Halloween is a fun holiday enjoyed by both children and adults. With all the activities planned around the holiday—trick or treating, parties, and visiting haunted houses—it is easy to forget that Halloween can be dangerous. From slip and fall accidents, drunk driving, and most commonly, pedestrian accidents, there are many hazards to look out for when celebrating Halloween in Las Vegas. Our personal injury attorneys have gathered these Halloween safety tips to ensure your festivities stay as safe as possible.
Trick or Treat Safety Tips
Trick or treating is the highlight of the year for many children. Unfortunately, the increased foot traffic and excited kids can lead to an increase in pedestrian accidents. From taking your children out to handing out candy to the neighborhood kids, here are some tips to keep everyone safe when trick or treating this Halloween.
- Make sure your child is visible: Add reflective tape to your child’s costume to promote visibility at night. Also, have a flashlight on hand to light your walking path to prevent falling over debris. Unfortunately, accidents happen when drivers cannot see children, when they are distracted, or when they are intoxicated and hit pedestrians.
- Check your child’s candy: Before allowing your child to eat any candy, discard any homemade treats or unwrapped candy. Do not allow them to eat any candy that presents a choking hazard.
- Buy a safe costume: On Halloween, children will be doing a lot of walking. Their costume shouldn’t trip them up to the point where they could fall and hurt themselves or possibly fall into oncoming traffic. If a costume has a mask, make sure your child can see out the mask and that it does not restrict their breathing.
- Teach your children proper pedestrian safety: Halloween is a good time to teach or remind your children about pedestrian safety. Make sure they know to make eye contact with drivers and to never assume they have the right of way while crossing the street. Also, teach them how to cross the street safely by using the sidewalk at all times, using the crosswalks only when they are there, and indicating turns.
Halloween Party Safety Tips
Halloween parties are a favorite pastime for many adults this time of year. If you’re hosting a party this year, here are some tips to keep both you and your guests safe while you’re having a good time.
- Do not allow guests to drive home intoxicated: Make sure everyone has a safe way to get home with either a designated driver or with a rideshare app like Lyft or Uber. If someone leaves your house while drunk and causes an accident, you might be held liable.
- Keep your home free of clutter and hazards: Before having guests over, ensure there is proper lighting in dark areas, walkways are free of clutter or debris, and repair any hazards such as crumbling pavement, carpet, or loosened banisters. If a guest is injured on your property due to your negligence, you can be held liable under Nevada’s attractive nuisance laws.
- Avoid open flames: Candles are a popular Halloween decoration, but they pose a massive risk for fires and burn injuries. Avoid real candles in jack-o’-lanterns, especially if you plan using them as decoration for a party or placing outside while you hand out candy.
Safety Tips for Drivers
No matter where you might be driving on Halloween night, it’s important to be on the lookout for children trick or treating and party goers who are out and about. Here are a few things to keep in mind when driving this Halloween.
- Drive slowly and carefully: It’s always important to follow traffic laws and obey the speed limit, even more so on Halloween during trick or treat hours. When driving through a neighborhood, use extra caution to avoid a car accident.
- No distractions behind the wheel: Distracted driving takes your eyes off the road. Even looking away for a few seconds can lead to a deadly accident.
- Do not drive while intoxicated: According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), between 2013 and 2017, 22% of Halloween night pedestrian deaths involved a drunk driver. During the same time frame, 42% of fatal car accidents on Halloween involved a drunk driver. If you feel you are too intoxicated to drive, call a rideshare service or a sober friend.
Additional Halloween Safety Tips
Along with the trick or treat and party tips mentioned above, here are a few additional Halloween safety tips to follow this year:
- When visiting a haunted attraction, do not go alone: Taking a friend or family member means you will have someone with you in the event of an emergency or injury. Also, If you see any hazards or suspicious activity, report them to staff.
- Keep your pets safe during trick or treat hours by keeping them indoors: The noise and costumes might scare them and cause them to act aggressively, which can lead to a dog bite.
- Use only safe costume accessories: Certain costumes aren’t complete without the accessories, like swords. Make sure any costumes do not have any sharp points.
- Only trick or treat at homes with their porch lights on: Remind your children to avoid houses that do not have their porch lights on. It is best to remain in your own neighborhood and only visit the homes of people you know.
ER Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Halloween Accident
By following these Halloween safety tips, you can help keep your family, children, and friends safe while still having a fun time and celebrating responsibly. However, accidents happen and are sometimes unavoidable, even if you follow every safety precaution. ER Injury Attorneys can help if you or a loved one are injured in a Halloween accident.
Our team is available 24/7 to serve injury victims in Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Boulder City, and Pahrump. Reach us by calling 702-878-7878, via LiveChat, or by filling out our contact form. For impeccable legal representation combined with unmatched customer service, contact ER Injury Attorneys today.