Have a Hazard-Free Halloween

When we think of Halloween, we picture laughing children in colorful costumes, their buckets and pillowcases brimming with candy and treats. However, experts warn that this fun-filled night can pose safety hazards. Below are tips compiled by the team at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and the Children’s ER to help everyone have a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

• Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright enough to be clearly visible to motorists.
  Tip: Add reflective tape so a costume will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. You can find reflective tape at hardware and sporting goods stores.
• Costumes should be short enough to prevent kids from tripping and falling.
• Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. High heels are not a good idea for safe walking.

• Leave your front lights on so trick-or-treaters have a well-lit path to your door.
• Place candle-lit jack-o’-lanterns far away from the door, so tiny goblins won’t accidentally brush against them.
• Make sure your kids eat a healthy meal before trick-or-treating, so they’ll be less likely to overindulge on candy.

• Young children should trick-or-treat with an adult or a responsible older child. Instruct children to stay on the sidewalk and out of the roadway. Remind them to walk, not run, and to go to houses only where they know the people inside.
• To easily see and be seen, children should carry flashlights.
• While driving on Halloween, keep an eye out for youngsters walking between driveways and cars, or crossing in the middle of the block rather than at corners.