CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Halloween is now just five days away, but a lot of cities and towns have trick-or-treating scheduled for over the weekend.
It is the night of trick-or-treaters and candy, where kids wear ghoul costumes and skeleton costumes. On one side, this holiday is family-friendly, but on the other, there’s drinking and partying. Partygoers often drink and drive and threaten trick-or-treaters’ lives on the streets of neighborhoods.
Children make up 18% of those killed in deadly crashes on Halloween, according to autoinsurance.org. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the dangers of Halloween and take precautions to ensure the safety of children and adults alike. HealthyChildren.org says parents should always accompany their children when going trick-or-treating.
If your older kids are trick-or-treating alone, plan and review the route that works for you. Set a time when everyone should return home and get flashlights with batteries.
Kids should be told about the dangers of distracted walking. This includes texting, talking on a mobile phone, and listening to music. Kids should also know not to cross the street between parked cars or out of driveways.
It’s even recommended by HealthyChildren.org not to assume cars will stop just because they have the right of way. Trick-or-treaters might be hard to see for motorists.
Make sure your costumes are bright and reflective. For better visibility, add reflective tape or stripes to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
Safekids.org says drivers should slow down and be alert! Kids are excited on Halloween and might dart into the street. Make sure you turn on your headlights early in the day so you can spot kids from a distance.
Children are advised to always walk on the sidewalk and stay on well-lit streets. If there’s no sidewalk, walk on the far side of the road. Go to homes with porch lights on and, ideally, well-lit pathways.
Furthermore, partygoers should always have a designated driver to ensure no one is operating a vehicle under the influence.
In case trick-or-treating doesn’t start until after dark where you live, check with your town or park district about Halloween activities like attending a Halloween parade or a Halloween-themed movie night. The riskiest time of day for child pedestrians is evenings between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
22News has compiled of Halloween events happening in the area this weekend. Click here to view them!
Kayleigh Thomas is a digital reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Kayleigh on X @kayleighcthomas and view her bio to see more of her work.
