Help Your Kids Have a Safe and Fun Halloween from a NY Accident Attorney

Help Your Kids Have a Safe and Fun Halloween

Before heading out on Halloween night with kids dressed up as a superhero, princesses, dinosaurs or monsters, be sure to share some safety tips with them explaining a NY accident attorney at the F&A injury law firm. They need to understand that while they’re entitled to have fun while yelling “trick or treat” and obtaining great candy, they must still watch out for dangerous people who may try to harm them.

The following safety tips have been divided into two groups. The first section contains good ideas for properly preparing for the big night – and the second one looks at dressing properly and behaving carefully while out having fun on Halloween night.

Important Ways to Prepare at Home Prior to Trick or Treating – Or Handing Out Candy

• If there’s going to be any pumpkin carving, it must be done by an adult. Knives should only be used by adults who know how to avoid injuring themselves. However, kids can use heavy-duty black (or other) markers to decorate other pumpkins;
• It’s better to use “fake” candles when lighting up your pumpkin. Too many fires are started by people who light up pumpkins using candles on Halloween. Moving flame candles and other battery-operated candles are a far safer alternative. If you buy the right type, they’ll look just as good as real candles;
• Choose the safest path for trick-or-treating in your neighborhood. You should first go online and check for registered sex offenders. This is a task that every parent should handle – even though you’ll be walking with your children. Websites like

FamilyWatchdog.us can help with this task. You can explain to your older children why you’re choosing to skip certain blocks – if you can do so without frightening them;

• Clean up your entire porch area and remove unnecessary items so no one will fall;
• Fill your serving baskets with pre-wrapped candies. Other parents will thank you for this courtesy that lets them know your goodies should be safe to eat;
• Create a storage space high up on a shelf for all Halloween candies. Tell your kids that their bags of treats must go up there before bedtime – especially if you have any dogs. They can be seriously or fatally poisoned if they eat chocolate or other candies. Finally, keep all pets safely locked up indoors – so no one will try to hurt them;
• Feed your kids a big meal before trick or treating. This can help them avoid overeating sugary treats.

If all of the suggestions made above are followed, your kids will be better prepared to put on their costumes and head outdoors with you later on. (Remember, never let any children go out “trick or treating” without plenty of adult supervision.)

Safety Tips Regarding Costumes and Time Spent “Trick or Treating” Outdoors

• Make sure your children are only wearing costumes made of fire-retardant materials. Hopefully, you purchased their customers long before Halloween night. Also, make sure each child wears some bright, reflective tape on their costumes to increase their visibility after dark. Too many distracted drivers may hit kids running across streets at night – if they’re darkly dressed as witches, Darth Vaders or Draculas;
• Discourage your kids from carrying “pretend” swords, knives, or wands. Children can still suffer serious injuries if they fall on these types of objects;
• Older teen brothers and sisters are too easily distracted to watch their younger brothers and sisters. If your kids refuse to “let” you come along – then consider having your house of worship or other community group stage a Halloween “tailgating” party. This allows your kids to visit the backs of cars in a designated parking lot – all parked there by people you know in the community. You should still supervise them as they go from vehicle to vehicle looking for treats – although you can do so standing farther away;
• At the end of the trick or treating, consider having your kids’ “treat” bags scanned at a local medical facility offering this free service on Halloween night. Even if there’s a small fee charged, it may be worth it to know that no disturbed person slipped a razor blade or other harmful items into your child’s candy or bag;
• Tell your kids ahead of time that you must “screen” all of their treats before letting them later enjoy a snacking frenzy. Also, advise your children with peanut and other special allergies to carefully avoid picking up any treats they think may contain those substances. And remind children with such allergies to avoid “blindly” reaching into their candy bags and eating items before getting home – so they can avoid having a serious, adverse reaction to any food item.

While outside, make sure each adult carries a strong flashlight and a cell phone in case of an emergency. Also, remind your kids to never step into any home or apartment to receive any candy or other “surprise.” As long as you’re standing next to them, they should remain safe.

Should you or anyone close to you be seriously harmed on Halloween by someone else’s negligence, be sure to contact your New York personal injury attorney. .