11:53am | by Desiree Thomas | The chance to dress up in costume, run around the neighborhood after dark and stock up on sweets, makes Halloween the highlight of the year for many kids. However, roughly four times as many children aged 5-14 are killed while walking on Halloween evening compared with other evenings during the year, and falls are a leading cause of injuries among children on Halloween.

“Trick or treat activities frequently lead children to cross streets at mid-block rather than at corners or crosswalks, putting them at risk for pedestrian injury,” says Thomas. “Also, most of the time children spend outdoors is typically during daylight hours, not at night, which decreases visibility for all.” 

Follow these tips to make this years Halloween trick-free and safe for your entire family.

Trick-or-Treating Tips:

  • Accompany young children (under age 10) on their trick-or-treating rounds.
  • Ensure that your child knows their home phone number, the cell phone numbers of parents and any other trusted adult who’s supervising and how to call 911 in case they get separated from the group.
  • Give your kids flashlights with new batteries to help them see where they are going to prevent falls and help them be seen by vehicles.
  • Limit trick-or-treating to your neighborhood and the homes of people you and your children know.
  • When your kids get home, check all treats to make sure they’re safely sealed and there are no signs of tampering, such as small pinholes, loose or torn packages, and packages that appear to have been taped or glued back together. Throw out loose candy, spoiled items and any homemade treats that haven’t been made by someone you know.
  • Don’t allow young children to trick or treat while eating hard candy or gum, it could cause choking.
  • For older kids who are trick-or-treating on their own, make sure you approve of the route they’ll be taking and know when they’ll be coming home.
  • Go in a group and stay together
  • Only go to houses with porch lights on and walk on sidewalks on lit streets (never walk through alleys or across lawns)
  • Know to never go into strangers’ homes or cars
  • Cross the street at crosswalks and never assume that vehicles will stop
  • Carry a cell phone, if possible

Following these tips can help your family have a spooktacular and safe Halloween. Take the time to go over these Halloween tips with them and by sure that older children follow the same Halloween Safety tips you taught them when they were younger.