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10 Halloween safety tips from our family to yours

By Ken Gibson on October 29, 2018

Keep your little goblins and yourself safe this year!

It’s fall, ya’ll, on the Middle Peninsula—a beautiful time of year. The leaves are changing, and there’s a chill in the air.

It’s also the time when the line between “fright” and “fun” can get blurred. Yes, Halloween is right around the corner, and visions of candy corn, caramel apples, and jack-o-lanterns are dancing in our children’s heads.

If you have children, you want them to enjoy the fun of Halloween, but also to stay safe. So we give you our best GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys tips to help keep children and adults alike safer this year:

  1. Make sure a responsible adult always accompanies trick-or-treaters. If an adult is not available, children should go in groups, and tell their parents the route they’ll take. Warn children again not to enter the home or car of a stranger.
  2. Be aware that in Virginia, it’s illegal for anyone over the age of 16 to wear a mask in public. We also advise that older children not wear masks when entering convenience or other types of stores, so as not to be mistaken for robbers.In certain local cities, like Chesapeake and Newport News, it’s illegal for anyone over the age of 12 to go trick-or-treating, and parents and guardians who are accompanying their trick-or-treaters are NOT allowed to wear masks either.
  3. If possible, use makeup instead of masks, because masks can impair a child’s vision. If your child does wear a mask, have them take off the mask while walking between houses and crossing streets.
  4. Have your trick-or-treaters carry a flashlight or light stick. Also, attach reflective tape to the front and back of your child’s costume for extra visibility.
  5. If you’re driving on Halloween, use extra caution, particularly at intersections and when backing out of driveways.
  6. If you’re a pedestrian on Halloween, watch out for vehicles as you cross the street, and obey traffic laws just like you would on a normal day.
  7. Practice sidewalk etiquette. We know it can get crowded out there, so politely move to the side if a large group is passing. Courtesy is free, and it can keep your children from suffering a trip-and-fall, along with scraped knees and bruises.
  8. Tell your children not to eat any of their candy until they get home and an adult can examine it. Yes, we know that the “poisoned candy” stories are mostly urban myths, but it still pays to be careful.
  9. If you’re using candles in jack-o-lanterns as decorations, keep them away from doorways and landings where they might set a child’s costume on fire. If possible, use a battery-powered light or glow stick to illuminate jack-o-lanterns.Don’t let your child wear or carry flammable materials, such as dried flowers, cornstalks, hay, or crepe paper. Make sure they know how to “stop, drop, and roll” if their clothing should catch on fire.
  10. If you’re hosting a Halloween party or sleepover, keep all exit routes (doors and windows) clear of decorations and obstructions. If your child is attending a party or sleepover, have them to locate all the exits, and plan how they would escape in a fire or other emergency. As personal injury lawyers, we know that a little preparation can save a lot of pain during an accident.

By far, the most important rule to follow on Halloween (after you’ve made sure everyone is safe) is to have fun!

The legal team at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys wishes everyone on the Middle Peninsula a spooktacular and safe Halloween! We’ll see you out there with our families! If you ever need to talk to a lawyer about something concerning you, feel free to give us a call at (804) 413-6777. We will do our best to help out.

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Community service

Prevention, empathy, and diligence are hallmarks of everything we do at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys. Our community can see these ideals lived out in our work to prevent personal injuries from happening.

  • Safety Education
    GibsonSingleton launches a “Texts=Wrecks” campaign to reduce the number of people injured or killed by distracted drivers.
  • Annual Coat Drive
    During the fall, our team works to distribute coats to people in need in our community.
  • Hands-on Service
    John and Ken join the Gloucester Point Rotary Club in cleaning up the community.
  • Supporting Local Schools
    The Gibson family participates in Gloucester’s Botetourt Elementary Shuffle fundraiser.