Here are some safetey tips for kids this Halloween. Safe Kids USA and program sponsor FedEx created the Safe Kids Walk This Way program in 2000 to help prevent pedestrian-related injury to children.
• Cross streets safely. Cross at the corner. Try to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. Don’t assume that because you can see the driver, the driver can see you.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Children under age 12 should not be out alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to a predetermined route with good light.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars. Also, it’s important to remember that the excitement of the holiday can be distracting to both drivers and children.
“Parents have many concerns on Halloween, and we need to remind kids about safety while walking before they head out to trick-or-treat,” says Mitch Stoller, president and CEO of Safe Kids USA.
Stoller and the child pedestrian safety experts at Safe Kids offer these tips to keep kids safe:
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights in order to see better as well as be seen by drivers.
Read more: POINTERS FOR PARENTS.