Halloween is one of the most popular holidays. There aren’t many times of the year when you can dress up as your favorite character and get candy from strangers. Even amongst the fun, there are a lot of pitfalls while kids are trick-or-treating, as a personal injury lawyer, like from the Law Office of Daniel Wright, knows. With a little forethought, you can keep your kids safe while they’re out earning their spoils.
Plan Safe
Make sure kids get a good dinner before trick-or-treating. You don’t a tired and grumpy kid. Plan your route. Make sure the neighborhood will be well-lit and is safe. If you’re going to an unfamiliar community, check it out for one-way streets and other traffic hazards that could put a damper on the fun if you got a ticket.
Walk Safe
Even if you go with your kids on Halloween, you need to give them guidelines for safe walking. Make sure everyone puts down their electronic devices. Don’t walk between parked cars when crossing the street. Have everyone double check before crossing driveways. If your kids are older and can go out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that have good lighting.
Dress Safe
The best time to trick-or-treat is at dusk or later. Make sure costumes have reflective tape or stickers. Use face paint and make-up instead of masks, which can obstruct vision. Flashlights and glow sticks are great costume accessories because drivers can easily see them. Always make sure that the costume and shoes fit well, to prevent trips.
Drive Safe
Again, put the phones away while you’re out on Halloween if you’re driving kids around. Drive slower than you normally would, especially in residential neighborhoods. Enter and exit slowly. Make eye contact with pedestrians before moving into the intersection, if possible. Use your headlights, even if it’s not completely dark.
Come Home Safe
Although tampering with candy is rare, you should still check all the treats that your child brings home on Halloween. Besides tampering, you can look for spoilage, choking hazards, homemade treats or allergens. You may also want to ration out the goodies.
An accident on Halloween can be tragic. If you or a loved one was injured while searching for candy, you may want to discuss your situation with a personal injury lawyer to help you get the compensation you need to fully recover. Make an appointment to discuss your case to protect your rights and have peace of mind that you’re doing everything possible.