Safety Tips for Halloween

Each year, October marks the kick-off of Halloween season with house parties, festivals, pumpkin picking, trick-or-treating  and more. While the holiday is a lot fun for both kids and adults, it comes with a number of safety risks. Personal injury cases tend to increase during this time of year, and this is why it is important to take precautions to avoid injuries. Here are some safety tips for Halloween that can help you keep yourself and your family safe this season:

Be Mindful of Road Safety

Road safety is a key concern during the Halloween season. Every year, there is an increase in the number of pedestrian accidents on Halloween. In fact, pedestrian accidents during Halloween are 43% higher than average,  simply because more people are out on the road on Halloween. It is no surprise that children are particularly vulnerable to pedestrian accidents.

As a parent, you can take various measures to mitigate the risks to help keep your kids safe. This can include accompanying your child while trick-or-treating , choosing bright costumes, walking on sidewalks and pathways where possible and keeping an eye out for vehicles on the road.

Look Out for House Fires

Every year, the fire departments across U.S. receive more than 10,000 reports of fires during Halloween. Between 2014 and 2016, this has resulted in an average of 30 fire-related deaths on Halloween each  year. Fire is a serious hazard during Halloween as jack-o-lanterns and other traditional lighting items often uses of an open flame. If possible, you should replace a jack-o-lantern with a safer, battery-powered light source.

The use of flammable materials such as crepe paper also increases the risks of an accidental fire. Halloween is also a time when meals are being cooked at home and guests invited over for parties and dinners. A number of accidental fires originate in the kitchen. Make sure you are careful near the stove and shut down the gas supply once you are done cooking.

Beware of Drunk Driving

A drunk driver on Halloween can turn the holiday into a nightmare by injuring or killing people in an accident. You might attend parties and drink with friends and family during the Halloween season, but it is vitally important that you don’t get behind the wheel while you are intoxicated. Use a ride share or cab service  or ask a sober friend to drive you. Similarly, watch out for other drivers when on the road. Halloween has a very high rate of DUI accidents. In fact, 158 people were killed in DUI crashes on Halloween night from 2013-2017.

Choose Suitable Costumes for Kids

The choice of costumes for your kids on Halloween is an important decision for a variety of reasons. It is best to choose a bright costume, preferably with reflective features. This ensures that drivers and other persons can spot the costume from a distance. The costume should also fit comfortably. Try to avoid elaborate masks and hats which may make it more difficult to see. Costumes that are too elaborate may increase the chances of tripping and falling. You may also want to look into flame-retardant costumes to minimize the risk of a fire hazard.

Also, it is important to inspect candy received by children and make sure it’s safe to eat before they consume it.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Birmingham AL

Halloween is a time for fun and festivities. However, it is also a time of increased risks of personal injury. With the safety tips for Halloween provided above, you can significantly reduce the possibility of an injury to you or a loved one. However, if you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to another person’s negligence, please contact Hare Wynn.

Our Birmingham area personal injury lawyers work with you to understand your injuries and determine who is at fault.  Give us a call today to discuss your case with our Birmingham injury lawyers.