Safe Trick or Treating in Erie, PA

Halloween is one of the best holidays when you are young. You get to dress up as your favorite character and get free candy. What could be better? Unfortunately, Halloween can also be very dangerous for children. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, about twice as many children will be injured in pedestrian accidents on Halloween than any other day of the year.

It is up to everyone, whether you are a parent or not, to use extra caution this Halloween to reduce the risk of injuries to children. Let’s make this a safe and enjoyable Halloween in Erie.

Tips to Keep Kids Safe During Trick or Treat

Below are some tips to keep your little goblins and ghouls safe when going to trick or treat this year:

• If your child has a Halloween costume that is mostly dark colors, try adding a pair of shoes that have flashing lights. You can also add jewelry that glows or flashes to help make your child more visible to motorists.
• Carry a flashlight with you when you go trick or treating. In addition to increasing visibility, it also helps to navigate uneven surfaces.
• Paint the trick or treat pumpkin that your child carries with fluorescent paint to increase visibility.
• Trick or treat with larger groups of children.
• Consider throwing a Halloween party at your home instead of going trick or treating. Team up with several other parties to throw a joint party so that it is not burdensome on any one parent.
• Never allow children to go out by themselves to trick or treat.
• Only cross the street at intersections or crosswalks. Always stay on sidewalks or paths when going from house to house.
• If possible trick or treat right before sunset when it is easier to be seen by motorists and to see where you are walking.
• If your child’s costume has a mask, make sure that he or she can see clearly through the mask and breath freely through the mask.
• Consider attending a fall festival or a Halloween event at a local community center, church, or school.
• Check candy and other treats before allowing children to eat anything. Talk with your children about not eating any candy, even a small piece of candy, until they return home and an adult has checked the candy.
• Don’t eat pieces of candy that are not in the original wrapping. Throw away any candy that appears to have been tampered with in any way. If you don’t know the person very well, you may want to throw away any treats that appear to be homemade.

Drivers Beware!

Children do not fully understand the dangers of traffic. Watch out for children on the sides of the road. A child may dart across the road to go to another house or to join friends. Therefore, when you are driving on Halloween, slow down and use extra caution, especially near and in neighborhoods, schools, parks, churches, and community centers.

We hope you have a safe Halloween, but if you or your child is injured, contact The Travis Law Firm toll-free at 1 (800) 401-2066 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our Erie personal injury attorneys.