TAs we make our way home from work and school tomorrow, neighborhoods will be filled with goblins, ghosts and superheroes.  It’s a night kids look forward to all year, so we need to do our part to make sure Arizona kids have a safe Halloween.

The most important thing you can do to keep kids safe is to slow down.  The combination of unsafe driving, the setting sun and excited kids in dark costumes can turn a fun night of trick or treating into a tragedy in a heartbeat.  According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.  It may take you a few more minutes to get home, but the safety of our children is worth it.

Parents can do their part by decorating costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers to make kids are visible to drivers.  Kids can also carry a small flashlight or glow sticks.  It’s a good idea for adults to go trick or treating with kids.  When it comes to costumes, make sure it fits correctly and won’t cause falls.  And if the costume has a mask, the mask shouldn’t interfere with your child’s vision or hearing.

When it comes to treats, encourage moderation.  No one needs to binge eat an entire bag of candy in one night.  The candy and treats they collect on Halloween can last them throughout the holiday season.  Finally, for kids with food allergies, take a look at the Teal Pumpkin Project that gives kids with food allergies the chance to still have a fun night of trick or treating.