What Steps Can Parents Take to Keep Kids Safe on Halloween?
Halloween is just weeks away. Who doesn’t love to go out trick-or-treating and collect all that yummy candy? Halloween is a much-anticipated holiday for both kids and adults, with one of the most cherished traditions being trick-or-treating. Children eagerly dress up in costumes, go door-to-door, and collect sweets. Unfortunately, Halloween can also be one of the most dangerous nights of the year for children, especially in those communities where Halloween events take place in the evening and nighttime hours when the sun has set, and it is dark out. To ensure a fun and safe Halloween experience, consider the following trick-or-treating safety tips from our Virginia personal injury law firm:
Plan a Safe Route
Before heading out, plan a safe route for trick-or-treating. Stick to well-lit neighborhoods and well-known areas. Avoid isolated streets and locations with a reputation for being unsafe.
Accompany Young Children
Young children should always be accompanied by a responsible adult while trick-or-treating. Ensure there is at least one adult for every three to five children to keep a watchful eye and guide them safely.
Stay Visible
Incorporate reflective tape, glow sticks, or flashlights into costumes to make children visible to drivers. Dark costumes can make it difficult for drivers to see kids, especially in dimly lit areas.
Cross Safely
Teach children to use crosswalks and pedestrian pathways. Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. Always cross at corners or intersections, and never jaywalk.
Use Sidewalks
Walk on the sidewalks whenever available. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic to see oncoming vehicles and maintain a safe distance from the road.
Avoid Masks or Helmets that Obscure Vision
Choose costumes that allow clear vision to prevent tripping, falling, or colliding with objects. Opt for face makeup or well-fitting masks that don’t obstruct eyesight.
Halloween Pedestrian Safety
When it comes to child safety, witches and ghosts are the least of our worries. Safety advocates remind parents that it is critical to teach and prepare children with safety information and how they need to behave to keep them safe after the sun goes down. Make sure drivers can see your children. Teach your child to make eye contact with drivers and make sure the driver sees them before trying to cross the street.
Drivers also need to be alert and aware that the streets and roads will be filled with children going from house to house. Law enforcement agencies throughout the state remind drivers to be aware of the following:
- Stay focused and alert – There will be children dressed in dark colors running from house to house, excited about the night’s events, and may not be paying attention. Instead, drivers need to be paying attention and be prepared in case a child suddenly runs into the street. Drive slowly and with caution, especially in neighborhoods.
- Yield – Drivers should yield to pedestrians. Children may not always wait until they are at a crosswalk, especially if houses are spread out on the street they are on.
- Be careful and cautious: Even though parents should teach children to “stop, look, and listen” before they cross the street, drivers should be alert of the possibility that a child may get so excited, that they just may run to cross the street without looking first.
Contact Our Virginia Personal Injury Law Firm
Unfortunately, no matter how safe we are, there is often someone else who isn’t. If you or a family member has been injured in a vehicle accident, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our dedicated Virginia Beach car accident attorneys to discuss what legal recourse you may have against the at-fault driver. Our firm has been successfully advocating for accident victims for more than three decades, getting them the financial compensation they deserve, like the $130,000 personal injury insurance settlement we obtained for one client who suffered a dislocated and fractured humerus when she was hit by a car while using a crosswalk.