Help Keep Our Kids Safe on Halloween

On average, twice as many kids in the United States are killed while walking on Halloween than on other days of the year. 

But with some simple precautions, kids can stay safe.  Safe Kids Gwinnett and the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services (GCFES) urge parents to prepare children to act safely and drivers to be particularly alert.

“Parents need to talk to kids about safety before they go out trick-or-treating,” says Tania Diaz, Safe Kids Gwinnett.  "Many kids will be out trick-or-treating while it is dark when it is more difficult for drivers to see them.  There are several easy and effective behaviors that parents can share with kids to help reduce their risk of injury.  For example, children younger than age 12 should not be alone crossing streets on Halloween without an adult.  If older kids are mature enough to go trick-or-treating without adult supervision, parents should make sure they go in a group and stick to a predetermined route with good lighting."

Drivers need to be extra alert as there will be more children on the streets and sidewalks – and those kids may be focused on gathering candy and caught up in the excitement of the holiday rather than being careful while crossing streets.  "Safe Kids and GCFES urge drivers to slow down on neighborhood roads to make Halloween more enjoyable for everyone, but also to help save lives," added Lieutenant Colin Rhoden, spokesman for Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services. 

Top safety tips for parents:

•           Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.  Walk across the street, don’t run.

•           Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.

•           Slow down and stay alert - watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.

•           Costumes can be both creative and safe. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct a child's vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible instead. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.

Top safety tips for drivers:

•           Drive slowly in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

•           Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.

•           Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services and Safe Kids Gwinnett invite the various media outlets to visit Fire Headquarters on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 for sound bites or for a display of ways to keep our children safe. To schedule an appointment, please send your request to fdpio@gwinnettcounty.com