A good Halloween scare should come from costumes, not accidents or injuries. This Halloween, people are encouraged to consider several safety measures, courtesy of Safe Kids Worldwide, the Mayo Clinic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People should make sure they are visible when trick-or-treating. Reflective tape, glow sticks, flashlights, or camping lanterns can make pedestrians more visible to motorists.
Pedestrians should walk on sidewalks if they are available. When sidewalks are not available, pedestrians should walk facing traffic and do so as far to the side of the road as they can get.
Drivers should be especially alert to pedestrians on Halloween. Drivers should proceed slowly, as many kids scurry from house to house in search of Halloween candy. Pedestrians and drivers should follow the rules of the road, including stopping at intersections and crossing in crosswalks.
People should consider alternatives to carving pumpkins, as there is a risk of being cut while carving. If carving pumpkins is part of the holiday plans, carving should be left to adults. Battery-operated flameless candles or glow sticks should be used to illuminate jack-o'-lanterns.
All costumes, wigs, and accessories should be fire-resistant. Costumes should not impede the ability to walk or see.
Makeup should be tested in advance to check for skin irritation before application. It should be removed promptly after returning home.
A buddy system should be set up so that no one is going out alone. Parents should agree on a specific time children should return home. Adults should chaperone young children.
While incidences of candy tampering may be minimal, no one should snack on candy until it has been inspected. Inspections also protect against food allergies. Also, the candy bounty should be rationed so no one overindulges and feels ill later on.
The Halloween season is a fun time of year, but safety should go hand in hand with celebrating.
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