NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Halloween is right around the corner and here’s something you might not know when it comes to certain costumes for little kids: Those bulky or puffy costumes might pose a serious safety hazard.
Puffy Halloween costumes and outfits look super cute on our kiddos, but when it comes to driving around to deliver tricks and gather treats, all that excess material can interfere with the child car seat's ability to keep them safe in a collision.
“If your child's costume creates too much extra slack in their harness or it interferes with your ability to properly buckle them in, chest clip and crotch buckle, then we really advise you to wait until you get to your final destination to put them into their costume,” said Consumer Reports' Emily Thomas
And Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, especially children. The risk of a pedestrian fatality is 43 percent higher on Halloween.
“Halloween night is a perfect storm of risk. It involves darkness, heavy pedestrian traffic, especially that of children, and lots of additional distractions," Thomas added.
Avoid masks that block vision.
Decorative contact lenses, like vampire or cat eyes, can make a costume pop, but they can be risky, causing serious eye damage if not used correctly.
The FDA advises … “Never buy contact lenses from a street vendor, beauty supply store, flea market, novelty store, or Halloween store”—and you should always have a prescription.”
A hand-me-down costume is a great money saver, but if it’s too big, your child could trip, so adjust it for a proper fit.
Use reflective tape! Add it to costumes and bags. Or give kids glow sticks so they can be seen more easily on dark and spooky Halloween nights.
Stay on sidewalks instead of walking between cars or lawns, where tripping hazards could occur.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
