Forgetting About Terrible Accidents

Posted on: 7 August 2015

Halloween is right around the corner. While parents do everything they can to keep their kids safe while trick-or-treating, everyone has to do their part. If you are handing out candy to children, you need to make sure your home is safe for them. Many people decorate without considering the dangers. Here are some tips for making sure your home is trick-or-treat friendly.

Choose candy wisely

You might assume that parents will remove any unsafe candy, but it's not always the case. Walking around with a bag filled with candy in the dark makes it difficult for parents to catch everything. You can make it easier on parents by using your best judgment when purchasing candy. Opt out of hard candy. If you want to buy hard candy, go for lollipops. The stick keeps kids from choking. However, regular hard candies are not safe for small children. While only 4% of children have an allergy to peanuts, the allergy can be deadly. Choosing candy that doesn't contain peanuts is a smart choice.

Secure railings

If you have a railing going to your front door, make sure it's secure before Halloween night. Small children rely on railings to keep their balance, and the constant weight on your railing can make it fall completely. With several children charging to your door in groups, it could lead to a serious slip and fall injury. Serious injuries due to negligence can lead to a lawsuit if parents decide to move forward with one.

Lock up pets

Even friendly pets can get snippy. On Halloween, the amount of people coming to the door might overwhelm dogs. The costumes and noises can spook them as well. You don't want your dogs getting frightened and biting a trick-or-treating kid. Keep your dogs in a crate or locked in one of your bedrooms. More than 80% of dog bite cases are against children, and 76% of all attacks result in fatalities. It's not worth the risk.

Keep walkways clear

It might seem fun to put decorations on the walkways, but kids don't always watch where they're walking. They are excited on Halloween, and go running up and down walkways at full speed. Putting decorations in places where kids walk is a recipe for disaster. Keep decorations in the grass for their safety.

Use lights

Everyone knows that dark and spooky is the best for the Halloween vibe, but dark and spooky is also dangerous. It's important to keep your porch and walkway or driveway lit up so children can watch their step. Even lights with a soft glow will work, as long as it allows them to see. Along with lights, keep smoke machines at a minimum. Smoke is fine, but it can't be so dense that people can't see in front of them.

Opt out of candles

Candles are fun on Halloween, especially when you light jack-o-lanterns. However, children shouldn't be playing around open flames. If you have candles where people are walking, they can cause long costumes to catch fire. If a jack-o-lantern is knocked over by children running, it has the potential to start a house fire. Flameless candles are the safest option. They provide light without the fire. The best part is, they won't go out unless the batteries die.

Don't scare the kids

Spooky is fun, but doing something to startle the kids at your door is potentially dangerous. When you startle the kids, they might go running. In a large group, frightened kids might trample one another and cause serious injury.

Halloween is fun, but it can also be dangerous. These safety tips will keep kids safe without ruining the spirit of Halloween. You don't want to do something that will harm a child and potentially lead to a personal injury lawsuit. For more information, check with a personal injury lawyer in your area.