How To: Stay Safe When Trick or Treating on Halloween

Halloween has become one of the most popular holidays of the the year in the United States. Retailers even lease out empty retail spaces to put in Halloween stores.  

People hang Halloween lights on their houses, decorate the front yard and of course there are hundreds of haunted houses to frighten all of the trick or treaters.

With everything that goes on the month of Halloween, we have to be especially alert to safety on October 31 which is Halloween night.  There are many things we have to consider when talking about Halloween safety.

• Kids are the most important
• Costume safety
• Adult safety
• Halloween party safety

Kids Safety

1. Always remember to trick or treat with other kids and younger children should always be accompanied by an adult.
2. NEVER go into a stranger's house to get the candy. Stay on the front porch.
3. Be very careful crossing the street; don't go into the street behind a parked car.  Best to cross the street at the corner.
4. Trick or treat in areas you are familiar with and at houses that are well lit.
5. Never eat any of your candy until you get home and your parents can check it.

Costume Safety

1. It is best to face paint your mask to fit your costume.  It is more comfortable and it is definitely safer.

• Many masks will slip and this can cause blocked vision.

• Many masks will block younger children's nostrils so they can't breathe.

• Some masks have lead paint on or in them which you will inhale all night.  Lead paint should not be inhaled.

2.  It is very easy to get the costume stuck in the spokes or peddles of a bicycle.

• Don't let children ride their bicycle or tricycle with their costumes on.

3.  Halloween is a night when many children trip and fall because their costume is too long or their shoes do not fit.  The children are either wearing high heels or shoes that do not fit.

• Costumes should not drag on the ground, nor should oversized shoes be worn.  This is a cute and elaborate costume but perfect for the child to step on the long part of the dress and fall.

4.  People put candles in their pumpkins and if for some reason the flame touched the costume,        disaster would strike.

• A very important safety factor is that your child's costume is made with flame retardant material. 

5.  Costume props can injure children.

• Any costume props should be made of flexible material.  For example, swords, shields, guns, knives, hatchets, etc..

6.  Reflectors help cars see the little ones.

• Add reflectors to the costume if you plan to be out after dark.  These can be found in the Halloween section of the stores.  You could also use glow lights and even better a flash light.

Adult Safety

Who would ever think that adults would have to think about safety for themselves on Halloween.

1. If you are driving children around neighborhoods, drive slowly and watch for trick or treaters.  Remember children are excited and might just dart out of no where.  
2. If you are using dry ice on your porch to make a smokey look, be certain that children can not get into it as it will burn. 
3. If you are attending an adult party, watch the booze!  There are children on the streets!
4. If you are escorting children and you are with a group of adults, remember what you are doing and pay attention to the kids.

Halloween Party Safety

If you are throwing a neighborhood Halloween party, there are somethings you should think about.

1. Try not to serve foods which are known to be common allergies to people.  For example, peanuts, walnuts, or dairy products.  Most children know their allergies to food.
2. Keep an eye on the drinking with the adults.  If it starts to get out of hand, cut it off!
3. Go out as a group trick or treating.
4. Make sure that all lit candles are high enough so that costumes will not catch fire or candles will not get knocked over in all the excitement.
5. Put any breakable objects up high so you will still have them in one piece on November 1.

Halloween is a fun night but there are always accidents that happen.  We read about them the next morning in the paper or hear about them on the news.  Most of the accidents could be avoided. Children are very excited with their costumes and going house to house to get candy but this is all the more reason to talk to your children before going out.  Talk to your older kids and remind them that pumpkin smashing is not cool, nor is egging a house.  The older kids should understand that somehow, someway parents always find out.

Have a safe and happy Halloween.