Kids and adults alike love the magic of Halloween, but this holiday can also bring serious safety risks such as decoration fires, burn injuries, and vehicle accidents. We've put together the following Halloween safety tips to help ensure that children, parents, motorists, and homeowners alike will have a safe and spooky holiday.

PEDESTRIAN Halloween SAFETY TIPS

• Accompany young trick-or-treaters. Children under the age of 12 should go trick-or-treating with a responsible adult. Teach young children how to call 9-1-1 in case they get lost and separated.
• Speak with older children about Halloween safety. If your child is mature enough to go out without supervision, it's still important to plan and review their activities. Agree on a specific time they should return home, remind them to never enter a stranger's home or car, and have them carry a cellphone.
• Walk on sidewalk whenever possible. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Expect that drivers will not see you and wait for them to pass.
• Make yourself visible to motorists. All trick-or-treaters should either carry a flashlight, wear a flashing strobe light, or stick reflective tape onto their clothes or costume.
• Practice safe crossing procedures. Cross the street at corners using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Inspect your children's treats. Help check all treats to make sure they're sealed and remind children not to eat any candy until you've had a look at it. Throw out candy with holes or tears in the packaging, spoiled items, and any homemade treats that weren't made by someone you know.

Motorist Halloween safety tips

• Avoid driving during peak trick-or-treating hours (5 to 9 p.m.). Halloween is one of the deadliest days for pedestrian-involved auto accidents.*
• Report impaired drivers. If you suspect an impaired driver, immediately call 9-1-1.
• Be extra alert for trick-or-treaters. Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. Look for children crossing the street mid-block or between parked cars.
• Eliminate distractions. Put your cell phone in your glove box.
• Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Drive at least five mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to trick-or-treaters who may dart into the street.
• Enter and exit driveways carefully. When backing out of a driveway, have someone stand behind the vehicle to make sure that no children are walking by.
• Encourage inexperienced drivers to stay home. Young drivers, 15-25 years of age, are involved in nearly a third of all fatal child pedestrian accidents on Halloween.**

Halloween DECORATING SAFETY

• Avoid open flames. Opt for battery-operated candles or LED lighting.
• Remove or highlight tripping hazards. Eliminate or clearly mark any obstacles, such as electrical cords or stakes. Ensure that your front yard, walkway, porch and entryway are well-lit.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Read the instruction manual before installing or using any electrical decorations. Always check whether electrical products, such as extension cords, are rated for outdoor use.
• Turn off decorations when leaving your home or going to bed. Consider using a timer, such as an outlet timer or smart plug.
• Keep decorations away from heat sources. Keep highly-flammable decorations like cornstalks and ghosts at least three feet away from heat sources such as light bulbs, candles, and space heaters.
• Never staple or nail through electrical wires. This might damage the wire and cause an electrical shock or fire. Wires can be safely secured using plastic zip cords.
• Inspect older decorations before use. Carefully inspect electrical lights and cords. Discard any with broken bulbs or damaged wires.

*Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
**Source: State Farm