Norton Children’s offers Halloween safety tips for families

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –  Halloween may be one of the most exciting nights of the year for children, but it’s also one of the most dangerous.

According to Norton Children’s, children are twice as likely to be hit by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year.

Families are encouraged to talk to their children about pedestrian safety, reminding them to use sidewalks and look both ways before crossing the street.

Health experts are also reminding drivers to stay alert and slow down to help keep children safe on Halloween.

“Kids are excited. They’re running around there with their friends,” said Kinzie Evrard with Norton Children’s Prevention and Wellness. “They’re completely distracted. They’re not thinking about safety concerns. They’re excited to get to that next house. Just be mindful that there are kids that are really excited and this is a happy day for them. And we don’t want it to turn into a tragedy. So just drive slow, be patient, look for the child that might be a little excited running through the street.”

Costume choices also play a role in keeping children safe.

Experts recommend using face paint instead of masks that could obstruct a child’s vision.

They also encourage families to add reflective materials or lights to costumes to make children more visible to drivers.

“You know, if the if the child’s costume doesn’t have any kind of reflective material on it, it’s easy to go and get those blinking, flashing lights that runners use,” Evrard said. “You can get reflective tape from your average store, and you can just add that to the costume in some way. If the child does not want that, then glow sticks or little flashlights are fun. Just anything that would catch a driver’s attention if they are driving down the street.”

Experts recommend children younger than 12 go trick-or-treating with an adult, while older children should stay in groups.