Halloween celebrations come with a range of fun activities and can lead to lasting memories for your children. However, these festivities can also carry serious safety risks. It’s important to have precautions in place to protect your family from the risk of Halloween-related injuries or accidents. 

Parents can share several easy and effective behaviors with their kids to reduce the risk of injury and help make a safe and happy holiday for everyone. 

Pumpkin Carving Tips

• Only carve pumpkins on a flat surface with adequate lighting, such as a kitchen table. 
• Use a pumpkin carving kit that includes tools appropriate for the task. 
• Place lit jack-o’-lanterns away from flammable objects, such as sheets and curtains.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe 

• When selecting a costume, ensure it is the right size (not too baggy or long) to prevent trips and falls. 
• Purchase wigs, costumes, and accessories that are fire-retardant. Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision. 
• Be sure that face makeup and paint are labeled non-toxic and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent allergic reactions. 
• If children are trick-or-treating at night, place reflective tape or stickers on costumes, bags, and candy buckets and, if possible, choose costumes in light colors. 
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 

Trick-or-Treating Safety

• Do not allow children under 12 years old to go trick-or-treating alone; a responsible adult should accompany young children on neighborhood rounds.
• If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups. 
• Agree on a specific time children should return home.  
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car.

Safe Treats

• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies.
• Once your children get home, inspect their candy to ensure it’s safe to eat. 
• Tell children not to accept – or eat – anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. 
• Parents of very young children should remove choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys from Halloween bags. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers; throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Walk Safely

• Remind children to stay on the sidewalk and cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. 
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and keep looking as you cross. 
• Put electronic devices down, keep heads up, and walk, don’t run across the street. 
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. 
• Watch for cars turning or backing up; never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars. 

Drive Safely

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods; children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways. 
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and curbs. 
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully. 
• Eliminate distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. 
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic, and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, so be especially alert for kids during these hours. 
• Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloweens