Halloween Safety Tips for Children & Parents

With Halloween weekend quickly approaching, your Citrus County Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want parents to be aware of some simple safety tips that will help prevent child injuries. Halloween is actually one of the top holidays that result in pediatric emergency room visits, which is why these tips are so important.

Children under the age of 12 should always be accompanied by an adult when Trick-or-Treating. If your children are old enough to go out by themselves, make sure they stick together in a group and travel on populated and familiar streets, making sure to stay on sidewalks, obey traffic signals and only cross the street at designated crosswalks.

It is also a good idea for children going out by themselves to have a cell phone in case of an emergency and a flashlight for increased visibility on dark streets and sidewalks. Pedestrian safety is very important on Halloween. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are four times more likely to be in a pedestrian car accident on Halloween than on any other night of the year.

While costumes are essential for Halloween, parents should make sure their children’s costumes are flame-retardant, bright colored, or glows in the dark, or has reflective strips, and is the right length to prevent trips and falls. Accessories like swords, knives, and wands should be made of soft and flexible material without sharp edges to prevent serious injuries. Eye trauma from sharp objects and serious burn injuries from flammable costumes are common occurrences on Halloween, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Parents should consider using non-toxic, hypoallergenic face paint instead of masks for costumes. Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, which can be dangerous to kids walking along dark streets.

And finally, one of the most important safety tips concerning Halloween – do not allow your children to eat unwrapped candy. Parents should inspect children’s candy bags at the end of the night and throw any items that are not factory wrapped, unwrapped, look suspicious, or appear to be homemade.

Following these safety tips reduce any chances of any accidental injury this Halloween. If your child has been injured by the negligence of another, please do not hesitate to call a Citrus County Injury Lawyer at Whittel & Melton at 352-726-0078 or contact us online. We can provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation.