Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in America, and it is estimated that close to 36 million children will be trick or treating this coming Halloween, 2022. Halloween is a chance for people to dress up and go from door to door trick or treating, throw Halloween parties, and have a great time dressing up in theme costumes.
However, with all the celebrations, some significant safety risks also come. For example, it is estimated that on a typical day in the US, for people under 18, there will, on average, be 4.2 fatal crashes. In contrast, there will be an average of 8.3 fatal crashes on Halloween. Furthermore, on Halloween, there is an average of 5.5 pedestrian fatalities compared to an average of 2.6 on other days.
In this article, we will highlight the type of accidents that typically occur on Halloween and give some handy Halloween safety tips for parents, to help you and your family have an enjoyable and safe Halloween.
Common Halloween Safety Hazards
Street Accidents
Unfortunately, most accidents on Halloween involve children when they are out trick or treating, and statistics show that children are twice as likely to have a fatal accident on Halloween than on any other day.
Statistics show more than a quarter of the 4 million deaths occurring on Halloween between 1990 and 2010 involved children under 18, and they happened on the streets between 6 and 7:PM.
There are some basic Halloween safety tips you can employ to help keep your kids safe and decrease the chances of an accident happening. Here are some of them:
Remember to tell them not to wander in the middle of the street but instead stay on the footpath.
- Tell them to exercise caution when crossing the road and, wherever possible, use marked pedestrian crossings.
- Give your kids a flashlight or a glow stick and tell them to keep the flashlight on when walking from house to house.
- Always try to include some bright reflective items or glow-in-the-dark material in the children’s costumes, making them easier to see for motorists.
- Encourage your children to always trick or treat in groups as a group is much easier for a motorist to see.
Fire Hazards
There are numerous potential fire hazards during Halloween, primarily because some traditional Halloween decorations contain naked flame. The danger of fire is clearly shown in the statistics. For example, in the three years from 2017 to 2019, there were 9,200 fires during the Halloween weekend, 75 fire-related deaths, and over $117 million in property damage.
All commercially made Halloween apparel in America must be fire-resistant by law. However, while fire-resistant material may still ignite into flames, it is also easier to extinguish them, thereby lessening its potential to cause harm.
When making a Halloween costume, one of the most helpful Halloween safety tips is to take the time to ensure you are using fire-resistant material and try to avoid using flammable material like cotton. No matter what material you use to make your Halloween costume, it is always a good idea to spray it with a fire-retardant spray.
Pumpkin Carving
One of the most important Halloween safety tips for adults is to be careful when carving the pumpkin. Believe it or not, the most common accident during Halloween is accidental cuts when carving out the jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin. For example, in 2020, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded approximately 4,500 pumpkin carving-related injuries, far more than injuries caused by any other activity.
When giving Halloween safety tips regarding pumpkin carving, experts recommend replacing sharp knives as carving tools and using special pumpkin carving kits specifically designed to minimize the chances of injury when carving out a pumpkin.
Tripping or Falling
Tripping and falling are common causes of injury on any day in America, but they are more frequent during Halloween. Typically tripping and falling will occur because a Halloween mask fits poorly and the wearer’s vision is hindered, or the mask has inadequate eye holes for the wearer to see through.
To lessen the chances of tripping or falling this Halloween, make sure all the masks or headwear have adequate eye holes that allow 360 vision. Experts also recommend using face paint instead of masks wherever possible and avoiding riding bikes, skateboards, or driving while wearing a Halloween mask.
Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
Just as Halloween can be dangerous for humans, it can also be dangerous for pets. Here are some handy Halloween safety tips for your pets:
- Try not to feed candy or chocolate to pets, as these can prove toxic to pets. For example, some sugar-free candies replace sugar with Xylitol, an artificial sweetener toxic to cats and dogs.
- Be careful with the costumes you put on your pets. Many cats and dogs do not like wearing costumes and if you dress up your cat or dog, make sure the costume fits properly and does not restrict their movement.
- Other safety tips for your pets include keeping them out of reach of jack-o-lanterns containing real fire and candles.
Halloween Driving Safety Tips
Halloween is a time when many people are on the street, representing an increased chance of an accident. Here are some Halloween safety tips for drivers:
- Be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters roaming in the middle of the streets.
- Make it a point to slow down as there will be more people than usual on the streets.
- Watch for trick-or-treaters jumping out from behind bushes or other hidden places.
- Stay particularly vigilant when driving, and avoid using devices that distract your attention from the road.
Halloween Safety Tips for Homeowners
With people out on the streets and knocking on doors as they trick or treat, Halloween is a time when your house will have more visitors than at any other time of the year. Here are some tips to help you keep your home safe and those who visit you safe:
- Ensure all your exterior property is well lit and all the outside lighting is grounded.
- Thoroughly clean and tidy your front yard, making sure to remove all objects on the walkway that people can trip over.
- Keep jack-o-lanterns that are using candles out of reach. This way, you minimize their chances of overturning them and leading to a fire.
- If you are planning to be away from home during Halloween, remember to activate your home alarm system, as Halloween is one of the prime times for burglaries.
Conclusion
Halloween is one of America’s favorite holiday periods. It is a time when adults can dress up and attend theme parties, and it’s when children can dress up in costume and roam the neighborhood as they go trick or treating. Halloween is an enjoyable, fun time but can also present significant safety risks.
There are many safety tips that should be followed for Halloween, but the most important ones are: to use face paint instead of masks as this way you will still be able to see everything around you; make sure children’s costumes have reflective strips on them, so they are easily visible to drivers, and make sure that children’s costumes fit them properly so they will not cause a trip or fall.
Make sure your house is secure during Halloween.
Halloween is one of the worst times of year for house break in’s and burglaries. Still, you can significantly reduce the chances of your house being burgled if you keep your security system updated and complete.
Keeping your home secure can be a complicated and time-consuming job, so to ensure it’s done properly, it may be a good idea to engage the services of a professional locksmith company like Alexius Denver’s Locksmiths, a reliable company that can provide you a top-notch locksmith in Denver and other Colorado towns, to check your home locks and security systems thoroughly. If any locks are damaged and need replacing, or you want to install a new lock system, then make sure to contact ADL.
