The time your children have been waiting for is finally here! You and your children have been dying to wear that cute Halloween costume for who knows how long and you finally get to show it off! And of course, no one is excited about CANDY!! Halloween is a fun time of year for both adults and children, but there are some scary things about Halloween and I’m not talking about ghosts, goblins, or things that growl.

Spooky Stats

According to the AAA, Halloween night is the deadliest night of the year for pedestrians.
Twice as many child pedestrians are killed on Halloween night than on any other night of the year.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian is twice as likely to be killed if hit by a car traveling 35 mph instead of 25 mph
The most common trick or treat injuries are

Drunk Driving
Pedestrian accidents/hit and run injuries
Falls
Dog bite injuries/poisoning

If you have some fear around Halloween that is not caused by horror movies, you are not alone! Here are some things you can do to keep you and your family spooky and safe this Halloween.

Halloween Safety Tips for Kids

Talk to your kids about the potential dangers of Halloween night and discuss some safety rules before going out.

Buddy System Have a buddy and stick with them. Never ever trick or treat alone. Have a plan if you get separated from your buddy.

Stranger Danger Though most of the people giving out candy are probably friendly and safe, you never know who might be that poison apple! Talk to your children about strangers and make sure they know to never go inside a stranger’s house.

Lights On Only go trick or treating to houses with their lights on. If the home is not well lit, skip it and go to the next home.

Pet Problems Watch out for animals. They may be scared or confused with all the Halloween activities and may act aggressively. Teach your children not to ever pet an animal without first getting permission from the owner and how to allow the animal to sniff or get comfortable with you before reaching out to pet them.

Carry A Light Take a flashlight or lantern with you. This will help cars or other pedestrians to be able to see you and will help you to see at night to avoid trips and falls. Kids love flashlights and you can get them for very cheap at the grocery store. Make it fun and give each child one to hold.

Street Safety Teach your children to stay on sidewalks and use the crosswalk when they need to cross the street. Try to stay on one side of the street when going house to house. Never cross the street between cars parked on the road or between big bushes because cars because if you do, cars may not be able to see you until it is too late.

Halloween Safety Tips for Home Owners

Keep in mind that if someone falls or is injured on your property, you could potentially be held accountable. Take these steps to make sure your home is a safe place to trick or treat at.

Keep It Clear Clear the steps, pathways, and lawn of any tripping hazards like electric cords or hoses.

Light It Up Keep the light on in your home and on your porch and light the pathways to your house so people can see where they are going.

Buy The Treats Parents may be suspect of homemade treats, so make sure your treats are store-bought. Save the homemade treats for another time.

Halloween Safety for Adults

Supervise All children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult when trick or treating.

Stand Out Wear bright colors and add reflective tape to you and your child’s Halloween costumes.

Who Ya Gonna Call? Put emergency identification on costumes or on your child’s wrist. Include name, phone number and address in case they get separated. Teach your child how to call 911 just in case.

Inspect Make sure you inspect your child’s treats. Throw away and unwrapped, unsealed or suspect pieces.

Be Alert If you are driving, drive slow and always watch for children crossing the street. If you are out with your kids, make sure the road is clear. Remember that you may be able to see the driver but they might not be able to see you.

Never Drink and Drive Halloween is a great time for parties, but if for you that means drinking make sure you have a safe ride home or use an Uber or Lyft. Never get behind the wheel after you've had alcohol.

Taking a few safety precautions will help ensure that you have a frightfully fun, safe Halloween.