Kids of all ages will be out and about this Saturday night celebrating Halloween. And while the focus is on having fun, both parents and children should keep some safety tips in mind. Liam McKinney is the injury prevention specialist at Mercy Springfield. She said part of keeping children safe is choosing the right costumes.
"We always like to have parents pick costumes that are pretty snug, they're not going to trip over themselves when they're walking across the street," she said. "Also, not having those masks that obstruct their vision, especially when they have to walk across the street or they're walking door to door. It's just safer to not have those masks on and then being visible. So, having reflective tape."
McKinney said parents should go over road safety tips before they head out with their children. And she recommends a responsible adult go along with kids 13 and younger, since depth perception isn't as good at those ages, "so, when they're crossing the street, they cannot tell how far that vehicle is away, she said.
And she said drivers should be aware that kids will be out and about Saturday night.
"Drive slower in your neighborhoods, especially of the more populated neighborhoods, and just be mindful of your pedestrians," she said. "Make sure you're looking for those reflective tapes. And people are notoriously not remembering those things or wearing dark costumes, so just be mindful all the time."
She recommends inspecting candy for allergens and to make sure nothing is tampered with. For families with allergies, there's the Teal Pumpkin Project. You can go to foodallergy.org to find houses that hand out non-food items.