Be a Halloween Safety Hero!
Halloween should be the most fun night of the year — and it can also be one of the riskiest for kids on foot. From our family to yours, here is everything your crew needs for a safe night: the Safety Hero checklist, a safe-choices quiz to do together, a free coloring page, and tips for the grown-ups behind the wheel.
The Safety Hero Checklist
Check each box together when you complete it. Six out of six makes you an official Halloween Safety Hero!
Pick the Safe Choice!
Read each question with your trick-or-treaters, let them answer, then tap to reveal the safe choice.
1. How should kids cross the street on Halloween?+
2. Where is the safest place to walk while trick-or-treating?+
3. What should kids carry at night?+
4. What makes a costume safe?+
5. What kind of candy bag is best?+
6. What is the number one rule for grown-ups walking with kids?+
Halloween Night, By the Numbers
We handle the aftermath of pedestrian accidents all year — which is exactly why we would rather help prevent them. Every figure below comes from safety researchers and government sources.
The Riskiest Night to Walk
Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found pedestrian deaths are about 43% higher on Halloween night than on comparable nights — with the risk for young children several times higher still.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics, analysis of 42 years of U.S. traffic fatality data
The Deadliest Hours
The danger peaks in the early evening — right when trick-or-treating is busiest and daylight fades. Deaths spike between about 5 and 9 p.m., so the checklist matters most during prime candy hours.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics Halloween pedestrian study
Impaired Drivers Are Out
Halloween is consistently among the worst nights for alcohol-impaired driving, according to NHTSA — one more reason kids need lights, sidewalks, and a grown-up at every crossing.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Halloween Safety Tips, In Two Minutes
Watch: Halloween Safety Tips (opens on YouTube)
Free Halloween Printables
Print them, color them, and hang the Safety Hero rules on the fridge. Made with love by the Shiner Law Group team.
Parent & Driver Quick Tips
Walking the Route
- Plan a route on sidewalks and well-lit streets, and agree on it before you leave.
- Cross only at corners and crosswalks — never mid-block or between parked cars.
- Kids under 12 should go with an adult; older kids should stick to the agreed route with a charged phone.
- Add a flashlight, glow sticks, or reflective tape to every costume and candy bag.
- Masks that block side vision are the classic tripping-and-crossing hazard — face paint sees better.
Behind the Wheel
- Slow way down in neighborhoods between 5 and 9 p.m. — the peak trick-or-treat window.
- Expect kids to dart from between parked cars, in dark costumes, without looking.
- Enter and exit driveways slowly, with a second look for small pedestrians below hood height.
- Put the phone away completely — a glance down is a house-length driven blind.
- If your plans include a party, plan the sober ride home before the night starts.
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If the Unexpected Happens
We hope your Halloween is nothing but fun. If a negligent driver or property owner turns it into something else, our team is here 24/7 — free consultations, no fee unless we win.
Free Case Review(561) 777-7700This page is provided for informational and community purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Shiner Law Group — Accident & Injury Lawyers. Attorney Advertising.