make sudden movements. That outfit may look cool, but staying safe is cooler.
Check Your Candy
C’mon, your grandmother used to tell you about this all the time. You don’t know what weirdos are out there giving out candy. Tainted candy can accidentally happen as well, so do yourself a favor and check your kids candy to make sure it’s sealed and wrapped properly.
