Everyone wants to enjoy a happy and safe Halloween. However, as children and adults take to the streets and neighborhoods in search of tricks and treats, Halloween activities can be a recipe for accidents and mishaps.
To help you prepare for a night of safe fun, we’ve put together a few tips that might help keep you, your family and others safe this Halloween.
Being Safe While Walking
1. Put electronic devices down so that you can keep your head up and aware of your surroundings.
2. Be sure to cross at intersections and use crosswalks where available. Use the LRL rule – look left, right, left, then cross the road, walking and not running.
3. Join your kids if they’re under the age of 12. This has shown to reduce incidences significantly.
4. Walk with a light! Each person should have a light of some sort that is visible to vehicle drivers. This also helps parents keep up their children. Using a different color for each child allows chaperones to identify their group quickly.
5. Be sure to remind children to make eye contact with drivers of vehicles before crossing in front of them. If the child can’t see the driver, then it’s likely the driver can’t see the child.
Designing a Safe Halloween Costume
1. A few alterations can go a long way when designing a safe Halloween costume. These include adding a few strips of reflective material or tape to hems or sleeves. This allows vehicle lights to quickly see children in the dark.
2. Hem and trim costumes so they are the right length. This will prevent unwanted trips and falls going up and down steps. Also remember that children may be on different terrain at times, so good, stable and comfortable shoes can also help.
3. When possible, avoid masks that impede a child’s vision. Again, they will be stepping around, over and through areas that they are unfamiliar, and having an unobstructed field of vision will enable them to see objects and vehicles more clearly. Consider using face paint and other non-mask costume ideas.
Driving Safe on Halloween
1. When possible, just don’t drive! All kidding aside, the prime hours for trick-or-treating is 5:30 pm – 9:00 om so be particularly cautious during these times.
2. It should go without saying, but this is not a night to be distracted or impaired. Cell phones, head sets, lack of sleep and alcohol are all things that distract or impair our ability to drive safely. Refraining from these activities greatly reduces chances of accidents.
3. Slow down and keep watch, especially when exiting driveways and crossing through intersections.
4. Turn your headlights on and remember the eye contact rule, don’t pass in front of pedestrians unless you have eye contact with them.
I am sure there are more that can be added to this list (and we will as we have additional information available). So please, have a Happy and Safe Halloween!
For more information on how to keep your family safe, join The Self-Defense Club.
