Halloween is a night full of fun and excitement for kids, but it also brings unique safety challenges for both families and motorists. While parents often focus on the potential dangers of candy, the bigger threat to children’s safety lies in increased traffic and the risk of pedestrian accidents. With children twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween compared to other days, awareness and precaution are essential. To keep trick-or-treaters safe, experts from Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Worldwide share tips like using reflective gear, accompanying younger children, and sticking to well-lit routes. For motorists, extra caution is needed to prevent tragic accidents, including “backovers” and “frontovers.” By following these safety guidelines, families and drivers alike can help ensure Halloween remains a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Halloween Safety for Families and Motorists
Parents often worry about tainted candy on Halloween, but the bigger concern is cars and traffic when it comes to children’s safety, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Here are some safety tips parents can use to help keep trick-or-treaters safe from Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Worldwide:
- Have trick-or-treaters carry glow sticks or flashlights, and wear reflective tape or stickers on costumes.
- Full face masks can limit a child’s vision; consider putting makeup or face paint on your child instead.
- Adults should accompany trick-or-treaters under age 12, and help children use crosswalks.
- Daylight is always better for pedestrians. Trick or Treat early while it’s still light outside, and then head back home when it’s dark for another activity, like a movie night.
- When crossing the street, put electronic devices down and keep heads up. Walk across the street, don’t run!
- Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
“One of the biggest opportunities to prevent injury and ruin a Halloween for parents not only parents but everyone is simply awareness,” said Dr. Nathan Miller, Intermountain Saratoga Springs Emergency Center medical director. “Knowing there are lots of excited children running around, be more aware when driving. Look for obstacles that might be trip hazards along sidewalks and driveways. And just be aware of your surroundings.”
One other precaution: When kids come home for trick or treating, keep in mind that candy is one of the most common causes of choking in children — and choking is often silent. Make sure you are watching your little ones while they are enjoying their treats.
Halloween Safety for Motorists
Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital is urging motorists to “Spot the Tot” to prevent unintentional motor vehicle injuries on Halloween.
Kids are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. Spot the Tot and other Driver safety habits can help prevent tragedy during the holiday.
Adopted by child safety advocates around the world, Spot the Tot is a Primary Children’s injury prevention program designed to prevent motorists from accidentally rolling over a child as they pull away from a curb or driveway.
While backovers and frontovers may seem rare, they happen regularly and can result in devastating injuries or death. In the past decade, more than 60 Utah children have been killed and more than 500 have been injured by accidental backovers and frontovers.
Nationwide, more than 580 children have died in such accidents in the past five years. More than 15,000 children are injured in backovers or frontovers every year.
Motorists should use extra care on Halloween night, when trick-or-treaters are out in force and can be hard to explained Michelle Jamison, community health program manager for Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.
Here are some Halloween Spot the Tot tips for drivers:
- Walk all the way around the car before you get in to ensure children are not behind you.
- Turn off distractions, including your mobile phone and music.
- Roll down the windows and listen for children.
- Ask an adult to stay with kids while you exit a driveway to improve safety.
- Consider backing into the driveway during daylight hours to eliminate the need for backing up.
More information is available at primarychildrens.org/safety.
This is an article written by an employee of Intermountain Health in collaboration with Cedar Valley Sentinel. It is used with permission on Cedar Valley Sentinel. Copyright stays with Intermountain Health.