Everyone Can Help Make Halloween Night a Fun, Safe Experience
Published on Thursday, 22 October 2015 18:57
For Immediate Release
October 22, 2015
INDIANAPOLIS – On Halloween night, children dress up in their favorite costumes and walk from house-to-house in search of treats. To help everyone have a fun trick-or-treating experience, the Marion County Public Health Department offers these important safety tips.
Before heading out, be sure that costumes are sized correctly to prevent children from trips and falls. Costumes and bags should also have reflective tape or stickers, and, if possible, feature light colors. Face paint and makeup are safer than masks, which can block a child’s vision. Also, kids are encouraged to carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see – and be seen – by drivers.
Drivers should be especially alert for kids during trick-or-treating hours. In Indianapolis, Halloween trick-or-treating hours are 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 31. Children are more than two times as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Drivers need to slow down in residential neighborhoods and be aware that children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and to trick-or-treat in groups.
When the night is over, parents should look through their child’s bag before anything is eaten. Check for small toys like spider rings and other items that could be a choking hazard for kids three years old and younger. Remind children to only eat treats in original, unopened wrappers. Candy should be thrown away if the wrapper is faded or torn, or appears to be tampered with in any way.
For more information about Halloween safety, contact the Marion County Public Health Department’s consumer product safety specialist at 317-221-3360.
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Media Contact:
Curt Brantingham
Media/Public Information Coordinator
317-221-2316 (o) │ 317-525-7450 (c)
