Fall is in the air and Halloween is right around the corner.
With parties for both children and adults, trick-or-treating in malls, churches, and on the streets, haunted houses and corn mazes, there are plenty of opportunities for family fun.
However, there are also plenty of opportunities for accidents.
Tips For Keeping Safe During Halloween
Safe Kids Worldwide, a non-profit organization dedicated to children’s safety, publishes a list of Halloween safety tips for children and adults. A few of these include:
For children:
- Choose a costume that allows for ease of movement and does not impede walking.
- Choose face paint over masks as masks tend to make it more difficult for children to see.
- Decorate costumes and/ or bags with reflective paint or tape, especially if the child’s costume is dark.
- Give your children glow sticks or lights if they are out after dusk.
- Even though older children may resist having parents around, the best way to keep children safe it to make sure they are supervised while trick-or-treating. If they are mature enough to require less supervision, adults may opt to stay at intersections while the children walk down a street.
For adults:
- Know the trick-or-treat hours for your locality so you can be on the lookout for children during those times. Do not assume, though, that all children will be off the streets after the specified hours are over.
- Turn your headlights on early to make your car more visible to children.
- Drive slower than usual in all residential neighborhoods while watching for children coming out of driveways and in between parked cars.
- Do not wear a mask or any other costume that restricts your vision or ease of movement while driving.
Assumption of Risk
When attending special attractions like haunted houses and corn mazes in North Carolina, the legal concept of assumption of risk protects the operators of those attractions from liability for some injuries.
Visitors to a haunted house can expect to be frightened, for example, and visitors to a corn maze can expect to get lost. Visitors do not assume the risk for all injuries, though.
Operators may still be responsible if a visitor trips over a dangerous obstacle or is injured on a dangerous prop. If Freddy Krueger’s claws are a little too sharp, or if a ghost or goblin gets too enthusiastic and physically assaults a guest, the operator of the attraction may be held responsible.
Homeowner’s insurance covers private individuals if Halloween decorations cause trick-or-treaters or other visitors to trip and fall.
In some circumstances, party hosts may be liable for injuries sustained in car accidents caused by intoxicated guests.
Contact an Attorney
If you or a loved one is injured while trick-or-treating or while participating in other fall or Halloween activities, the personal injury experts at Campbell & Associates can provide a free case evaluation. Call 704-326-7243 today for a free consultation.
