Have you ever wondered why Halloween is such a widespread, holiday favorite? Free from a lot of the tradition and family expectation that accompanies other major holidays, it’s the one time of the year that seems to bring out the kid in all of us. From young to old, Halloween seems to appeal to everyone. It gives all of us an excuse to don a costume and have some fun. Don’t believe us? Just check out the I Love Halloween Facebook page, now boasting more than 2.25 million followers.
But for all of its spooky fun, Halloween also comes with its fair share of pitfalls. No one wants their Halloween festivities to be marred by an accident. Whether you are hosting a party for friends or leaving the light on for trick-or-treaters, it’s important to take a few precautions to insure that your home is safe for the influx of visitors. For example, if someone trips and falls on your dark sidewalk or brushes up against your candle-lit pumpkins, you could be held liable. But, we’ve got you covered! Here are five precautions you can take before those ghosts, ghouls, superheroes and princesses start knocking on your door.
- Clear your walkway. Make sure the path from your driveway or the sidewalk to the front door is free from obstruction. Most children are so excited that they aren’t paying careful attention. In addition to clearing a path, you can also help prevent trips and falls by repairing loose porch railings and uneven walkway stones. Also, check to ensure that your spooky decorations don’t obstruct the walkway.
- Clean up your yard. Take extra precautions to rake leaves, remove dead branches, trim overgrown landscaping and fill in large holes. Also, consider storing any gardening tools and hoses a safe distance from walkways. If you add spooky yard decorations like tombstones or inflatables, make sure these decorations are well-lit and easily seen.
- Keep your property well lit. If you have a long driveway or walkway, turn on your regular outdoor lights so trick-or-treaters can easily see the path to the door.
- Ditch the candles. Replace the candles in your pumpkins with LED tea lights and your luminaries with string of lights along your path. The US Fire Administration warns that open flames can catch costumes on fire, as well as decorations.
- Confine your pets. The constant stream of trick-or-treating excitement and commotion could stress your pet. Avoid a Halloween pet mishap by keeping them in a separate room, away from open doors and small children.
With these five precautions in place, you can enjoy a fun Halloween AND keep your neighborhood trick-or-treaters safe!
Last Updated on April 18, 2017 by The Orlando Law Group
