Halloween Injuries to Watch Out for & How to Prevent Them
Halloween is one of the most festive times of the year. Whether you’re a parent with young children who loves trick or treating or an adult who likes dressing up and going to costume parties, the night brings something for everyone to enjoy. Unfortunately, injuries are slightly more likely on this festive. Knowing the most common types of Halloween injuries will help you prevent injuries and reduce your risk of spending your night in a true nightmare – an emergency room or hospital bed.
Halloween Pedestrian Accidents
One of the most common types of injuries on Halloween are pedestrian accidents. It’s not difficult to see why, as the streets are flooded with more children when it’s dark outside. Combine that with the fact that many adult parties serve alcohol, and you have a potential recipe for disaster. There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of pedestrian accidents:
- Parents, make sure your trick or treaters keep to the sidewalks, and avoid busy or dangerous intersections whenever possible. Only allow solo trick or treating solo if they’re old enough to understand the dangers of walking in the street and crossing the road.
- Increase your visibility as much as possible. Give your children glow sticks or flashlights to carry and consider adding reflective tape to their costume or treat bags. Use makeup instead of masks – the latter can obscure your child’s vision and make them unaware of potential hazards. Finally, opt for a light-colored costume.
- If attending a Halloween party, never drink and drive. Designate a driver, use a ridesharing service, or make overnight arrangements.
Halloween Burn Injuries
Burns are not as common, but they can still happen to trick or treaters. Always make sure that your child’s costume fits appropriately and trim any loose fabric. If making a costume, use flame retardant materials, such as fleece. Though LED lights for jack o’ lanterns are widely available, some celebrants still use traditional candles, which may engulf a costume that’s not flame-resistant and can result in a serious burn injury.
Halloween Eye Injuries
Unfortunately, many of the “safe” accessories that come with your child’s pirate, fairy, or grim reaper costume still contain sharp edges. As such, they can injure your child’s eyes. To ensure your child’s costume eye patch doesn’t become a permanent fixture, take the following precautions:
- Opt for foam accessories over traditional plastic.
- Consider covering harder accessories with a rubber tip or electrical tape.
Halloween Poisoning or Puncture Wounds
Though candy tampering is uncommon, it can still happen – and does every year. Tell your children to avoid eating their candy until you can inspect it. Throw out any suspicious looking or unwrapped candies. Also, consider calling your area police department to see if they’re offering candy checks in the area.
Halloween Trip and Fall Injuries
Finally, children can injure themselves when they trip and fall over hazards they might not be able to see in the dark. If you’re entertaining trick or treaters this year, remove all yard debris and light a path to your door using solar lanterns or LEDs. Make sure pets are secure.
It’s possible to enjoy a safe and happy Halloween with the right approach. Use these tips and minimize your risk of injury. If you or your child is injured this holiday season SteinLaw Miami is available for a free consultation to discuss your case.