Tips for Staying Safe on Halloween
One of the most exciting days of the year for children and even adults is Halloween. It is one day of the year when adults and children can dress up as their favorite characters, scare people, and eat all the candy they want.
However, the unfortunate reality is that Halloween is known to be one of the most dangerous days of the year, as many children and adults are involved in car accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents, burn accidents, product liability accidents, and more.
What are the dangers of Halloween?
Even though it is easy to get wrapped up in all the fun and excitement, it is important to know and understand Halloween’s very real and possible dangers. Remember some of these risks as you head out for the night.
Children are at high risk of being involved in pedestrian accidents
One of the most thrilling parts of Halloween is trick-or-treating. Children usually start roaming around Seattle neighborhoods as soon as they get home from school and put on their costumes. However, it is important to remind your child that they still must look both ways, walk on the sidewalks, and use crosswalks to cross the streets on Halloween. Many children forget to do this, resulting in pedestrian accidents. That is why it is a known fact that more children are hit and killed by motorists on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
Adults and children are both at risk of needing emergency room treatment
There are various types of accidents that adults and children may find themselves involved in on Halloween. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that around 3,200 injuries that occur on Halloween are treated in emergency rooms across the country each year. Some causes for these injuries include children and adults slipping while walking up someone’s steps or tripping on someone’s driveway– especially if homeowners have unsafe walkways or stairs. They may also experience cuts while carving a pumpkin or even be attacked by a neighbor’s pet.
People are likely to be driving while drunk or intoxicated
Halloween parties are very popular around Halloween. This usually involves bonfires, food, spooky stories and movies, pranks and games, and alcoholic beverages. While this may sound like the perfect evening, many of the adults who go to these parties choose to get behind the wheel and drive themselves home even though they have consumed alcohol. When they do this, they put themselves and everyone else they share the roads with at risk of being involved in a drunk driving accident. As a result, around 40 percent of the motor vehicle fatalities that occurred on Halloween night between 2015 and 2019 involved at least one drunk driver.
Children and adults are both at risk of experiencing burns
Homeowners may enjoy placing candles and jack-o’-lanterns around their homes and driveways as decorations. They may even use these to provide lighting and let children know they are handing out candy. While these candles and jack-o’-lanterns may seem like a well-known Halloween tradition in Seattle and the rest of the country, they can put children and adults at risk of catching fire and experiencing severe burns. This can happen if an adult or child trips over a candle or jack-o’-lantern, knocks it over onto a nearby surface or object, or if their costume comes into contact with an open flame. In addition, young children are naturally very curious, which could cause them to touch the candles or jack-o’-lanterns and experience serious burn injuries.
Children may experience an allergic reaction, candy poisoning, or even choke
Even though most children’s end goal is to see how much candy they can get before the night is over, candy can lead to allergic reactions, candy poisoning, choking, and asphyxiation. This typically happens when a child receives candy that they are allergic to or has been tampered with. Although tampering concerns are overblown, it has happened in rare cases.
Six tips for staying safe on Halloween in Seattle
Joining in on the Halloween fun with your kids is always recommended. You are creating memories that will be passed down from generation to generation and last more than a lifetime. However, while doing so, there are several tips that you should keep in mind to ensure that you and your family stay happy, safe, and healthy this Halloween. Here are six tips to remember:
1. Increase your and your child’s ability to be seen and to see at night
There are a few different steps you can take to increase your and your child’s ability to see at night and to be seen by others. For example, you can carry around a flashlight or glow sticks, you can place reflective tape on your and your child’s costume, and you can ensure that you both wear bright costumes and clothing. You should also encourage your child to take off their masks or anything that could impair their ability to see when walking from house to house.
2. Ensure that your and your child’s costumes fit correctly
Before you leave the house to go trick-or-treating, ensure that your and your child’s costumes fit correctly. This may require cutting or trimming the bottoms of the costume to ensure that no tripping or falling occurs. You should also make sure that any items that will cover the eyes or face are not too loose or too tight.
3. Remind your child to stay away from neighbors’ pets, especially while wearing a costume
Even if your child is well acquainted with the neighbors’ pets, it is important to remind them to stay away from their pets on Halloween, especially while wearing a costume. The pet may be stressed, irritable, or overwhelmed by all the people and costumes going near their home. By taking the time to talk to your child about this, you may be able to prevent a dog or animal bite or attack.
4. If you are driving, make sure you drive slower and more carefully than normal
If you are driving from home to home to let your child out to trick-or-treat or simply need to pick up a few items before going back home, it is essential that you drive slower and more carefully than normal. Keep in mind that children are likely still walking around and it only takes a few seconds for a young child to dart in front or behind your car.
5. If you are handing out candy or hosting a party, make sure your home is safe and that no one drinks and drives
Before handing out candy or hosting a Halloween party, you should make sure that your home and driveway are free of slip or trip hazards and have adequate lighting for your guests to see in the dark. If you are handing out alcoholic beverages to adults, you should ensure that everyone has a designated driver or calls a ride-share service to prevent a drunk driving accident from occurring.
6. Do not forget to look through and inspect every piece of candy that your child collected
Even though your child may be impatient and ready to dig into their big bag of candy, you must take the time to look through and inspect every piece of candy that they have collected on Halloween. You want to look at what type of candy it is, whether an expiration date is available, and whether the wrapper appears to be open or tampered with. If you notice anything unusual, it is best to assume that it is not something that your child should eat and throw it out.
The personal injury attorneys at Smith McBroom want to wish everyone in the Seattle area a safe and happy Halloween this year! By following the tips our team has provided, we believe your Halloween will be a fun and exciting night. However, if you do experience an injury and believe someone’s negligence or carelessness is to blame, our lawyers are ready and available to help. Please call our office or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation in Tukwila today.