Have a Safe and Fun Halloween
Oct
20
Written by:
20/10/2010 1:07 PM
Most people think of Halloween as a time for fun and treats. And for kids, the excitement of Halloween can easily distract them from good safety habits. When rumours spread of a house with “good candy” we often see kids crossing streets at mid-block rather than at corners or crosswalks, or choosing the shortest rather than the safest route across streets, often darting out between parked cars, which put them at risk for injury.
Many parents overestimate their child's street-crossing skills. In fact, a child’s development level strongly effects their ability to cross a street safely, and their small size limits their visibility to drivers. In addition, children can miss traffic threats, and don’t anticipate, or even consider driver behaviour the way an adult might. These are some of the reasons it is especially important to walk with any child under the age of nine.
As a parent, Halloween provides you with the perfect opportunity to teach and reinforce good pedestrian habits to protect your child year-round. Parents can help prevent their child from being injured by following these Halloween safety tips from Safe Kids Canada.
1. Children under the age of nine should be accompanied by an adult or responsible older child since they lack the developmental skills to cross the street on their own.
This is a year-round tip that will help keep your child safe while you share good pedestrian habits and pass on a legacy of safety-minded behaviour.
2. Teach your child to stop at the curb, look left, right and left again, and to listen for oncoming traffic.
This vital skill is especially important when children are distracted and excited. Never rely on traffic signals alone – use your eyes and ears to make sure it’s safe to cross.
3. It’s unsafe to cross between parked cars or other obstacles – always cross at crosswalks, street corners or intersections.
Many injuries occur when children run out between parked cars, but even at intersections it’s vital that children practice tip #2.
4. Stay on the sidewalk or path when walking from house to house and if there is no sidewalk, walk beside the road, facing traffic so drivers can see you.
From a very young age, children can be taught that roads are for cars and sidewalks are for kids. If your community has no sidewalks, walking beside the road at night can be very dangerous – adult accompaniment and flashlights are a must, regardless of the child’s age.
5. Select costumes with bright colours to increase your child’s visibility and choose face paint instead of masks.
Masks can make it hard for your child to see properly and often restrict peripheral vision, making it difficult to check for oncoming traffic before crossing a road.
But pedestrian safety is not just for kids and parents. It’s a two-way street. Come back next week for our Halloween safety tips for drivers!
Copyright ©2010 Safekids Media