Recommended Halloween Safety Tips for Spooky Fun!
Both kids and adults love Halloween, but unfortunately, mass cancellations of Halloween events had to occur in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With Halloween 2021 approaching and the pandemic still a concern, it is important to follow some helpful advice to make sure that your Halloween is a safe and enjoyable one. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its holiday safety tips applicable to Halloween, which our Long Island personal injury attorneys will discuss below. We have also offered additional various Halloween safety tips involving costume and traffic safety.
Alcohol Safety Suggestions
Like most other holidays, many people choose to intensify the celebration of Halloween by using alcohol. If you plan on drinking alcohol this Halloween, there are important pieces of safety advice that you should remember to follow, which include:
- Avoid the abuse and use of controlled substances. This includes marijuana, even though the drug has begun to obtain more widespread social acceptance. Do not drive under the influence.
- Drink water and other non-alcoholic beverages during the afternoon and evening to stay hydrated.
- Remember that you must be 21 years of age to drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol and are below this age, you are violating the law and can consequently end up facing penalties.
- Set a limit before you begin drinking alcohol. Make sure that at least one friend who is around you is aware of what this limit is. This is because peer accountability greatly reduces the chance of risky drinking behavior.
- Understand the dangers as well as the impact that accompanies the use of alcohol and controlled substances.
- Be prepared to use Lyft, Uber, or another rideshare program in case you end up drinking too much. Alternatively, arrange for a designated driver to take you home.
Driving in Halloween-Related Traffic
If you plan on driving in Halloween-related traffic this year, there are several important strategies that you should follow in order to avoid being involved in a car accident:
- During twilight and evening, be cautious about children who might be dressed in dark clothing
- Enter as well as exit alleyways, driveways, and other areas cautiously
- Remain on the lookout for children on sidewalks, in driveways, and in the roadways, too
Practice Costume Safety
To make sure that both adults and children have a safe Halloween, it is important to select a costume that will not present additional dangers. Some of the safety suggestions you should follow when picking a costume include:
- All costumes, as well as all accessories, should be fire-resistant
- Make sure to choose a costume that is appropriate for the weather conditions where you live
- Try to avoid overly long costumes that pose tripping hazards,
- If children are permitted to go out after dark, consider fastening reflective tape to their costumes as well as bags so they can easily be spotted by passing motorists
- Make sure to pick makeup over masks. This is because masks can obscure vision. If you use makeup, test a small area on the skin first to make sure no irritation occurs
- Remove all makeup from children before they go to bed. This can greatly cut down on the chances that eye or skin irritation occurs.
Reducing COVID-19 Risks This Halloween
The COVID-19 pandemic is still going on, which is why it is important to follow some protocols this holiday season to both reduce your chances of catching COVID-19 as well as lower the odds that you spread the disease throughout your community. Consider taking the following steps to reduce the threat of COVID-19:
- Be aware of any local laws in your area about gatherings, particularly any limits on the number of people who are permitted to gather
- Follow the CDC’s guidelines involving hand-washing and mask-wearing
- Report any concerns you have about behavior that is likely to result in the mass spreading of COVID-19.
Helping Children Stay Safe While Trick-or-Treating
Data shows that children are at a heightened risk of being struck by a car and killed on Halloween. Low visibility at night as well as potentially dark costumes and several other factors are responsible for this statistic. One of the best Halloween safety tips that you can follow is to ensure your children remains visible to motorists and safe from accidents while trick-or-treating:
- If you have older children who are planning on trick or treating on their own, you should both plan a route and then review the route with them. You should also agree on a specific time when the children should return home.
- Instruct children to only move in familiar and well-lit areas
- Make sure that children know never to go inside a stranger’s home or vehicle.
- Put electronic devices down and make sure that children do the same while trick-or-treating.
- Responsible adults should accompany children while they trick or treat through the neighborhood
- Tell your children they need to wait until they get home to eat their candy. This way you can screen their treats for any potential hazards as well as make sure the child does not digest any candy that would trigger food allergies.
Contact a Compassionate Accident Attorney
While it hopefully will not happen this Halloween, if you or a loved one is injured or harmed in an accident, it helps to know what to do. One of the best steps that you can take in such a situation is to speak with an experienced accident attorney about filing a personal injury lawsuit. Contact the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP today to schedule a free case evaluation.
