Halloween Safety Tips For LA County Families: What Parents Should Know

LOS ANGELES, CA — With thousands of children expected to hit local streets for trick-or-treating on Halloween, a UCLA Health pediatrician is urging parents to take precautions to avoid a holiday trip to the emergency room.

Dr. Kiran Masood, a pediatrician with UCLA Health, warned that pedestrian accidents, poor visibility and electric bikes and scooters can pose risks for children on Halloween night.

Children under 10 should always be accompanied by an adult while trick-or-treating, Masood advised.

Parents should also remind children to cross streets at designated crosswalks, look both ways before crossing and avoid walking between parked cars. Families should limit cellphone distractions while walking.

Rainy conditions can make Halloween particularly dangerous by reducing visibility and creating slippery sidewalks and roads.

To help children remain visible to drivers, Masood recommends costumes with bright colors, reflective materials or glow sticks. Trick-or-treaters should also carry flashlights to help navigate dark streets.

Parents should avoid costumes and accessories that could obstruct a child's vision or cause falls, including masks, nonprescription contact lenses, oversized shoes and long capes.

Residents can also help keep trick-or-treaters safe by turning on their outdoor lights to improve visibility along neighborhood streets.

Masood also warned against allowing children to ride electric bikes or scooters on Halloween, when roads may be crowded with pedestrians and visibility is limited.

Under California law, riders younger than 18 must wear helmets while operating e-bikes or e-scooters. E-scooter riders must also have a valid driver's license or learner's permit.

Even when children are legally permitted to ride, parents should discourage e-bike and e-scooter use on Halloween because of the increased pedestrian traffic and potential for dangerous road conditions, according to UCLA Health.

Drivers should also maintain a safe distance from e-bike and e-scooter riders to help prevent collisions.