• Posted October 18, 2025

Halloween Fun Can Turn Dangerous Fast — Here’s How to Stay Safe

Trick-or-treating is one of Halloween’s favorite traditions, but the excitement of the night can quickly lead to injuries if families aren’t careful.

Each year, about 3,200 Halloween-related injuries are treated in U.S. emergency rooms, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. And research in JAMA Pediatrics shows that children are more likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year.

“It’s easy to get distracted when you’re seeing friends, looking at everyone’s costumes and admiring the decorations on the houses nearby,” said Emmy Sasala, an injury prevention specialist at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. “And all that’s happening around dusk, when it’s dark out, a time of day when injuries are more common.”

Sasala shared her top safety tips for keeping kids safe while still having fun this Halloween:

• Avoid tripping hazards. Costumes that are too long or baggy can easily cause falls. Hem hand-me-downs or homemade outfits so they don’t drag on the ground.

• Skip the mask. “We recommend using non-toxic face paint instead of a mask because a mask can obscure vision and make a child more likely to trip and fall,” Sasala said in a news release.

• Stay visible. Add reflective tape to costumes, give kids flashlights or choose light-up treat buckets so drivers can easily see them.

What's more, Sasala recommended walking your trick-or-treat route during daylight hours a few days early. Note driveways, intersections and crosswalks so your child knows where it’s safe to walk.

“Mid-street crossings are not as well lit, and drivers aren’t expecting people to cross there,” Sasala explained.

Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult, Sasala said. Younger kids may not recognize danger or judge car speeds accurately.

“Actively supervise,” Sasala added. “Don’t stay half a block back and let them go ahead of you. Walk up to the house with them or stay just a few steps behind.”

Even if you’re not trick-or-treating, check your community’s trick-or-treat hours and drive carefully.

“Be on the lookout for kids crossing the road unpredictably or even being in the street at some point,” Sasala said. “Drive extra slowly and carefully, limit any distractions in the car, and be really careful backing out of the driveway.”

Lastly, after trick-or-treating, sort through candy before kiddos dig in. Watch for hard candies that pose choking risks for children under 3, and avoid homemade or unwrapped treats that could contain allergens or other hazards.

More information

Penn State Health Children's Hospital has more on pedestrian safety for kids.

SOURCE: Penn State Health, news release, Oct. 15, 2025