CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — With Halloween comes candy, costumes and trick-or-treating, but there are also safety concerns. Officials from the West Virginia State Police and AAA shared some tips to keep your child safe.
Costume Safety
- Children under 12 should have an adult with them them.
- If costume is not of a bright color or shiny, you can add reflective tape to help drivers with night visibility.
- Flashlights and glow stick use is highly encouraged.
- Make sure costumes fit properly, the costume should not drag on the ground as this guards against tripping or falling.
- Officials advise you check for the label, “flame resistant” to make sure all parts of your child’s costume will be safe.
- Avoid costumes with big baggy sleeves, large capes, or billowing skirts.
- Make sure their vision is not impaired by the mask they wear; it should fit securely, they can easily breathe and have their full vision.
Candy Safety
- Go through children’s candy and make sure that it’s safe before they eat it.
- Encourage kids not to eat the candy while trick-or-treating but instead wait until they get back home.
Dr. Gina Robinson from Cleveland Clinic Children’s said that if parents don’t feel comfortable letting their kids trick-or-treat, there are other options. “If they are just too worried to send them out, or their allergies are severe, maybe doing something at home—having a Halloween party, inviting a few friends over so that they can have a more controlled environment.”
Another alternative to trick-or-treating is attending a trunk-or-treat event instead.
Children are not the only ones celebrating the holiday, Halloween continues to be one people of all ages celebrate. A lot of that celebration includes parties where alcohol is served. Officials say you have a plan on how to get home safely by either having a designated driver or calling for a ride.
According to the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, between 2017 and 2021, 159 people were killed in drunk driving crashes on Halloween.
