How To Survive Halloween (Even If You’re Staying Home)

Believe it or not, it’s important to know how to survive Halloween.

On this holiday, children and adults nationwide are going to engage in activities that could put them in mortal danger.

You may think we’re exaggerating. But according to State Farm insurance, Halloween is the most dangerous day for adults and children.

That’s because with the drinking and partying from teenagers/college kids, absent-minded parents not keeping an eye on their children, and attackers taking advantage of the darkness, car accidents, kidnappings, hit-and-runs, and burglaries tend to increase tremendously on this holiday.

And the scariest part is how you can be doing everything right, taking care of yourself and your kids, but still suffering the mistakes of others.

Not to mention, you’ll still need to know this information, even if you plan on staying home this Halloween.

Our job here at Concerned Patriot is to help prepare you for anything. That’s why we took our top tips for surviving Halloween and put them in this article. 

These tips are great for party-goers, trick-or-treaters, and even for those of you who don’t venture outside of the house.

These tips don’t require you to buy anything. But when you use them, you’re bound to stay much safer on All Hallow’s Eve.

How To Survive Halloween (Even If You’re Staying Home)

Survival Tips For Trick-Or-Treaters

Before you get all hopped up on candy, make sure your costume isn’t going to work against you this evening. For instance, make sure it’s made from flame-resistant material. Too many instances have happened where kids’ costumes brush up against a jack-o-lantern or open flame and their costume bursts into flames.

Make sure your costume also allows you to be easily seen at night. If it’s dark in color, attach reflective tape to the front, back, and sides. This will help you be easily seen by passersby and cars when you cross the street.

If wearing makeup, make sure it’s non-toxic. Also, be sure to have a flashlight or glow-stick with you so that you’re easy to see.

Side Note: If you want to see the perfect costume for Halloween that bypasses all these issues, check out the glowstick man costume.

Finally, make sure you can easily see through your mask (if you have one), and make sure you can easily walk, run, and jump in your costume without tripping over it or the material getting in your way. Avoid swords and other sharp objects that can cause damage to yourself and others.

Survival Tips For The Families Staying Home

Unfortunately, just because you’re staying home this Halloween doesn’t mean you’re exempt from danger. For instance, burglars and robbers choose this time of year to sneak into your home.

However, there’s another danger you’re facing on Halloween: Premise Liability Laws. This entails that, as the property/land owner, you are responsible for certain injuries that people can obtain while on your property. Therefore, it is your responsibility to make sure the kids trick-or-treating at your home have as safe a Halloween as possible.

Here are some helpful tips to help you ensure this is a safe and happy Halloween for everyone:

• Make sure your walkway, lawn, and steps are secure and free of tripping hazards (like deep cracks or holes). Make sure people can’t slip and fall on them (important for snowy/icy conditions).
• Keep the porch and house well-lit. This will signal to both trick-or-treaters and potential burglars that you’re home.
• Have a self-defense item at the house just in case anyone tries to break into the home (unlikely if your lights are on, but you never know).
• Keep music, TV noises, etc. low enough so you can hear what’s going on outside and throughout the house.
• Keep candles inside and outside contained, and in an area where they can’t brush up against fabric.
• Store all jack-o-lanterns away from the doorstep to remove the risk of a fire hazard when children come to the door.
• Check your inside/outside lights for broken sockets, loose connections, and bare/frayed wiring. Discard these and replace them.
• Keep in mind some families walk their dogs while trick-or-treating. Keep your pets in another room or in a crate to prevent them escaping and/or getting in a fight with other animals.

Survival Tips For Drivers

Here’s a scary statistic from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: over half of all car accidents on Halloween are because of alcohol consumption.

Here’s an even scarier one: as pedestrians, kids are 136% more likely to face injury or death between the hours of 3pm – 9pm on Halloween night (versus any other day).

As a driver, you have an immense responsibility to keep yourself and all trick-or-treaters around your vehicle safe. Follow these tips to give yourself the best chance at having a happy and safe Halloween:

• Don’t drive intoxicated. Period.
• If you’re planning on drinking, bring a sober designated driver along with you. Better safe than sorry.
• Always buckle your seatbelt. Always.
• If you’re drunk and don’t have a designated driver, call a friend or family member, call a cab, or take a bus. Do not drive.
• Be on high-alert when driving. Trick-or-treaters and their families are likely to be everywhere, and they often wear dark clothing.
• Drive slower than normal, and check twice before going through stoplights, stop signs, and pedestrian walkways.
• Drive extra slowly through residential areas. Trick-or-treaters often run across the streets, and are typically unaware of their surroundings. Take extra caution.
• Triple-check behind you and around you before backing out of your parking spot or driveway. It’s easy to miss small children walking by if you’re not careful.
• Keep your headlights on at all times (even in the daylight). This is proven to increase your visibility – and you’ll need all the help you can get.
• Make sure all car windows are clean and easy to see through.

By learning how to survive Halloween, we can each do our part to make this the best holiday yet. Prepare Now with these survival tips so you can Survive Later!