As a personal injury lawyer in Chicago, I hope all parents take the following safety warning into consideration – now and in the future. Although Halloween is an annual night of fun, mixing flammable costumes with jack-o-lanterns can create serious safety hazards, especially for children.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says, “parents should look for flame-resistant costumes without baggy sleeves, long capes or billowing skirts that could catch fire on a nearby candle or cause a child to trip.” (AP, 10/28). The CPSC also recommends skipping the costume shoes and having your child wear his or her own, properly fitting footwear.
Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the agency urges parents to “trim costumes and candy bags with reflective tape and to arm children with flashlights, so that they can be easily seen by passing cars.”
Finally, parents should examine candy after trick-or-treating to make sure all packages are sealed and do not appear to have been tampered with. The CPSC also advises watching out for small toys that could be a choking hazard for small children.
