Halloween serves as a treasured holiday for friends and families to celebrate together. Children and parents enjoy dressing up as ghouls and goblins while friends gather for a scary night out on the town.
Unfortunately, Halloween also presents its fair share of dangers. If you’re not careful, you or someone else could become seriously injured.
Common Halloween injuries can easily ruin the festive atmosphere. Especially if you’re a parent or guardian responsible for a child, you should educate yourself about the risks involved and take precautions to improve Halloween safety.
Note: Halloween gatherings may not be allowed in your area this year due to COVID-19-related crowd restrictions. Read the CDC guidelines and review the local public health regulations in Palm Beach County.
Common Halloween Safety Issues
With more people roaming about, Halloween poses significant risks to distracted adults and young children alike.
Continue reading to understand the most common Halloween safety concerns and learn how you can deal with them.
Drunk Driving
Holidays often go hand-in-hand with alcohol, which leads to sometimes-fatal drunk driving incidents. Statistics show that 42% of fatal car accidents on Halloween involve at least one drunk or impaired driver.
You’ll want to avoid sharing the road with a drunk driver or harming someone else due to your behavior under the influence.
Develop a plan so that you get to and from your Halloween destination safely.
If you plan on consuming alcohol and need transportation, consider the following options:
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- Arranging a sober friend to drive you
- Calling a taxi or rideshare service
- Using public transportation
If you’re walking outside:
- Make sure to stay on sidewalks and crosswalks
- Walk in large groups
- Carry a flashlight or lantern
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents occur when you (or someone else, like a child) gets hit by a car while walking outside, likely due to the driver’s negligent or distracted behavior.
According to a State Farm report, children are twice as likely to die from car accidents on Halloween. It is the deadliest day of the year for children involved in pedestrian accidents.
Therefore, parents must look out for their children’s well-being, especially if they are going out on Halloween after 5:00 p.m.
Observe the following best practices on Halloween:
- Look both ways before crossing the street
- Wear bright colors and reflective materials
- Arrange gatherings or trick-or-treating earlier in the afternoon
- Use designated crosswalks and avoid jaywalking
- Walk only on well-lit streets
Environmental Dangers
If you’re gathering at an unfamiliar house or private property, it can be hard to find your way, especially in the dark. These types of environments are a perfect site for slip, trip, and fall injuries.
You can mitigate potential damage by:
- Walking in well-lit areas at night
- Avoiding large obstructions such as sidewalk décor
- Wearing comfortable, non-slip footwear
- Steering clear of wet patches or slippery steps
Unprepared Security
You can find several places for organized fun on Halloween, but many of these institutions don’t take adequate measures to protect their employees and guests’ safety. They may not hire proper security to staff their event, leading to fights or poor crowd control.
Exercise caution if you are attending Halloween gatherings at one of the following locations:
- Haunted houses
- Bars and restaurants
- Clubs and dance venues
- Other small businesses
Food Allergies
Everyone enjoys nibbling on a sweet Halloween treat, but food allergies make it a potentially dangerous experience. According to a report in the American Journal of Managed Care, up to 2.5% of children have been diagnosed with nut allergies.
When offering candy, try to avoid food with nuts, coconut, or other ingredients that can cause food allergies. If you or your child has a food allergy, let your friends and family know if you’re attending any gatherings.
You should also review the ingredients in typical Halloween candies and sweets. Take care to monitor what your child eats on Halloween by removing any potential harmful candy from their trick-or-treat bag.
Poorly Designed Costumes
Much of Halloween’s joy comes from seeing friends and family dressed up in unusual or silly attire.
Bulky or ill-fitting outfits and inappropriate footwear, however, can lead to trips and falls. Masks covering the entire face can obstruct your vision. Sharp swords, canes, gadgets, or tools can cause unexpected injuries, especially when placed in the hands of unsupervised children.
That said, you can design costumes to enhance your safety. Wear reflective materials or carry glow-in-the-dark sticks to make it easier for the passerby, including drivers, to see you.
Unsafe Activities
Jack-o’-lanterns establish an appropriately creepy atmosphere, but they also come with their own set of risks: fire and knives. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 3,000 emergency room visits were traced back to Halloween pumpkin carving in 2017.
Pumpkin carving requires careful handling of a sharp knife, and children may not be experienced enough to accept the responsibility. Distracted adults (or adults under the influence of alcohol) should also avoid pumpkin carving.
Many people also light candles to place in their pumpkins. Candles can lead to burns from flames or dripping wax, along with the usual fire hazards to property and life.
A carelessly tossed match can quickly spark a fire, especially near dry brush. Don’t let small children light the candle, as they may injure themselves or others around them.
The Bottom Line
Halloween can be a scary time—and not just because of all the ghosts and vampires.
But if you stay vigilant, participate in safe activities, and pay attention to your surroundings, you can significantly lower the risk of getting injured and reduce your personal liability on Halloween.
If you have any further questions about potential personal injury claims or financial compensation related to Halloween safety, seek help from our team of highly rated legal professionals at Brian D. Guralnick Injury Lawyers.
Our experienced attorneys can review your case and determine whether there is a possible legal claim. Reach out to our office today to schedule a consultation and discuss the next steps.
Who Should I Contact After an Accident on Halloween?
If you have been injured in a Palm Beach County accident on Halloween, I encourage you to contact me, Brian D. Guralnick, personally to discuss your legal rights. To learn how the injury team at Brian D. Guralnick Injury Lawyers can help you Demand More® for your injuries, call 561-202-6673 now.
Disclaimer: You should not take any information in this blog as legal advice in any situation. If you need expertise regarding a specific issue, contact a qualified personal injury attorney.
