Safety Tips for a Happy Halloween

Halloween can be a very fun day for people of all ages to enjoy. However, people often forget just how dangerous of a holiday it can be. It’s scary how many different types of safety hazards exist, particularly for children. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, on average, a child’s chances of being hit by a car and killed is twice as high on Halloween than it is on any other day of the year. And that’s only one type of safety hazard to worry about on Halloween. Here are a few safety tips everyone should keep in mind to make sure it’s a fun holiday for everyone. 

Tips for Safe Trick Treating

Safe costumes and safe trick-or-treating go hand-in-hand. Before you head out for a night of candy, make sure your child’s Halloween costume isn’t so long that it could easily be tripped over. Also, it’s best to avoid masks that can obstruct a child’s vision. Using face paint instead is a safer alternative since it won’t block their view while they’re going from house to house. 

It’s also extremely important to make sure your child will be as visible as possible while out in the dark. Putting reflective tape on their costume or candy bag is one great option to consider since it’ll catch the lights on cars being driven by. If you don’t have reflective tape, carrying glow sticks or flashlights are other great ways to help them stand out. Parents/caretakers taking children out for trick-or-treatings should check ahead of time to make sure any areas they’re planning to visit are well-lit in the evening. 

Before you head out, talk to your kids to make sure they know some basic safety rules for trick-or-treating, like staying on the sidewalk and crossing the street only at corners or marked intersections. Even if you’ll be accompanying them, they might get over-excited and try crossing a street suddenly or move away from the sidewalk. 

Safe Driving on Halloween Night

If you’ll be driving through residential areas on Halloween night, remember that children may be out and about – even if you think it’s too early or too late for people to be out trick-or-treating. Watch your speed since young children can be unpredictable – especially on an exciting holiday like Halloween – and may cross the street when you don’t expect them to. Be extra cautious when pulling in and out of driveways, at intersections, or when passing cars parked on the street – there’s a chance that kids might dart out from between parked cars when trying to cross the street instead of crossing at a corner. 

When driving on Halloween night, make sure all of your attention is focused on the road and your surroundings. Make sure your phone won’t be a distraction by putting it on silent or “do not disturb” mode. If you need to be getting directions from a GPS system, make sure you have your route adjusted before you start driving. And, of course, do not drive if you are under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or any other drug that will impair your judgment and reaction speed. 

Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips

Carving pumpkins is another fun Halloween tradition. But with the sharp tools involved, it’s easy for people of any age to get hurt. The American Society for Surgery of the Hand recommends never letting children carve pumpkins themselves and let them help in other ways instead, such as drawing a pattern or taking out seeds. Before any carving begins, make sure the pumpkin is dry to prevent the knife from slipping. And rather than using a regular kitchen knife, use a serrated pumpkin saw from a carving kit, which will cut through the pumpkin better and be less likely to get stuck. As you carve, be sure to carve away from your body so that you won’t get hurt if you slip. 

Preventing Dog Bites

If you’re a dog owner, make sure your dog is safely confined indoors on Halloween night. While your dog is part of your family, they may get overexcited, overwhelmed, or nervous with all the activity of people coming up to the house. Remember that even dogs that are normally well behaved can potentially bite if they’re in situations that cause them to feel stressed or unsafe. If you’ll be sitting outside to hand candy out to trick-or-treaters, it’s best to leave the dog in the house. If you’re heading out with your family to go trick-or-treating, leave the dog at home. Or if you’ll be staying inside to hand out candy, make sure the dog is kept in a separate room where they’ll be kept away from the door when you open it to greet your visitors. 

Contact a Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in an accident of any kind, you need the help of a personal injury lawyer who can help you get the justice you deserve. At Scott Goodwin Law, we have experience handling a wide range of Michigan personal injury cases, inclduding car accidents, motorcycle crashes, slip and falls accidents, dog bites, and more. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

Image: Unsplash / Szabo Janos