By Daniel Steinzeig
At TrustPoint Insurance & Real Estate, we love Halloween, but Halloween is a scary holiday and not just because of the spooky costumes! According to the National Safety Council, children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other day. That is a scary thought for parents, so here are some tips to help keep your children safe on Halloween.
Use the sidewalks
Make sure you and your children use sidewalks when trick-or-treating. There is no reason to be running in the street, and when you must cross, always look both ways.
Get out early
Try to get your children to trick-or-treat as early as possible. This way, there will be more daylight and less likely for an accident to happen.
Stay in groups
Don’t let your children wander off by themselves. That will only increase their risk of something terrible happening. Make sure they stay in groups with adult supervision at all times.
Have a curfew
Remind your older teenage children what time you expect them to be home, and also tell them not to speed home if driving. Children being a few minutes late is better than getting in an accident.
Costume safety
All costumes and accessories should be fire-resistant and fit well enough, so children don’t trip and fall. If it is dark out, make sure kids have some light on their costumes so that motorists can easily spot them.
Keep it outdoors
To prevent contracting illness, staying outside is probably a smart idea. There is no need to step inside people’s homes.
Check candy bags when back home.
Make sure all candy is sealed and not tampered with. Throw away anything that has been torn or messed with in any way.
Be aware of strangers’ homes.
Remind your children never to go inside a house to collect candy and to never go up to a house with no porch lights on.
Stay away from large crowds.
Avoid large crowds that may make it tough to keep your group together.
Make eye contact with drivers.
Teaching your children to make eye contact with drivers is extremely important, especially on Halloween night. Making eye contact lets the driver and the pedestrian know they see each other and walking is safe.
Follow these tips to ensure you and your children have a safe and fun Halloween!
