(Story by Lindsey Rosenlieb, Piedmont Augusta)
Halloween is an exciting time of year for children and adults to dress up and get creative. As the streets fill with spooky and cute trick-or-treaters, everyone should keep safety in mind to avoid unwanted accidents and injuries.
Over the past three years, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that an annual average of 3,200 Halloween-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments.
Of those, 55% were related to pumpkin carving and 25% were due to falls while putting up or taking down decorations, tripping on costumes, or walking while trick-or-treating.
“Plan your costumes carefully to ensure that they are not too long, which causes a trip hazard. Long costumes are also a hazard around bonfires,” said Dr. Bozeman Sherwood, Regional Medical Director for Piedmont Prompt Care. “Be sure that your child can see clearly out of any masks that they plan to wear, again reducing fall risk.”
Sherwood also shares some road safety tips, urging everyone to be cautious when crossing the street and to use crosswalks where available.
“If you are trick or treating, do not let your children run across roads unsupervised, they are small and a driver might not see them,” he said. “You might even want to put reflective tape on their costumes. If you are driving on Halloween night be sure to slow down and pay attention.”
The CPSC reports that 20% of the Halloween-related injuries included lacerations, ingestions and other injuries associated with costumes, pumpkins or decorations, and allergic reactions or rashes.
“Always do a check of any candy or other treats that have been collected. If anything is open or looks tampered with, don’t eat it,” Sherwood said. “If you or someone in your group has food allergies, be sure to check labels. Some ingredients may not be overly obvious.”
Young children should always be in the presence of a responsible adult. Teenagers going out without a parent or adult should stick with a group and have a set curfew, checking in regularly with an adult. Drivers are reminded to wear their seatbelts, slow down and be hands free.
Piedmont Prompt Care also offers the following tips for best practices for Halloween safety:
Costume Considerations
- Use non-toxic makeup or face paint for better vision in the dark. Perform a patch test to check for any irritation.
- Choose costumes marked “flame resistant.”
- Use flashlights and bright materials such as glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark paint or clothing for higher visibility.
- Make sure accessories (canes, swords, etc.) have dull edges to avoid injury if your child accidentally slips.
- Only use decorative contact lenses approved by an eye doctor.
- Remove makeup, adhesives, and other potential irritants before going to bed.
Driver Safety
- Stay alert and drive slowly through residential areas.
- Take extra precautions near crosswalks, curbs, and sidewalks.
- Keep your headlights on at all times when driving.
Prepping Your Yard for Halloween
- Check your yard for any tripping hazards.
- Pets should stay inside until all visitors are gone for the night.
- Rake away leaves from your steps, mats, and driveway.
- Use battery-powered candles instead of flame.
- Turn on your porch lights.
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