No Trick to Keeping Safe on Halloween

by Richard H. Middleton, Jr. & Leah S. Guerry

The last day of October is anticipated each year by millions of young people eager to dress up in costume and sink their teeth into sweet treats of all kinds. Parents and children can work together to make this Halloween one in which fun and safety go hand-in-hand.

Many parents believe Halloween is a particularly dangerous holiday. Fears are understandable given that many children will be out in the dark, walking neighborhood streets (often unchaperoned by adults), and approaching houses which may or may not be owned by strangers. Parents can alleviate their fears by making household Halloween rules well in advance — for kids and adults — and sticking to them.

Maya Bunik, M.D., the medical director of the pediatric advice line and urgent care clinic at Children's Hospital Oakland in California, says, "People have a heightened paranoia about Halloween." She adds that she worries just as much — if not more — about children eating Christmas greenery or using firecrackers on the Fourth of July.

The National Safety Council (NSC) offers the following guidelines for parents to keep in mind when helping their children select or make costumes:

Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes.
Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can fit underneath. Avoid long costumes, high heels and anything else that could be a tripping hazard (falls are the leading cause of accidents on Halloween).
Outfits should be made of light-colored materials. Add reflective tape to all costumes, regardless of color.
For kids under 12, attach their name, address and phone number (with area code) to their clothes -- but where it will be easily visible.
Facial make-up (make sure it is non-toxic and meets federal standards) is safer than masks, which can block breathing and vision. If masks are used, nose and mouth openings should be large.
Don't allow children to carry sharp objects. All accessories, like fake knives and swords, should be made from cardboard or softer materials.
Give children flashlights so they can light their way as they walk.

Some encouraging news for parents is that while there are plenty of stories circulating about Halloween candy tampering, Barry Glassner, a sociologist from the University of Southern California found that, since 1958, there have been no deaths or serious injuries resulting from kids eating Halloween candy. According to Glassner, in two cases of tainted Halloween candy, children died after being poisoned — horribly enough — by their own parents. Nevertheless, check your child's candy, and when in doubt, throw it out.

When the big night arrives, adults should supervise all trick-or-treating for children under the age of 12. One Internet site, called — appropriately enough — Halloweenmagazine.com, has a quick interactive quiz for kids about Halloween safety. According to a notice posted on the website, the quiz was developed using information provided by Las Vegas, San Jose and other law and safety enforcement agencies. Parents might like to use the game to help set up the ground rules for trick-or-treating.

Some other NSC tips for you and your children include:

Travel in familiar areas, along a route established in advance. And stop only at well-lit houses.
Don't enter homes or apartments unless you're going with a parent or other adult supervisor. Never enter a stranger's home.
Walk -- don't run -- from house to house. Don't cross lawns where unseen objects and bumpy terrain may trip you. Walk on sidewalks, not in the streets. Walk on the left side of roads, facing traffic, if there are no sidewalks.
Wait for proper traffic signals for street crossing. Don't run out between parked cars.

Don't forget to get a list of the names of friends your older children will be trick-or-treating with. Give your children enough change for a phone call, should they run into problems.

The precautions to take for Halloween are certainly many, but making lists and checking them twice, in this case, can result in a fun, safe evening for all.

Richard H. Middleton, Jr., president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, is a partner in the Savannah, GA, law firm of Middleton, Mathis, Adams & Tate, P.C.

Leah S. Guerry is the executive director of the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association.

Reprinted with permission of Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, P. O. Box 4289, Baton Rouge; (225) 383-5554 or (800) 354-6267.