COVINGTON TWP, Pa. Oct 18, 2024 – Halloween is a day for flashy costumes and overconsumption of sticky and sugary treats. As a child, this holiday seems completely unharmful, free to indulge and have careless fun. Yet there is always a concern of safety amongst parents and anxious pre-teens. With over 3,200 yearly cases of Halloween related injuries resulting in the emergency room, it is paramount now more than ever to learn how to stay safe while staying spooky.
As researched by Frank Gallucci, the average state was seen to exhibit over a 21% increase in driving-related discord and legal troubles. This happens because of either an increase in foot traffic or the impatience that grows even worse as Halloween becomes such a popular holiday. Resource officer Scott Cabets even goes as far as to explicitly mention that, “additional patrols are typically directed to monitor highly populated areas with vehicular and foot traffic,” because of this concern. As people dart around with vision-stifling masks and dark costumes, there is an error of caution that should be made by pedestrians and drivers alike.
Costumes can not only look impressive, but cause tripping hazards as well. Impeding a person’s peripheral vision is a huge concern for falling-related accidents. Switching the masks for face paint and a bit of reflective tape or clothing can make anybody more visible to oncoming traffic or for friends staggering behind.
Even as children age, it is important that parents or older kids stay alert and cautious. Traveling in groups and trusting one another to keep the group safe is key to having an enjoyable experience from even the scariest of outside forces, for not every bump in the night is as innocent as it seems. It further underlines the concern of safety when regarding this holiday. Of course, for everyone unsupervised, the basic rules of safety or common logic should follow, yet the reckless nature of minors when in the company of sugar and friends can create reckless decision making. Ashlyn Fritz, a sophomore living in a heavily populated neighborhood, recommends personally to, “Never enter a stranger’s house unless you personally know them, and to always keep an eye out if you’re alone!”
As this holiday season comes to a close, one will soon swiftly come in and replace it without remorse. Danger comes with every aspect of life, yet can be lessened with proper precautions and self preservation. Halloween is no different, and can serve as an excuse for fun with any age range. It’s up to the individual to determine which unnecessary risks they’ll be taking.
