Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

According to safekids.org, children are twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween compared with any other day of the calendar year.  [1]

As a parent, we understand that you want to ensure that your children are safe as they take on the role of witches, ghosts, and superhero pedestrians.  Take heed of these important tips to reduce the risk of accidents while they enjoy the holiday.

  1. If your neighborhood is in a high traffic area, consider trick-or-treating with children in a more pedestrian-friendly retail center, at a strip mall, or in a quieter neighborhood where friends or family live. Many retail centers and strip malls now offer trick-or-treating as a safe, easy alternative.
  2. Wherever you decide to trick-or-treat, tailor costumes to fit the child. Costumes that are too long and drag behind can cause trip and fall accidents.  Masks and poor-fitting hats may significantly limit a child’s field of vision.  Consider face paint as a safer alternative to a mask.
  3. While props are fun to use as an extension of a costume, be sure to choose props that are soft or blunt-ended to avoid potential injuries.
  4. Dark costumes can be hard to see at night. Wear bright colors or add reflective tape to dark costumes and give your child a flashlight or glowstick to light their path.
  5. Walk – don’t run – from house to house, and take care to look left, right, and then left before crossing streets. Never dart out and cross a street, alley, or driveway.   Cross the street at a corner — never cross between parked cars or midway in the street as drivers will not be able to see you.
  6. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street in front of vehicles.
  7. Walk on sidewalks or paths whenever possible. Face traffic and walk on the grass or a few feet from the road if there are no sidewalks.
  8. Supervise children under 12 years old. Children 12 and older who are mature enough to go trick-or-treating unsupervised should go in groups with a planned route in neighborhoods they know well.
  9. Remind children to stop only at well-lit homes and avoid going inside the home, garage, or backyard of strangers.
  10. Ask children to hold off consuming any candy or drinks until you have the opportunity to inspect it at home.

If you are driving on Halloween, take time to follow these important tips:

  1. Be extra careful during popular trick-or-treating times, beginning as early as 5:00pm.
  2. Slow down in residential neighborhoods and drive 5 miles per hour below the speed limit on Halloween.
  3. Turn on your headlights (even before dark) and watch for children on sidewalks, curbs and roads. Children may be hard to see in dark costumes — and they may not be paying attention to vehicle traffic.
  4. Don’t be distracted by the radio, your cellphone, or any other electronics. Use your senses to focus on the road.
  5. Always plan for a designated driver if you are attending a party or may consume an alcoholic beverage.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Goldman & Daszkal, P.A.

Since 1990, Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. has provided reputable legal representation to people throughout the state of Florida.  The firm has helped thousands of individuals recover compensation from motor vehicle and boating accidents, slip and fall accidents, product defect and liability cases, pharmacy errors, and negligent security cases to cover medical expenses, pay bills, take care of their families, and return to work.  Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. can help you get the relief you need to start living your life again after a serious injury.  For a free and confidential consultation, contact Goldman & Daszkal, P.A., at (954) 428-9333.

[1] https://www.safekids.org/tip/halloween-safety-tips