ROANOKE, Va. – Halloween is considered one of the deadliest times of year for kids to be out on the streets.
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, on average, twice as many child pedestrians are killed while walking on Halloween compared to other days of the year.
“Children are not the best judges of where to cross and how to safely be seen,” said pediatric trauma coordinator Tanya Trevilian, at Carilion Children's Hospital.
VIEW A COMPLETE GUIDE TO HALLOWEEN SAFETY
Civilian Crime Specialist, Scott Leaman, of the Roanoke Police Department, says to ensure the safety of your kids while trick-or-treating, use crosswalks and corners to cross the street.
“The common denominator is that kids try to cross the street between two parked cars. When you pop out of the street between two parked cars, the driver can't see you,” Leaman said.
When it comes to making your kid visible at night, flashlights, glow sticks and reflectors are recommended.
“Face paintings are great, and masks that you can actually see from behind are good,” Trevilian said. “The most important thing about Halloween costumes is to make sure that they fit properly, so if you have a costume that's too big, it may cause you to trip and stumble, so we want to make sure that your costume fits good.”
Kids under age 12 should trick-or-treat and cross streets with an adult.
Trevilian reminds parents to talk to their kids about their safety before going trick-or-treating.