Halloween in New Orleans is always a big event. However, many children are injured each year in accidents while trick-or-treating. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that twice as many children are killed on Halloween than any other day of the year. As you are preparing for Halloween this year, take precautions to protect your children as they trick-or-treat.
Pedestrian Safety Tips for Halloween
In addition to general pedestrian safety tips, there are some specific tips that you should keep in mind when trick-or-treating:
- Go trick-or-treating in groups. It is much easier to see a group of children than one or two children.
- Always supervise trick-or-treating — don’t let your child go out by himself or herself.
- Make your child more visible to motorists by using reflective tape or stickers on the costume. Other ways to increase visibility includes using fluorescent paint to paint the pumpkin, using flashlights, adding LED lights to the costume, using glow sticks or jewelry, and wearing light-colored
- Choose face paint or makeup over masks. Masks can obstruct your child’s vision.
- Always cross the street at an intersection, corner, or crosswalk.
- Stay on paths or sidewalks.
- Remind children not to run, dart out into traffic, or cross between parked vehicles.
Candy Safety Tips
It is always a good idea to inspect your child’s candy before allowing him or her to have any of it. Some general tips include:
- Discard any candy that is not individually wrapped.
- If the wrapper appears to be damaged or tampered with, you should discard the candy.
- Younger children should not have hard candy that can become lodged in their throats.
- Unless you know the person giving homemade treats to your child, you need to discard any homemade goodies.
- If you want to get rid of extra candy, check with your local dentist office to see if it participates in the candy buyback event. You can trade your candy in for a non-sweet treat, and the candy is sent to our troops overseas.
Attend a Fall Festival or Host a Halloween Party
If you don’t want to take your child trick-or-treating, you might want to attend a fall festival at one of the local churches, schools, or community centers. You can also host a Halloween party for your child’s friends. Other parents may be willing to contribute to the party to provide a safe Halloween experience for everyone.
Drivers Need to Be Careful on Halloween
All drivers need to pay extra attention when driving on Halloween to avoid children who are trick-or-treating. Slow down, especially when driving through neighborhoods and during peak trick-or-treating times (right before and just after sunset). Avoid all distractions while driving — no cell phones, no loud music, etc. As always, if you enjoy alcoholic drinks, you need to call a friend or take a cab home. A child’s life could depend on how well you pay attention while driving.
New Orleans Car Accident Attorneys
We hope everyone has a safe Halloween, but if you are injured by a negligent driver, our New Orleans car accident attorneys are here to help you. Call Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm at (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to request a free consultation with a New Orleans accident attorney.