Kidsafe Victoria is reminding parents and guardians to keep safety at the top of mind this Halloween.
The main dangers to kids at Halloween is when walking on and near roads and novelty items that contain button batteries.
Jason Chambers, General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria, highlighted that children are at increased risk of injury on and around roads. “Children are unpredictable and surprisingly quick – they tend to only look ahead and can’t tell which direction sounds are coming from, which places them at greater risk around roads, car parks and driveways.”
“Halloween can be an exciting time for children who are eager to get to as many houses in the neighbourhood as they can to collect their treats, so it’s important that they are actively supervised by an adult to help keep them safe”, Mr Chambers said.
Kidsafe Victoria is also reminding families about the dangers posed by button batteries, which can be found in many novelty items. “If swallowed, button batteries can become stuck in a child’s throat and burn through the oesophagus in less than 2 hours, which can lead to serious injury requiring surgery, or death”, said Mr Chambers. “Novelty items that light up, make sounds or flash often contain button batteries – we encourage all parents and carers to inspect items and if the battery compartment isn’t secure, make sure the items are kept out of the sight and reach of children.”
Kidsafe Victoria has released their top Halloween tips to help families plan for a safe, fun and spooky Halloween:
STREET SAFETY
• Ensure that children have adult supervision while out trick or treat
• Set some safety rules, including staying with the group and crossing the road at designated pedestrian crossings.
• Be careful in and around driveways – driveways pose the same hazards as roads, so it’s important that children are always supervised by adults and that drivers take care.
• If you are driving on Halloween, be sure to take extra care and watch for children crossing the street.
COSTUME SAFETY
● No matter how cool your child’s costume may be, it shouldn’t forego safety. The brighter the better; avoid costumes that are dark in colour, or apply reflective tape to your child’s costume, to ensure they can be seen easily
● Masks can make it harder for children to see, or to hear traffic – face paint is a good alternative when considering costume options
● Limit sharp and pointy accessories such as wands, swords and knives, which can pose safety hazards
● Avoid long costumes that drag on the ground and can pose a trip hazard.
BATTERY SAFETY
• Be button battery aware. Novelty items that flash, make sounds or light up often contain these batteries – products that don’t have secure battery compartments should be kept out of the sight and reach of children.
Be safe, and have a spooktacular Halloween!
