Halloween is a time for spooky thrills and imagination. But the holiday also brings some extra risks for children and teens.
Did you know that child pedestrian injuries are more likely on Halloween than on any other night of the year, for example? Help keep Halloween fun and safe for your family with these tips.
Safety on the trick-or-treat trail
Halloween street smarts
- Always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds. If trick-or-treating doesn't start until after dark where you live, consider checking with your town or park district for Halloween activities offered earlier in the day. Research shows that evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. are the riskiest times of day for child pedestrians. Earlier festivities also help you stick to your child's regular bedtime.
- If your older children are trick-or-treating alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home and get flashlights with batteries for everyone.
- Talk with kids about the risk of distracted walking. This includes text messaging, talking on or looking at their cell phone and listening to music.
- Cross the street as a group in established crosswalks. Most (62%) child pedestrian traffic fatalities occurred mid-block, rather than at intersections. Make sure kids know not to cross the street between parked cars or out of driveways or alleys.
- Don't assume cars will stop just because they have the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters.
Stay on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Only go to homes with a porch light on and, ideally, a well-lit pathway.
Source: healthychildren.org
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