Like most holidays Halloween night is a time of celebration and fun. For children it is a time to get dressed up in costumes and go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods and for adults, a night to go out and have a good time.
Adults need to be careful that their Halloween plans don’t include drunk driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the US from 2007-2011 52% of fatalities that occurred on Halloween night were related to drunk-driving incidents. Taking into consideration all the families with children who are walking door to door on this night, makes this is a particularly worrying statistic.
How to Ensure a Safe Halloween for Everyone
1. Talk to your children – When planning for Halloween have a talk with your kids and tell them that you want them to have a fun and safe Halloween. Let them know that you expect them to avoid alcohol, and remind them that the police will be out watching for kids partaking in underage drinking.
2. Be aware of their plans – Make sure you know where your children plan on going, and make it clear that you expect them to be where they say they will be. Make sure you are familiar with the area, and that it is safe. In one extreme case in the UK, three children ages eight, six and five were mistakenly given bags of cocaine when they showed up at a couple’s door.
3. Have a set curfew – Most communities have designated times for trick-or-treating, so make sure and set a time for everyone to be home.
4. Lock up the alcohol – If you have alcohol in your home make sure it is secure so that your teens won’t be tempted to take it along with them.
5. Set a good example – Take the opportunity to be a role model and show your kids that you can have fun on Halloween without drinking alcohol.
6. Don’t drink and drive – If you are attending a party on Halloween make the necessary arrangements to make sure you won’t be driving if you plan includes drinking alcohol. Secure a designated driver or take a taxi if you know you will have to get home after having drinks.
7. Talk with other parents – Sometimes young people may try and deceive their parents by telling them they are going to a friend’s house or out with a friend’s family. Make sure to check with the other parents to make sure that everyone is on the same page with the night’s plans.
8. If you think underage drinking or drug use may be going on, report it – Since Halloween is a night to go out, if you think that there is a party where underage kids are using drugs or drinking, be sure to let the police know.
9. Don’t let others drink and drive – If you are a party where there is drinking, make sure that others are not driving home drunk. Some communities offer a hotline for intoxicated people to call to get a ride home if taxi service is unavailable.
10. Use the opportunity – Since Halloween is a time of celebration use this time to talk to your family about the dangers of drugs. It just may help ensure that this Halloween and those that follow will all be drug-free.