Safe Halloween: how to choose the right costume, treats and avoid getting into an unpleasant situation

Dressing up in costumes, hanging out around the neighborhood with friends and family, and participating in the annual trick-or-treating events is fun for all ages. As enjoyable as this tradition can be, it is important to take precautions to ensure the safety of your family.

Photo: IStock

Here are some tips to help ensure a safe Halloween this year.

Safety Tips for Drivers

Halloween trick-or-treaters beware. Drivers should slow down and be careful in places where vision is limited, warns NHTSA. On Halloween, there will likely be more pedestrians on the roads and in places where they are not expected. Lower speeds save lives.

On the subject: Healthy (well, almost) sweets: which Halloween candies will do less harm

Be alert for pedestrians who may emerge from behind parked cars or from behind bushes. Stop and wait for them to pass.

Don't look at your phone while you're driving. Your attention should always be on the road. If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

Children are twice as likely to be injured in traffic accidents on Halloween compared to any other day of the year, warns Department of Homeland Security.

Walk on the sidewalk, if available, and use crosswalks.

Before you start celebrating Halloween, create a "buddy system" to get each other home safely and prevent you from going out alone. Play with your parents or friends and visit only familiar places and areas.

Carry glow sticks, use flashlights, and apply reflective tape or stickers to your suits and bags to increase your visibility.

Tips for party planners

Be a responsible party host and make sure your guests get home safely. Serve plenty of food and offer non-alcoholic drink options.

Like the article? Support ForumDaily!?

Take car keys from drinking guests.

Be prepared to call a taxi, rideshare, provide overnight accommodations, or - if you're sober - drive your guests home yourself.

Safety suit

Wear suits labeled as “fire resistant.” If you are making a suit, use flame retardant fabrics such as polyester or nylon, recommends Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Wear bright, reflective clothing or add strips of reflective tape to ensure you are visible on the road. Make sure the suits are not so long that you risk tripping.

Wear makeup and hats rather than masks, which can impair your vision.

Check your makeup products. Apply a small amount onto your hand. If there is a rash, redness, swelling or other signs of irritation where you applied your makeup, this is a sign of an allergy.

Bright makeup is popular for Halloween. Check the FDA's list of color additives to see if they are approved. This is especially important for colored makeup around the eyes.

Do not wear decorative (colored) contact lenses that change the appearance of your eyes. There is a risk of eye injury. Decorative contact lenses sold in costume stores or other retailers without a prescription are illegal and can cause harm. These are contact lenses that have not been approved for safety and effectiveness by the FDA. Consumers should only use branded contact lenses from reputable contact lens manufacturers.

If you've never worn contact lenses before, Halloween shouldn't be the first time you wear them. Experts warn that purchasing any contact lenses, which are medical devices and regulated as such, without an examination and prescription from an ophthalmologist can cause serious eye conditions and infections that can lead to permanent vision loss.

Safe treats

Eating sweet treats is also an important part of the Halloween fun. If you're concerned about food safety, there are a few things you should know.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read all this on ForumDaily New York.

Before you or your kids go trick-or-treating, remember these tips:

• Do not eat candy until it has been checked at home.
• Have a snack before heading out to avoid the temptation to snack on a treat before it's been checked.
• For food allergies, check the label to make sure the allergen is not present. Tell children not to accept or eat anything that is not commercially packaged.
• Parents of very young children should remove anything that may be a choking hazard from Halloween bags, such as chewing gum, peanuts, candy or small toys.
• Inspect commercially available treats for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny holes, or tears in the wrapper. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Dangerous products:

1. Unpasteurized juices and juices that have not been further processed can cause foodborne illness. Look for the warning label to identify juice that has not been pasteurized or otherwise processed. If you are unsure, always ask whether the juice is pasteurized or not. Typically, commercially processed juice in boxes or bottles from the refrigerated or shelf-stable sections of your grocery store, as well as frozen concentrate in the freezer section, are pasteurized or otherwise treated to reduce harmful microorganisms.
   2. Before you go bobbing for apples—a favorite Halloween pastime—reduce your risk of bacterial contamination. Rinse the apples thoroughly under cool running water. As an extra precaution, use a produce brush to remove dirt from the fruit.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Drop everything and go to sea: how much do people earn on cruise ships?

Google paid $26,3 billion to become the default search engine on all browsers worldwide

The soil is subsiding under the famous leaning tower in Italy: tourists and guests are no longer allowed there

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.