Halloween is a celebration with spooky thrills, but this holiday exposes our children to danger.

Most likely night for children to be hit by a car.

In Texas, children are more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other night according to Safe Kids USA. Underlying causes include costumes that make it difficult to see or be seen along with the Halloween traffic.

Emergency Room Visits

Halloween is the fifth most common holiday for children to visit the emergency room, with injuries including falls, burns, cuts, pokes, and more. 

Nut Allergies

With all the candy, sometimes children will get candy with nuts that can cause serious allergic reactions.

Safety Tips

·         Always accompany young children in their neighborhood.  If trick-or-treating doesn't start until after dark where you live, consider checking with your town or park district for Halloween activities offered earlier in the day. Research shows that evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. are the riskiest times of day for child pedestrians. Earlier festivities also help you stick to your child's regular bedtime.

·         Talk with kids about the risk of distracted walking. 

This includes text messaging, talking on or looking at their cell phone and listening to music. Make sure kids know not to cross the street between parked cars or out of driveways or alleys.

·         Don't assume cars will stop because pedestrians have the right-of-way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters.

·         Stay on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Only go to homes with a porch light on and, ideally, a well-lit pathway.

·         Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. A brightly colored treat bag or glow-in-the-dark elements can be a fun way to incorporate safety into a scary costume. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.  Make sure hats & shoes fit well to avoid tripping and falls.

·         Wait until you are home before eating treats. Though tampering is rare, it can happen. Also, many cannabis edibles look like regular candy and could get accidentally mixed up with Halloween treats. Closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items. Give your child a good meal before trick-or-treating to discourage sampling.  Make sure that babies & toddlers do not have hard candies or items that can cause them to choke. Also, limit candies with nuts, that could cause allergic reactions.