Tips for staying safe during Halloween

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Halloween is a fun, joyous time with memories made for adults and kids, alike, but it’s important to keep some safety tips in mind:

Drivers, be extra careful

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study even shows pedestrian deaths are 43% higher on Halloween than on other nights.

For drivers, this means you should go under the 25 mph speed limit when going through neighborhoods. Even on city streets near neighborhoods, you should still go under the posted speed limit and keep an eye out for people walking at all times, no matter if it’s Halloween or not.

Keep yourself visible

Often, Halloween costumes can be dark and other people, especially drivers, can’t see you while you’re walking.

This is why it’s important to wear lighter-colored clothing or even reflective gear, like a vest or reflective tape that you can decorate your costumes with. If you have your gear already picked out, carrying glow sticks and flashlights helps too.

Also, be sure to trick-or-treat in well-lit areas where you know you’ll be seen and safe. You can even share your location with a trusted one to further ensure your safety.

Make sure your costume is safe

Many costumes look really cool but can be restrictive in how you walk or see, such as costumes with a cape or a mask.

That’s why it’s important to make sure your costume isn’t something you or your kid can trip on as, even if you are seen by others, tripping while crossing a road or not seeing a car coming can put you in danger.

Prevent allergic reactions

If you have different food allergies or allergies to certain things, it’s important to check your candy and test out things like face paint or a costume to ensure you don’t have a bad reaction to it.

Even if, for example, you have a peanut allergy and you grab a pack of Smarties, be sure it isn’t in the same bowl as a Reese’s or something that may flair up allergens.

Like with your candy, check your face paint before you go out or even buy it, to see if there are any warnings on the label. While you wouldn’t want to try out candy that would flair up your allergens, it’s not a bad idea to try out your face paint to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin or cause adverse effects.

Click the video above to see the full list of tips.