While safety is always a concern for parents during the Halloween
season, visibility is an even bigger concern this year, said
SAFE KIDS of East Central Georgia, led by the MCG Children's
Medical Center.
"This year, Halloween falls during Daylight Savings Time," said
Rene Hopkins, Coordinator of SAFE KIDS of East Central Georgia. "Parents
and trick-or-treaters need to remember that it will be darker
earlier and plan accordingly."
Hopkins provided the following tips to help your children stay
safe and visible this Halloween season:
• Accompany your children. For all ages, escort by a parent
or other adult is a good idea. But children under 12 should definitely
have a parent or other adult with them at all times.
• Decorate costumes, bags and sacks with reflective tape
or stickers. Remember, a car traveling at 60 mph needs 260 feet
to stop completely. Reflectors make your children visible at
500 feet.
• Buy a costume in a light or bright color to ensure better
visibility at night.
• Avoid masks as they can impair a child's vision. Makeup
or nontoxic face paint is a better alternative.
• Darting out into the street is one of the most common
causes of pedestrian death among children. Even if there is adult
supervision, remind your children to walk, not run, and to stop
and look both ways before crossing. If a car is in sight, they
should not cross. The excitement of Halloween could cause them
to forget these basic traffic rules.
• Ensure better visibility and decrease the risk of falling
by providing trick-or-treaters with flashlights.
• Attach contact information on children's costumes in
case they get separated, and make sure they know their phone
number. Provide older children with a means of calling home.
• Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas
and on a pre-established route. They should never enter someone's
home. Also, they should be wary of cutting across lawns or yards;
yard ornaments and unfamiliar terrain make falling a hazard.
• Those planning to stay home and hand out candy can do
their part by ensuring their lawns are free of hazards and are
well-lit.
