By Home Safety

Halloween is a holiday filled with fun for adults and children alike, but can also be one of the most dangerous days of the year.

Children are three times more likely to be struck and killed by a car on the holiday than any other day of the year, according to the latest federal highway safety data.

In absolute terms, the likelihood of a child being killed by a car on Halloween is still extremely low, given the hundreds of millions of trick-or-treaters who went out during the time period analyzed. But the holiday nonetheless stands out sharply when charted against every other day.

Here’s why Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians

It’s almost Halloween, which means that law enforcement agencies around the country are warning parents about the possibility of finding marijuana candy in their children’s trick-or-treat buckets. But like poison and razor blades, Halloween pot candy is largely a myth. The real threat to kids on Oct. 31 is much more mundane: traffic.

Other safety tips to consider include ensuring your children wear bright costumes, or carry a flashlight. Put electronic devices down and be sure to walk (not run) across the street, looking both ways before crossing. If participating in trick-or-treating at home, restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater, and remove tripping hazards from your yard and sidewalk.

Halloween Health & Safety Tips

​Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to help ensure your children have a healthy and safe Halloween. Look for “flame resistant” on the costume labels. Wigs and accessories should also clearly indicate this. Consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives to masks.

For information on trick-or-treating in light of COVID-19, please read the article below.

Infectious Disease Experts Answer All of Your Trick-or-Treating Questions

Safety guidelines from the CDC discourage Americans from taking part in traditional trick-or-treating, as it may be one of the riskiest traditions during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Infectious disease experts say the most significant risk in trick-or-treating is spending time in close contact with those who don’t live in your home.