Have A Scary Safe Halloween!

Tonight is Halloween! Kids will transform into princesses, super heroes, and much more; many homes will lit up with jack-o-lanterns and more. As the sun goes down and the excitement level goes up, it is often easy to forget about safety.

Before your little ones go knocking on doors tonight, it is important to do a last minute final inspections of their costume:

• Make sure your child can move freely and maintain balance.
• Make sure the length of the costume does not pose a risk to tripping and falling.
• If the costume is a darker color, make sure to add reflective tape to the front and back to help drivers see your trick-or-treater. Carrying a flashlight or light stick is helpful, too.
• Your little ones should wear shoes that fit well, are flexible, and sturdy. Experts say tennis shoes are best rather than glittery dress-up heels, boots, and other costume shoes.
• If your child is wearing a mask or headwear, double check that they fit securely and your child can see clearly.

Safety doesn’t stop with costumes. On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year because they’re more likely to be walking after dark, sometimes without their parents around, according to SafeKids USA. Pedestrians and drivers alike need to pay extra attention tonight so kids have safe fun.

Whether you are accompanying small children or your tween is going with a group, it is important that trick-or-treaters:

• Stay within the neighborhood and only visit homes they know and that are well-lit.
• Stay on the porch; never enter a home.
• Utilize well-known routes.
• Watch for traffic.
• Cross only at corners and never between parked cars.
• Be aware of stranger danger.
• Carry a cell phone in the event that an emergency arises.

Many people will be coming home from work just as it is getting dark and excited children are heading out. No matter how much parents instruct and warn their kids, motorists need to be on the lookout, with abundant caution, for children on the roads, medians, curbs, driveways, and alleys.

Drivers need to:

• Be prepared for children zigzagging across the street and darting out from between parked cars. The littlest ones are harder to be seen by drivers of SUVs and other larger vehicles.
• Slow down and be prepared to stop, especially in neighborhoods.
• Do not pass vehicles stopped in the roadway, children may be getting in or out and may dart out into the road.
• Avoid distractions, such as cellphones and texting.
• Avoid driving under the influence.

Homeowners must put safety first, as well.

• Make sure the outside of your home is well-lit; front and back.
• If you decorated your home, make sure nothing causes a hazard to guests such as a lit pumpkin or caution tape across your front porch.
• Put the family pet in a safe place.

When the evening fun is done, safety isn’t.

• Examine all candy before allowing children to eat it.
• Look for potential choking hazards for young children.
• If a bag appears to be already opened or resealed, pitch it.
• Advise older kids to err on the side of caution and disregard anything that looks like it was previously opened.

If everyone puts safety first, your child’s (and maybe yours, too) Halloween can be full of memories that will last a lifetime!

Happy Halloween, from Lawsuit Financial Corporation!