On average, twice as many kids are killed while trick-or-treating on Halloween, more any other day of the year. Fatal incidents can be avoided by following a few steps provided by Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx Express.
The two organizations are "urging" parents to prepare their children before letting them head out at night on Halloween, while also warning drivers to be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters as well.
"On Halloween, more children are on the street after dark than normal, and they are so excited that they may run out into the street without thinking," said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide in a statement. "Drivers need to take extra care and slow down on neighborhood roads. And, of course, it's very important that drivers put down mobile devices to avoid distraction."
Around the country, approximately 156 Safe Kids Coalitions will hand out reflective materials and safety information to children and parents. Children will be asked to wear the reflective material on Halloween night to help drivers see them better.
"Parents need to talk to their children about watching out for cars while trick-or-treating," said Carr. "And make sure that their costume has something reflective on it so cars can see them. You could even have kids put on a glow stick necklace or a reflective slap bracelet."
Safe Kids and FedEx recommend these top tips to keep kids safe on Halloween.
-The most important thing is to make sure you can be seen by drivers. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct your vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible. Carry glow sticks or flashlights so you can see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
-Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
-Put electronic devices down and keep heads up while crossing the street. Walk, don't run, across the street as well.
-Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
-Slow down and stay alert - Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and don't dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
The top safety tips for drivers includes:
-Slowdown in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
-Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
-Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
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