Top tips to keep your kids safe on Halloween from Safe Kids USA
For parents and children:
- Choose light-colored costumes that can be seen in the dark.
- Decorate your children's costumes with reflective materials. Give them flashlights and glowsticks to carry in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
- Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
- Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Slow down and stay alert - watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
- Masks can obstruct a child's vision, so choose non-toxic face paint, make-up, and wigs instead.
For drivers:
- Slow down in residential neighborhoods and school zones.
- Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. so be sure to turn on your full headlights.
- Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Slowly and carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.
- Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
Treats
- While pedestrian safety is a main concern on Halloween, parents and kids should also be careful when dealing with candy. Remind children to only eat treats in original and unopened wrappers.
