Spooky is Good, Safe is Better: Halloween Tips
Oct 27, 2017
As you get all of your ghosts, superheroes, zombies and princesses ready for Halloween, be sure that this holiday is the right mix of SPOOKY and SAFE.
- Plan your route in advance. This is especially good for older children who might be venturing out into the neighborhood on their own.
- Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Make sure drivers see you!
- Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk...don’t run...across the street.
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. NEVER dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
- Trick or Treat with an adult. Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
- Keep costumes both creative and safe...decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
- Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
- Carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
- When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
Tips for Drivers - Be Careful Out There!
- SLOW DOWN and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
- Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
- Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
- Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
Tips for kids with asthma or allergies:
A recent report from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) provides Halloween safety tips for parents and kids. This holiday can be scary for kids with asthma and allergies, but planning ahead can help avoid allergic reactions or asthma attacks.
- Masks can be scary. For kids with asthma, try to choose a costume that doesn't require a mask. If a child insists on one, it should not be tight-fitting or obstruct breathing.
- Halloween makeup sometimes causes allergic reactions. Use only high-quality, hypoallergenic makeup, and test it on a small patch of skin in advance to see if it triggers a reaction.
- Skip the trick-or-treating. Parents of kids with food allergies might want to consider alternatives such as a scavenger hunt, scary movie or Halloween party with safe treats.
- Be prepared for emergencies. If trick-or-treating is part of the plan, don't forget to carry a charged cell phone, emergency epinephrine and a bag of safe treats to nibble along the way. Children with asthma should take their medications and carry their inhaler.
- Check out the treats. Before kids eat anything they get on their Halloween rounds, parents should throw out any candy that has no label or appears unsafe. Instruct children with allergies on which treats are not safe for them to eat. Parents can drop off allergy-free goodies with neighbors in advance so young kids can trick-or-treat safely.
- Consider offering non-food treats. A growing number of families are trying to raise allergy awareness by placing a teal-painted pumpkin outside that lets trick-or-treaters with food allergies know you have non-food treats for them.
