Strategies For Young Trick-Or-Treaters To Stay Safe

Many people love a good scare on Halloween, but not when it comes to child safety. OU Medical and Safe Kids Worldwide want to make sure your kids are seen this Halloween.

Preventable injuries are the number one killer of children in the United States. And children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. But good news for parents, there are several easy and effective ways to reduce risks, and it starts with your child's costume.

"The main thing like with a costume is that to make sure they're not too long so they're not a tripping hazard," Laura Gamino, Injury Prevention Coordinator for OU Medical said. "The other thing is instead of a mask that can impede the child's vision, just use makeup."

Other ways to stay safe are to teach your children to walk safely and slowly, to look left, right, then left again when crossing the street. Also make sure your kids are trick or treating with an adult present.

And for those not joining in on the trick or treating, there are some ways you can help as well.

"If you're staying home and distributing the candy, keep your porch light on," Gamino said. "Also every year on Halloween I always go and put new light bulbs over my driveway, so even though they're coming up onto the sidewalk I know there's bright light and they can see easily."

Popular trick or treating hours are from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert during those times.

For more safety tips and other ways to prevent childhood injuries, you can go to www.safekids.org