Halloween is an occasion that many children and adults look forward to all year with costumes, parties, trick-or-treating, and, of course, candy. There are some serious sides to the fun, and if you are responsible for children or you interact with them on Halloween, it’s a good idea to be aware so you can protect them. Child pedestrian fatalities are higher on Halloween than any other day of the year. The news is less serious when it comes to candy, since the myth about poisoned candy is just a myth. Here are some tips on traffic risks and trick-or-treaters and making sure your children’s bounty is safe.
Child Pedestrian Fatalities Spike on Halloween
Combine excited children in costumes, a setting sun at dusk or a dark night, rush hour, and a high proportion of drunk drivers, and you have a recipe for disaster. That’s exactly what the data show, as two to four times as many young pedestrians are killed on Halloween than on an average day.
Consider this sobering information.
- 5.5 child pedestrian fatalities occur on Halloween compared to an average of 2.6 on other days.
- Most of these incidents occur between 5 and 9 p.m., which includes rush hour, a setting sun, a dark sky, and tired drivers coming home from work.
- Children ages 4 to 8 are at highest risk.
- More than two-thirds of accidents occur in unmarked areas, not at intersections or marked crosswalks.
These numbers are scary, but there’s a lot you can do to protect children.
Causes of Halloween Pedestrian Fatalities
Why are child pedestrian fatalities so high on Halloween compared to other nights? One obvious reason is that there are more children walking around. This means there are more chances for car drivers to hit and kill them.
Other causes are related to location. Children may be crossing streets between intersections and at places that are not marked crosswalks. Drivers are less likely to be watching for pedestrians, driving slowly, or preparing to stop in these locations.
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There are also factors related to Halloween, like excitement and costumes. Children can be so wrapped up in their candy-hunting endeavors, or interacting with their friends, that they may forget what they’ve learned about safety. Their excitement may also make their brains incapable of hearing you remind them to be careful or to stay out of the street.
Though they may officially be in a group, children may run ahead of their peers or lag behind. They may get excited and dart out into the street when nobody is expecting it, leading to greater risk.
Both drivers and pedestrians can face visibility problems. It’s hard to see when the sun is setting or after it’s gotten dark. Halloween costumes can also visibility barriers if they are dark, making it harder for drivers to see them. Masks can prevent children from seeing well when they look for cars before stepping into the street.
Take Regular and Extra Safety Precautions
You can protect your children with some common sense, planning, and communication. Before Halloween, go over safety rules, such as holding your hand while crossing a street and looking both ways twice before stepping off of a curb.
When designing a costume, remember to add some bright details. Use reflective tape, a reflective vest, or glow sticks for visibility. A flashlight or bracelet light is another option. Wear some bright items yourself. When possible, choose lighter rather than darker colors – think about ghosts and pumpkins rather than cats and witches.
Keep costumes safer by avoiding masks and using face paint instead if necessary so that your children can see properly. Make sure robes, pants, and skirts are no longer than ankle-length to prevent tripping.
When thinking about where you’ll trick-or-treat, stick to safer neighborhoods. Try to stay in well-lit areas with sidewalks. Only cross at intersections or well-marked crosswalks or pedestrian lights. Remind your children to only cross with you (or another designated adult), even if other friends are crossing on their own. Stay with your children, or have a designated adult watch them.
Plan for some check-ins if you notice that your children are getting so excited that they seem unable to hear or respond to you. You might ask them to show you some of their candy before going to the next house, or you can ask them some questions about decorations that they saw. Anything to ground them and get them back to a place where they can listen well to you can help with safety.
If you’re staying at home to hand out candy or other treats, first of all – thank you! Until I became a parent, I never really thought about the good-hearted millions of people who “host” Halloween for the children. There’s another way you can help: pass out candy while you remind children to be safe and careful – you never know if that one reminder might make the difference.
Good News: Poisoned Candy Remains a Myth
Most Americans grow up learning that we need to only eat wrapped and sealed Halloween treats because opened items could be poisoned. Thankfully, that myth is just a myth. There are no documented instances of poisoned Halloween candy. The one potential incident that occurred in the 1970s ended up being a complicated insider situation that wasn’t related to innocent trick-or-treaters.
Still, it’s always good to check anything your children receive on Halloween or at any other time. Make sure their candy is sealed. Only accept unwrapped or homemade treats from people whom you know and trust.
Inspect all candy at home before they eat it. If they’re allowed to eat candy before arriving at home, have them show you what they’re going to eat before they eat it so you can make sure it looks sealed and safe.
Halloween should be fun, and it can be both fun and safe if you plan well for it. Make sure costumes are bright so drivers can see children, and go over safety tips with your children. Plan to stay in well-lit areas with marked crossing zones or traffic lights, and obey all laws. Take your time, and take check-in or time-out times with your children if they need to calm down.
How do you make sure your Halloween is safe and fun?
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