Halloween is a fun, playful time of year. Children are excited to dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat for candy, and family members join in the fun. But the scariest thing about Halloween isn’t fake spiders and dress-up witches – it’s the chance for an accident.

Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for children. The chance for an accident involving a child pedestrian is twice as likely on Halloween as on any other day of the year. One in four accidents involving a child pedestrian occurs between 6 and 7 p.m., which is a popular time for trick-or-treating. Lower visibility due to dusk and a high number of children near roadways can be a dangerous combination.

Help your children be seen by drivers while trick-or-treating by choosing bright colors or adding reflective tape to their costumes, and by carrying glow sticks and flashlights. Also, here are some other tips for parents and drivers for a safe Halloween:

Tips for parents to keep children safe:

• Accompany children under age 12 for trick-or-treating.
• Stick with a group. Groups are easier for drivers to see.
• Skip houses that are not well lit. Sex offenders are required to leave the porch light off to discourage trick-or-treaters and are not allowed to answer the door on Halloween.
• Use marked pedestrian crossings, and look both ways when crossing the street. Try to follow routes with few cross streets.
• Have children over age 12 carry a cell phone, and periodically call or text them. Use a cell phone tracker application, such as “Find my cell phone,” to keep an eye on their location.
• Watch for cars backing out of driveways. A driver often cannot see directly behind the car.

Tips for providing treats:

• Turn your porch light on to indicate you have treats to provide to trick-or-treaters.
• Only provide candy that is sealed. Most parents will throw away fruit, homemade food treats and unsealed candy.
• Keep treats age-appropriate. Small candies are choking hazards for young children.
• Illuminate your walkway with electric lanterns or flameless candles. Remove or mark anything that could cause children to trip while walking up to your door.

Tips for drivers:

• Slow down, especially in residential neighborhoods. Watch for kids zigzagging between houses or cars.
• Use your turn signals to alert pedestrians and other drivers about the direction you’re planning to travel.
• Crack your window to listen for children. Sometimes you can hear them before you even see them.
• Look before you back up. More than 50 children are accidentally backed over by a vehicle every week in the U.S. Check your mirrors, look around and roll your window down to see and hear if children are walking behind your vehicle.

Safe Halloween Events:

Organized events, such as trunk-or-treats or age-appropriate parties help keep children away from the roadways and in a safe place.