Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips from Patterson Bray

Halloween is such a fun time of year, especially for children.   Sadly, it is also a very dangerous night for kids.  On average, twice as many child pedestrians are killed while walking on Halloween compared to other days of the year.  Only 18% of parents use reflective tape on their children’s Halloween costumes, and 12% of children ages 5 or younger are permitted to trick-or-treat alone!  In addition to talking with your kids about Halloween safety, here are some things you can do for a safer night:

• Kids under 12 should trick-or-treat and cross streets with an adult.
• Use reflective tape on costumes.
• Walk on sidewalks and paths, and not in the street.
• If there are no sidewalks, you should walk facing traffic as far to the side as possible.
• Cross streets at corners only, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Watch for cars that are turning around or backing up.

DRIVERS: If you are driving on Halloween night, be especially vigilant!  Slow down, even more than usual, in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and often move in unpredictable ways.

HOMEOWNERS. If you are a homeowner, here are some ways you can help keep trick-or-treaters safe:

• Keep Property Well-Lit– Kids will be cutting through all parts of your yard to find your front door, so make sure that your property is well-lit and that it is obvious which door trick-or-treaters should go to.
• Keep Property Unobstructed– Clean up yard debris, fill gopher holes, wind up hoses, and pick up toys or other equipment left in the yard.
• Restrain Pets– Be sure to keep your pets away from the front door and porch, where they might get excited and jump on or bite trick-or-treaters. It is best to keep your pet in another room or in the garage during trick-or-treating time.

The attorneys and staff of Patterson Bray wish you a very Happy and Safe Halloween!