Halloween is a great time to be a kid. The thrill of running house to house for free candy is tough to beat. During trick or treating, you’ll see exhausted parents who would have given up hours ago if their kids would only let them. But alas, the battle wages on into the late evening until porch lights are turned off, and jack-o-lanterns blow out; it’s the national symbol for “It’s over. Go home now, kids.”
As an adult, and as a personal injury lawyer, you see the world a bit differently than children do. As a result, you think of Halloween a bit differently. Every child’s dash out into the street is a potentially life-threatening moment. Candy needs to be examined before being consumed. And of course, the truly scary stories of Halloweens past fill the news. If you’re an adult, you’re just hoping to survive Halloween. Here are a few tips for you and your family to make it through the holiday safely.
Stay Visible: Costumes are meant to be scary, but a little bit of reflective material or a light of some sort makes your child visible to vehicles navigating busy streets during trick or treat hours. Wal-Mart, Target, and other stores all sell clip-on blinking red lights (check the bike section) which will do the trick.
Stay Together: Kids tend to trick or treat as a group, but they run from house to house like a bunch of goblins on the loose. Remind kids to travel together as a group between houses. They are more likely to be seen by drivers, and you’re less likely to lose a little one in the mayhem. Just the peace of mind that comes with a full headcount will make the evening easier on you as an adult.
Stay Sober: The temptation to carry along a little treat for daddy or mommy by way of the bottle is strong on a stressful night. Be responsible and remember you’re in charge of children who are terrorizing the neighborhood streets high on sugar and adrenaline.
Drive SLOWLY: If you have to drive a car on Halloween, the burden is on you to drive with extra caution. If you’re in a neighborhood at dusk, you should expect kids to jump out in front of you at random, crossing the street in search of the next mini Snickers bar. Even if it’s chilly, drive with your window down or cracked, so you’ll hear kids coming.
Charlotte Pedestrian accidents increase dramatically around Halloween, for obvious reasons. It’s a busy night with lots of foot traffic. Give kids a break and use extra caution when you’re on the road.
We hope you and your kids have a Happy Halloween!