Trick or Treat Safety: Tips for an Accident-Free Halloween

Halloween is a great opportunity to bring neighborhoods together for an evening of costumes, candy, and community. But did you know that according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 3,200 people visit the emergency room due to Halloween-related injuries?¹

While Trustmark's Accident and Hospital StayPay^® products are designed to help provide financial protection for life's bumps and bruises—even the Halloween-related ones—the best way to protect yourself is having a safe Halloween. 

That’s why this Halloween, we’ve created a Halloween Safety Guide—designed to give you and your loved one’s practical steps to support with trick-or-treating, home preparation, and costume choices, so you can enjoy the festivities with confidence.  

Trick-or-Treating Safety

Each Halloween safety tip in this section is meant to be simple and actionable, so families can put them to work right away:

• Start with a route that prioritizes visibility and low traffic.
• Choose well-lit streets with sidewalks and marked crossings and stick to neighborhoods clearly participating in trick-or-treating.
• Map a simple loop that avoids busy roads and complex intersections and share it with your group in advance.
• Set a meeting point and curfew, and make sure phones are charged in case anyone gets separated.
• Visibility becomes vital after sunset. Add reflective tape or patches to costumes, treat bags, and outer layers, and give kids small torches or clip-on LED lights.
• Reinforce walking—never running—between houses and avoiding distractions like mobile phones near roadways. 

Home Preparation 

Preparing your home helps protect visitors and provides a welcoming experience:

• Begin with lighting: replace burned-out bulbs, add motion-activated lights near steps, and use path lights to clearly mark routes from the pavement to your door.
• Place decorations with safety in mind. Keep inflatables, extension cords, and props off primary walking paths.
• Anchor yard décor away from stairs and porches, tape down cables or run them along landscaping borders, and avoid loose fabrics or dangling items at ankle height.
• Position jack-o’-lanterns and candles on stable, out-of-the-way surfaces, and consider flameless options to reduce fire risks.  

Costume Safety Tips

Safe doesn’t have to mean boring! Try these tips for a costume that stands out and stays smart:

• Look for costumes, capes, and accessories labelled flame-resistant or flame-retardant, and minimize flowing fabrics that could brush against open flames.
• If you’re crafting a costume, opt for polyester or nylon blends designed to resist ignition, and keep accessories simple and snug.
• Ensure costumes fit properly to reduce trips and falls.
• Hem long skirts or robes to ankle height, secure capes so they don’t drag, and choose shoes that fit well rather than oversized costume footwear.
• Add reflective tape or glow accessories to increase visibility and encourage kids to carry a flashlight, so uneven sidewalks and steps are easier to spot.
• Test movement before heading out to confirm that sightlines and mobility are clear.  

… 

With Trustmark, you can count on protection that’s practical, compassionate, and comprehensive. Our voluntary benefits, including life and care coverage, are built to help families prepare for the unexpected and avoid financial distress. That commitment extends to everyday moments—like following a Halloween safety guide and sharing Halloween safety tips—because safety and security go hand in hand. 

Explore Trustmark Benefits to learn how our solutions can help you safeguard your family—on Halloween and every day of the year—and keep this Halloween safety guide handy as you plan a safe, memorable celebration! 

_{¹CPSC Offers Safety Tips to Keep Hazards from Haunting Your Halloween. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 2022.}