Halloween Safety
During all Halloween
events, it is important to put safety first. Halloween
is an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Following some basic safety
tips can help everyone enjoy a fun
Halloween.
Here are some helpful tips for
trick-or-treating activities:
Costume
Safety | Halloween Home Safety |
Treat Safety | Motorists
| Pedestrian
Safety
Costume
Safety
-
Choose
costumes that are light-colored and more visible to motorists.
-
Use
reflective tape to decorate costumes and candy bags to increase
visibility of children to drivers. Reflective tape may be purchased at
hardware, bicycle, or sporting goods stores.
-
Use
make-up rather than a mask; if your child’s costume does include a
mask, make sure it fits snugly and that the eyeholes are large enough
to allow full vision.
-
Children
should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes.
-
Costumes should be short enough that a child will not trip and fall.
-
Choose
costume accessories such as swords or knives that are made of soft and
flexible material.
-
Costumes
should be made of flame-retardant material.
-
Do
not use novelty contacts such as “cat eyes” or “snake eyes.”
Pedestrian
Safety
-
Engage in
Halloween activities during the daylight hours, if possible.
-
Do not enter homes
or apartments without adult supervision.
-
Remind children to
walk, not run, and to only cross streets at crosswalks.
-
Be sure your
children are accompanied by a responsible adult who has a flashlight.
Flashlights or chemical light sticks should be used so that children
can see and be seen by motorists.
Halloween
Home Safety
-
Remove obstacles
from your lawn, porch, or steps if you are expecting
trick-or-treaters.
-
Make
sure your front porch is well-lit.
-
Avoid using
candle-lit jack-o-lanterns if possible. If you do use candles, don’t
place them near curtains, furnishings, or decorations. Move them off
porches where children’s costumes may ignite.
-
Keep
your pets in another room when you are expecting trick-or-treaters.
-
Small
children should not carve pumpkins; instead, allow them to draw the
designs on the pumpkin and adults may carve.
-
Turn on an outside light if welcoming
trick-or-treaters.
Treat
Safety
- Instruct
children to wait until they are home to eat any candy.
- Check
candy
and novelty toys for potential choking hazards.
- Make
sure packaging doesn't have any tears or tampering.
- Throw
away anything that looks suspicious.
Motorists
- Slow down, especially in residential areas.
- Watch for children darting out from parked cars.
- When driving children around, use child safety seats or seatbelts,
and have children get out of cars on the curb side, not facing traffic.
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Last Revised: May 25, 2012 |
