Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance Agency, Insurance.com, Helps Keep Children Safe This Halloween

From witches and goblins to pirates and cheerleaders, communities all around the country will soon be invaded by trick-or-treaters of all ages. But did you know that Halloween has the highest rate of child-related pedestrian injuries in the country? In fact, the Safe Kids Worldwide Organization reports that children are four times more likely to suffer a pedestrian-related fatality on Halloween than on any other night of the year.

With a dramatic increase in injury for one night of ghoulish fun, you might be motivated to have your trick-or-treater skip Halloween altogether. But not to worry, Insurance.com, the nation’s largest online auto insurance agency, has come up with some helpful Halloween safety tips and ideas on how to keep your trick-or-treaters safe and sound this Halloween.

Halloween Costumes
Many times, Halloween Costumes do not fit all sizes. Because of this, you will want to make sure that your child’s Halloween Costume fits him or her properly before they head out for the night. Have your child try on their costume a couple weeks before Halloween. This will give you time to see what needs to be altered and make any adjustments to the costume. When evaluating the Halloween costume on your child, make sure to check that:

• The Halloween costume is flame-retardant
• Shoes fit properly – over-sized shoes can cause your trick-or-treater to fall and hurt themselves
• Pant and skirt lengths are above the shoe
• Capes, hats and wigs are not too big
• Mask or accessories do not block eyesight or hearing

You’ll also want to make sure that your child wears a sensible pair of shoes with his or her Halloween costume. High heels are often hard for children to maneuver in, causing them to trip or fall. While it might not give the costume the full effect, having your little one wear flat shoes is the best and safest idea. Another good idea is to use non-toxic, hypoallergenic makeup instead of a mask. This will ensure nothing is hindering your child’s view while trick-or-treating.

Make a glowing statement this Halloween
Children often get very excited while trick-or-treating and tend to run across yards and streets, which creates a hazard for many drivers. Help make your child more noticeable by adding reflective tape and glowing accessories (such as glow sticks) to your trick-or-treater’s costume.

If your child is going to be a cheerleader or a character that requires a sword, consider getting a Lighted Flashing Power Pom-Poms or Halloween Goblin Sword. Another good idea is to have your child wear glow-in-the dark necklaces, bracelets, pins, rings and headbands. These accessories will definitely help add light to any costume, not to mention that kids love to wear glow-in-the dark products.

Not able to add reflective tape to your trick-or-treater’s costume? Consider having your child carry a reflective bag, such as the Glow-Vestco Halloween Bag, or wearing an accessory such as the Glow-Vestco Halloween Safety Harness. Both of these products have reflective material sewn onto the product and come with clear PVC sleeves that you can insert glow sticks into.

All of the products mentioned above will help make trick-or-treaters more visible to passing motorists and help prevent child-related pedestrian injuries.

Halloween Safety Tips
With Daylight Saving Time occurring on November 4th this year (instead of the last week in October) trick-or-treaters will have a little more daylight to trick-or-treat in. However, this doesn’t mean that safety isn’t still an important issue when it comes to trick-or-treating. To increase Halloween safety, Insurance.com (the nation’s largest online auto insurance agency) recommends:

• Attaching an emergency identification card (including the child’s name, address, phone number) discreetly to trick-or-treater’s costume or inside their Halloween bag
• Reviewing the trick-or-treater’s phone number and what to do in an emergency with them before they head out
• Having a refresher course on how to properly cross the street
• And reminding them never to talk to strangers

Halloween Activities
There are many Halloween activities you can do with your children to celebrate Halloween without having to go trick-or-treating around your neighborhood. For instance, many local malls have trick-or-treating or other Halloween activities for children to participate in on or before Halloween. Check with your local mall for details.

If you prefer to participate in a Halloween activity outdoors, then the “Boo at the Zoo” might be a good choice for you. Boo at the Zoo is an event designed especially for kids and offers a safe neighborhood for trick-or-treaters to roam around freely, without having to worry about passing cars. Many zoos around the nation participate in Boo at the Zoo, including the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, DC. Contact your local zoo to find out if they participate in Boo at the Zoo.

Amusement parks also have Halloween celebrations during the month of October. Some of the more well-known spooky celebrations include Cedar Point’s Halloweekends and Six Flags Fright Fest.

These Halloween safety tips were brought to you by Insurance.com, the leading online auto insurance agency in the country. If you’re in need of auto insurance, or are thinking about switching auto insurance carriers, visit Insurance.com’s auto insurance comparison application. Here, you will be able to evaluate multiple rates from best-in-class auto insurance providers, helping you save time and money on your auto insurance.