Halloween Safety: Making Your Child Visible

On average, there are about 138-167 collisions in Toronto every day. On Halloween, that number skyrockets to 324 — that’s an additional 157 collisions on a night when the streets are full of children. Now that’s scary.

How can you keep your child safe on Halloween?

Keeping your little one visible and making sure their costume doesn’t blend in with the dark night sky is imperative. Drivers are only able to spot individuals in dark of black clothing from about 100 feet away; reflective gear can increase visibility for drivers by up to 700 feet. That’s about two whole football fields.

Take a look at how you can make sure your little one stays visible to drivers and others on the road, and a few more Halloween safety tips to keep in mind.

Making your child visible on Halloween

Accessorize with reflective tape

Accessorize your child’s costume with some reflective tape to make sure they’re seen by passersby. Adding a few strips on their jacket around their wrists, and some around the hem of their costume will make sure they don’t cross the street unnoticed.

Embellish with glow sticks

Glow sticks are a fun addition to the reflective tape. You can get necklaces, bracelets, and even make head-wear out of glow sticks. If your trick or treater is worried about the aesthetic of their costume, you can also get colours to complement their outfit.

Kicks that light up

Who doesn’t love a pair of light-up sneakers? Light-up shoes can make sure that your child stays visible on Halloween, and all other nights they might be out until the street lights come on. These, combined with some reflective gear will make them seen everywhere and by everyone.

More safety tips for trick or treaters

Take a U-route

Your child may be planning their route by which houses give out the best candy, but remember to hit up all the full-size bar homes strategically. To minimize the number of times you need to cross the street, visit all the homes on one side of the street before crossing over and going to the homes on the other side.

Don’t assume you’re visible

Even though your little one may be decked out in reflective gear, complete with their Onlia tote bag, never assume that a driver sees them. Remind them to be cautious when crossing the street, and always make eye contact with the driver before they proceed to cross.