For most of the year, parents teach children not to talk to strangers, not to accept things from people they don’t know, and to take care when crossing the road.

Then Halloween arrives, and suddenly we’re knocking on strangers’ doors, accepting handfuls of lollies from them and wandering the streets after dark.

How can you help your children have a safe Halloween?

Are there more injuries at Halloween?

US data suggests children experience more injuries around Halloween. This includes lacerations from pumpkin carving and burns from knocked candles or costumes catching on fire resulting in hospitalisation.

A 2022 UK study also suggests children are more likely to be seriously injured on Halloween due to traffic crashes, especially during peak hour when adults are returning home and children are in the thick of trick or treating.

Read more: Trick or treatment: Halloween health hazards hiding in plain fright

Tips for staying safe

So it’s important to take some extra precautions as you trick-or-treat.

Talk before you walk – have a chat before about how it will work and then go over the rules before setting off. A discussion in the lead-up means the safety reminders are more likely to be absorbed by your kids. Consistent messages will also help the message sink in. Safety messages include:........

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