Kids love Halloween, and although it’s a time for candy and fun, it’s also a time to practice safe trick or treating habits. After all, the night is full of mischief and goblins, and we wouldn’t want to encourage either of those from affecting our loved ones. So through a combination of Halloween safety facts and responsible adults, here’s how to keep your children safe while having fun this fall.
“I don't know that there are real ghosts and goblins, but there are always more trick-or-treaters than neighborhood kids.” - Robert Brault
Halloween Safety Statistics
While Halloween is a time for scary fun, there are a few statistics that are genuinely frightening. With 179 million Americans celebrating Halloween this year, it’s important to go down some of the numbers. Please keep in mind:
- Twice as many child pedestrians are killed on Halloween than any other year
- Only 1/3rd of parents talk to the kids annually about Halloween safety
- Only 18% of parents use reflective tape on their children’s costumes
- 12% of children 5 years old or younger trick or treat alone
- The average consumer will spend $87 on candy, costumes, and decorations
Halloween Safety Tips for Adults
Establishing proper safety techniques is vital to ensuring your children’s safety during Halloween. This is especially true when it comes to road safety. Some good practices include the following:
- Test makeup on small amount of skin before applying to face
- Use reflective tape
- Only visit homes that are well lit and visible
- Plan a route along the neighborhood
- End at a reasonable time
- Remove makeup before bed
Another large factor in keeping your child safe are is the choice you make in costume design. As common as they are, masks impede vision and factor into how many vehicular accidents there are each yeah. When it comes to outfits, here’s the latest in Halloween safety tips 2017.
- Make sure the costume is the right size
- As always, use reflective tape
- Trick or treating hours is generally considered to be 5pm - 9pm
- Equip your child with flashlights or glow sticks
- Make sure the costume has bright colors
The Trick or Treating Party
As with costumes and road safety, even the general group going out to trick or treat should be aware of some guidelines. While a very fun group activity, it can also be a very safe group activity. As the old adage goes, “There’s safety in numbers.” So keep these Halloween safety tips in mind.
- Be wary of suspicious characters who don’t seem to have kids
- As always, be wary of strangers
- Only go to homes with a porch light on
- Keep in mind cars might be having a hard time seeing
- Never use alleys or cut across yards
- Stay well-lit under street lamps
- Keep your cell phone charged
- Reflective tape!
- Don’t pet an animal you don’t know
- Stay in the group
To keep things easy to remember, try a trick for getting treats this Halloween. The CDC recommends the following acronym for keeping safety guidelines for your children this year. S.A.F.E. H.A.L.L.O.W.E.E.N.
- S - Swords and other weapons should be soft and flexible
- A - Always travel in a group
- F - Fasten reflective tape and bright colors
- E - Examine candy before you allow your child to eat it
- H - Hold flashlights or glow sticks
- A - Always test makeup first
- L - Look both ways before crossing the street
- L - Lenses for costumes might damage your eyes
- O - Only walk on sidewalks
- W - Well-fitted costumes are best
- E - Eat only factory wrapped treats
- E - Enter only well-lit, trusted homes
- N - Never walk near open flames like Jack-o’-lanterns
Make sure absolutely everything is non-toxic, non-sharp, and flame-retardant. This includes costumes, makeup, and pretend weapons. You want the softest, most bendy things imaginable, bonus points if they’re brightly colored.
Any Halloween children safety tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for more great tips and inspiration!
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