Halloween safety tips | PEMCO

Sweet news, fun-size Snickers fans: Halloween’s back and bigger than ever this year! Retailers expect a sugar-fueled spend that will hit an all-time high with a projected $13.1 billion in holiday spending – everything from candy and costumes to home décor and night-on-the-town revelry.  

With more people getting their ghoul on, our pros have tips for parents, drivers, and homeowners to make sure this holiday is all treats with no tricks. Even when observing a festive night out (it's on a Friday night this year!), it's important to make prevention a priority.

How can parents keep kids safe during Trick-or-Treating? 

While spooky Halloween lore focuses on tainted treats and creepy strangers, the biggest worries for Trick-or-Treaters are actually falls and cars. Here’s what you can do to keep your child safe: 

• Choose costumes for good visibility and easy movement. Use reflective tape to catch the light from oncoming headlights. Make sure masks don’t obstruct vision. Keep hems short enough that your child won’t trip going up and down stairs. 

• Accompany Trick-or-Treaters under age 12 to ensure they cross streets safely and stick to the sidewalk or, for streets without sidewalks, walk facing oncoming traffic. On Halloween, children are twice as likely to be hit by a car compared to a normal day, according to safekids.org. 

• Older kids who go out with an adult should still practice pedestrian safety. Encourage them to remain visible, use crosswalks apprioriately, and beware of their surroundings. Late evenings often go hand-in-hand with rowdiness that leads to trouble, so you may want to consider a curfew.

How can drivers stay safer on Halloween? 

Drivers need extra vigilance on Halloween since pedestrians are likely to appear in places where you don’t normally see them. And more people on the street – maybe with mischief in mind – can put parked cars at risk. Here’s how to stay safer behind the wheel and keep your car secure once you walk away: 

• Slow down and turn on headlights when driving, especially after 5 p.m., when the early trick-or-treaters will likely begin.

• Take care when entering or exiting driveways, as more pedestrians than usual may be in your neighborhood (walking across driveways, etc.). 

• Once home, park inside your garage if possible. Vehicle vandalism doubles on Halloween, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, making it the worst day of the year for serious damage like slashed tires and smashed windows. 

• If you can’t park inside, choose a well-lighted location, and double-check your normal precautions like locking doors, rolling up windows, and using a car alarm or steering wheel lock. 

• Consider taking a cab or rideshare instead of driving to a party if you’re unsure whether you’ll have secure parking options. 

How can I make my home safer on Halloween? 

Guests and Trick-or-Treaters can relax and have fun when you:  

• Keep pathways and stairs clear. Remove hoses, flowerpots, or any tripping hazard. Light jack-o’-lanterns with flameless candles rather than the real thing since candles can start a fire if knocked over. 

• Turn on outside lights so little goblins can see clearly and feel comfortable approaching your home. 

• Give your pets the night off in a quiet bedroom. Ringing doorbells and excited chatter can rattle even normally calm pets, prompting a misguided, overprotective bite or a frantic attempt to dart out the door. 

Can my insurance cover a Halloween mishap? 

 Your insurance coverage doesn’t distinguish between Halloween-related claims and any other.  

For example, if a partygoer has an accident on your property and is hurt, your renter, condo, or homeowners insurance may protect you up to policy limits if you were legally liable for the injury. Your auto insurance would cover vandalism to your car (minus your policy’s deductible), provided you selected comprehensive coverage. 

If you have questions about your coverage, you can log in to your pemco.com account anytime, talk to your local PEMCO agent, or call 1-800-GO-PEMCO to learn more.