Altered Candy is Not the Biggest Concern

When parents begin to worry about Halloween, their minds typically turn to tainted candy. Stories of pins, needles and even razor blades stuck inside the candy of unsuspecting trick-or-treaters have made the rounds for decades. These stories are rarely based in fact, and they cause parents to focus on a danger that may not be there. Unfortunately, these stories take attention away from the real danger: Cars.

There are more than 40 million trick-or-treaters that hit the pavement each year. Of course, with this number of children out and about, accidents will happen. Slips and falls will result in skinned knees. Plastic props will cause injury. Of all the dangers that children face on Halloween, cars are the most common, yet least thought about.

According to Safe Kids USA, children are twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car when they are out trick-or-treating than at any other time of year. Most of the accidents involving costumed little ones and vehicles occur between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. There seems to be a peak at dusk, when the sun is setting and drivers are dealing with glare, depending on their direction of travel.

Children do not tend to watch where they are going. The excitement of the evening makes them even less cautious. Children that are unsupervised are in even more danger. Parents are urged to make sure that an adult, or at least an older teenager, accompanies any tiny trick-or-treater. Having supervision makes a child less apt to wander into the street and directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

Make sure that children are carrying flashlights or that they have reflective tape adhered to their costumes. Glow sticks and glow jewelry can make children in costume more visible, but there are dangers in these popular items. The liquid inside the sticks and jewelry can be toxic. It’s important that children understand not to break a glow stick and, if one does break, not to ingest the liquid.

If your child is injured on Halloween in a pedestrian versus car accident in Charlotte, call our team of attorneys. We will help you schedule an appointment for a free case evaluation at which time we will advise you of your options. You may also choose to browse our website for more information about the types of cases we handle.