Halloween is an exciting night for many families. It’s a time to celebrate and let loose, but for some it’s a reminder that in everything fun and exciting, there should still be some level of caution taken. Many Halloween injuries are preventable, as a personal injury lawyer in Des Moines, IA, like from Johnston Martineau, LLP, can explain. The following are five tips to keep your Halloween celebration as safe as possible.
1. Plan Ahead
Many families stay up past their bedtimes on Halloween. While this sounds like a great time, it takes some planning ahead. For example, if your little ones are used to going to bed at 7:00, but you plan to keep them up until 9:00, they may need a nap mid-day. If they’re cranky because they’re tired, they’re more likely to act up, which could result in a wide range of injuries. Another example includes allergies. Plan ahead with epi-pens and Benadryl so if your little ones have an unknown allergy, or a reaction to a known allergy, you have what you need to carefully handle the situation.
2. Keep Things Bright
The darker your kids’ costumes are, the less likely others will be able to see them. Keep your children’s costumes bright. A reflective costume is best, and you can achieve that by purchasing reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark paint to add to the costume yourself. If you’re going trick-or-treating with the kids, be sure your outfit or costume follows the same guidelines. If you plan to go out when it’s particularly dark, carry a flashlight, glow sticks or other types of lights.
3. Accompany Small Children
If you have real small children, accompany them trick-or-treating, and don’t stop at the end of the driveway. Walk your children all the way to the door. This helps them avoid trips, slips and falls, and it also gives you peace of mind about who they are communicating with and receiving threats from.
4. Inspect the Candy
Before your children dig into their candy bags, inspect every last piece of candy. Check for package tampering to be sure nobody has put anything dangerous into something your child is about to put in his or her mouth. If you don’t recognize a product, don’t be afraid to throw it out. If something looks like a piece of candy, but is an unrecognizable brand, it’s fine to toss it. Unwrapped, homemade goods should probably only come from neighbors you know and trust.
5. Plan Appropriately
If you’re having any sort of Halloween party, plan age-appropriate activities. With small children at the party, it may not be a good idea to offer alcohol, even if just to adults. If it’s a teenage party, you should be sure there are plenty of chaperones per the amount of kids who will attend.
Contact a Lawyer When Needed
Unfortunately, even with all the planning and precautions, accidents do happen. If you or a loved one is injured on Halloween, contact a personal injury lawyer who can help you seek compensation.