Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. Carving pumpkins, dressing up and devouring yummy treats are all part of the fun.
But it’s also an evening full of safety hazards — everything from benign tummy aches to tripping over costumes or on poorly lit sidewalks to getting hit by cars.
This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday. While many kids and adults can enjoy staying out later, it also means more caution is needed as families with little trick-or-treaters and eager partygoers hit the streets at the same time, some on foot, and others in cars.
Children are twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global organization committed to preventing accidental childhood injury.
Sadly, the first such death involving a metro child in recent years occurred in 2013. Autumn Mack, 5, was struck by a vehicle and killed while trick-or-treating in DeKalb County. (The little girl, dressed like a princess, was with a group of children and parents, and it was only 7 p.m. when the tragic accident took place: Autumn was standing behind her mother’s parked SUV before darting into the road, into the path of a minivan, according to police.)
Halloween is a particularly deadly night because of the high number of drunken drivers on the roads mixed with the increased number of people on foot. In fact, over the five years from 2007 to 2011, 23 percent of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunken driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (The NHTSA urges people who may drink alcohol to designate a sober driver and plan a way to safely get home.)
Experts say planning ahead and remaining vigilant are the keys to a safe holiday.
Atlanta-based Safe Kids Georgia and Children's Healthcare offer the following eights tips for Halloween:
* Avoid costumes with excessive flowing fabric, such as capes or sleeves. Loose clothing can brush up against a jack-o’-lantern or open flame. Oversized costumes can cause trips and falls.
* If possible, choose a brightly colored costume that drivers can spot easily. If not, decorate the costume with reflective tape and stickers. Glow sticks and flashlights are also good accessories.
* Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct vision. If a mask is worn, be certain it fits securely and cut the eye holes large.
* Inspect the treats. Toss anything tampered with or that has loose wrappers or doesn’t seem right. Also toss anything homemade — unless you know the person who gave it to your child and can be sure it’s safe.
* Always supervise children under the age of 13. Older children should trick-or-treat in a group, and a curfew should be established. Older kids should go in a group — never alone. Create a route ahead of time.
* Walk slowly. Be mindful about cars, making eye contact with drivers. Always walk on sidewalks and cross at crosswalks or traffic signals. If there are no sidewalks, then walk facing traffic and way to the left.
* Tell your child to go only to well-lit houses and remain on the porch within street view. Make sure your child understands never to cross between parked cars and to look both ways before crossing.
* Drivers should back out slowly, keeping a watchful eye on children and knowing that high times for trick-or-treating are from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. No distracted driving.
What are your plans and or your neighborhood’s plans to help make sure this is a fun, but also safe Halloween?
Share with AJC staff writer Helena Oliviero at holiviero@ajc.com
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