Trick-Or-Treating Safety Tips (Why An Accident on Halloween Would Be No Treat)

Happy Halloween Eve! Tomorrow is a day for both children and adults to celebrate the spookiest day of the year. Whether you're celebrating at home or going trick-or-treating with your little ones, here are our top tips for a fun and safe Halloween.

COVID-19 Restrictions 

Most events and holidays will look a little different this year due to COVID-19, including Halloween. Given the nature of the virus, parents may be a little worried but still want their children to participate. Here are some precautions you can take: 

• Bring along hand sanitizer to use throughout the trick-or-treating. 
• Sanitize pre-wrapped candy.
• Make sure you and your children wear their masks when collecting candy.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds… Sing the “Monster Mash” together to keep little ones entertained!  

Bonus Tip: Get your children to decorate their masks to match their costume, it will make them more excited to wear it! 

And, if you’re choosing to keep the kids at home this year, here are some activities you can do together: 

• Family Halloween candy hunt. 
• Scary movie marathon. 
• Pumpkin carving or painting. 
• Dance party to Halloween classic songs like “Ghostbusters”, “Monster Mash” and more.

Chaperoning 

Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult while completing their trick-or-treating route. Even children over 12 should never travel alone, the best bet is to get a group together to go collect that free candy. 

Chaperones - dress up and have fun when you’re walking around with those kids. Remember that Halloween is for everyone!

After-Dark Visibility 

The sun sets quicker than you would think, so making sure your child can be easily seen at night is one of the most important factors. The best accessory is a flashlight. However, if you think your child is unlikely to carry a flashlight all night, a great alternative is dressing them in reflective accessories. This will reassure that they are seen by drivers and can also help you keep an eye out in case they get ahead of you.

Double-Checking Candy 

Once you and your children return home safely, be sure to check their candy. It may sound silly, but it’s important to throw away any homemade items such as cookies or cupcakes. Other things to also throw away are any items with loose packaging that could have been tampered with. It could be something as simple as a sucker with a loose rapper. It’s better to be on the safe side!

Tips for Homeowners

• Keep family Pets Away from Halloween Guests: Everyone loves a furry friend celebrating Halloween, we do as well! But, the pet can either become over-excited or agitated with many Halloween visitors, so it may be better to leave them inside. 
• Jack-O-Lanterns and Candles: Use caution if you are choosing to go the traditional route of using real candles to light up jack-o-lanterns. A burning candle inside of a pumpkin can be a fire hazard. 
• Test Your Smoke Alarms: Speaking of candles in jack-o-lanterns, you’ll want to test your smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly in case anything happens.
• Provide Outdoor Lighting: If you know you’ll be having trick-or-treaters, make sure to light the way! This way you can avoid any tripping or falling.
• Review Your Homeowners Policy: Contact your local Arnold Insurance agent to ensure you are adequately covered for such things like slips and trips or any other type of injury that may occur in your home or yard during Halloween. 

From all of us at Arnold Insurance - we are wishing you a safe and spooky Halloween!