Halloween Safety Tips

It’ s primetime spooky season this weekend, with Trunk or Treat on Court St. this Saturday and Halloween Family Fun at the 1890 House on Sunday. What better time that now to talk about how we can keep little ones safe around and on Halloween?

What’s the Problem?

Halloween festivities brings out a lot of kiddos onto the street, and with that fact comes the scary stat that on Halloween kids are more than twice as likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Thankfully, there’s plenty we can do as caregivers and drivers to make this night a little bit safer.

Safe and Spooky Costumes

When it comes to your little one’s costume, here are a few things you can do to emphasize safety while out and about trick or treating:

  • Try non-toxic Halloween instead of masks. A masks can make it harder for your little one to see where they’re going. If you go with makeup, start by testing a small area of skin for any signs of irritation before applying.

  • When it’s dark, choose bright! Whenever possible, incorporate bright, reflective pieces onto your kiddo’s costume. That can be as simple as adding reflective tape, or choose for even more fun by bringing a pack of glow sticks or a flashlight!

  • Be sure you knock out any tripping hazards from a costume that’s too big or props that are likely to cause a stumble.

Trick or Treating the Safe Way

  • Whenever possible, stick to a well lit route that makes it easy for cars to see your little ghosts and goblins.

  • Be sure that your kiddos are walking and not running across and along the street.

  • Use a crosswalk whenever you can when switching sides of the street, and always remind your children never to assume that a car will stop!

Doing Your Part Behind the Wheel

If you must drive around on Halloween, keep these safety tips in mind:

  • Drive slowly and keep an eye out for an increased number of pedestrians along the road

  • Trick or treating is a fun time—be aware of kids stepping out from behind parked cars or not looking when crossing the street.

Keeping safety in mind, you and the fam can have a spectacularly spooky—and safe!—Halloween night!

Learn more from these helpful sources!

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Halloween Safety Tips: Costumes, Candy, and Colored Contact Lenses. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/halloween-safety-tips-costumes-candy-and-colored-contact-lenses Accessed September 14, 2023. 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (n.d.). Halloween Safety Tips. NHTSA. https://www.nhtsa.gov/halloween-safety-tips 

Accessed September 14, 2023.

KidsHealth. (2022). Halloween Safety Tips. KidsHealth. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/halloween.html 

Accessed September 14, 2023.

National Safety Council. (2023). Halloween Safety. National Safety Council. https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/autumn-safety/halloween 

Accessed September 14, 2023.


Matt Whitman