Halloween is just around the corner and many consumers may not realize how frightening this spooky night could really be for their personal safety, their property or their bank accounts. To help families better prepare for Halloween hazards that may come in disguise or under the cloak of dark, Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents offer the following safety tips:
- Don't be a Scary Driver: Drive sober, slowly and even more carefully than usual on Halloween. Watch for children who may be running or wearing dark costumes in the road.
- Stay Accident-free: Remove or move lawn furniture, or any other obstacles, to avoid accidents or damage. Ensure your home's entry is in good condition, free of loose or broken pieces on stairwells and walkways to avoid trick-or-treaters' injuries on your property.
- Prevent Fire Dangers: Prevent fires by making sure pumpkins containing candles are placed at a distance where a child's costume cannot be ignited or tipped over by a curious guest. Extinguish all candles before going to bed. Consider using battery operated lights wherever possible. A variety of Jack-O-Lantern lights are available at most stores that sell Halloween decor.
- Costume Safety: Costumes can hide more than someone's true identity, such as hazards. All disguises should be made from flame-resistant materials and shouldn't be too long or contain sharp accessories. Avoid masks that may obscure vision and stick to using hypo-allergenic make-up.
- See and Be Seen: Encourage each trick-or-treater and adult chaperones to carry a flashlight. Apply light-reflecting material to costumes.
- Hear and Be Heard: Make sure your child's hearing isn't impaired with cumbersome costumes or ear buds. Be alert to the sounds of moving vehicles, other groups of pedestrians or bicyclists, and listen to all of your surroundings.
- Power in Numbers: When traveling on foot, walk in groups and cross only at corners and crosswalks, never between parked cars, and stay on well-lit streets.
- Unwelcomed Guests: Property vandals often use the chaos of Halloween night to strike. Scare them away by keeping outdoor lights on.
- Pet Safety: Keep pets inside. Warn your children to stay away from animals as they go door-to-door. Halloween night can be stressful, even for friendliest animal, \including the neighborhood dogs and cats.
- Candy Inspection: Cavities aren't the only candy-related risks on Halloween.
- Inspect all trick-or-treat candy and other treats.
- Never allow your child to eat unwrapped items.
- Collect candy only from people you know and trust and ask the local police department if it offers a candy x-ray and/or inspection service.
- Throw away any suspicious candy.
Source: Trusted Choice®
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs and is the consumer marketing identity for more than 25,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 70 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
Posted October 23, 2013
