Safety experts at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt know Halloween can be scary, but for different reasons than you think. On average, twice as many children are killed while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids.
As children prepare for October’s fun-filled night of trick-or-treating, a few precautionary measures could prevent vehicle-related deaths and other injuries.
“This Halloween falls on a Friday night, so a lot more children will be out later. The excitement of the night can get the better of them and they may run out into the street without thinking,” said Purnima Unni, Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention Program manager. “As a driver, please be cautious and slow down on neighborhood roads and avoid using mobile devices that can cause distractions.”
“And parents need to talk to their children about watching out for cars while trick-or-treating,” Unni said. “To make your child more visible to cars, we recommend placing something reflective on costumes and trick-or-treat bags. You could even have kids put on a glow stick necklace or a reflective slap bracelet.”
Unni recommends these tips to keep children safe on Halloween.
Top safety tips for trick-or-treaters:
- Keep costumes both creative and safe. The most important thing is to make sure you can be seen by drivers. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Masks can obstruct your vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and makeup whenever possible. Carry glow sticks or flashlights so you can see better as well as be seen by drivers.
- Walk safely by crossing 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 you make eye contact with the driver of the car before you cross in front of it.
- Put electronic devices down and keep heads up. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
- Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Slow down and stay alert. Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and don’t dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Top safety tips for drivers:
- Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Be especially alert and take extra time to look for children at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
For additional Halloween safety information, visit the Children’s Hospital website or review Safe Kids USA’s safety tips.