Hallooooo To A Safer Halloween

While Halloween can be a magical time of year, it can also be a dangerous one.

This year, organizations are offering Halloween safety tips to youngsters and discussing how to reduce the number of children injured or killed each year in pedestrian and fire-related accidents, reports Correspondent Crayton Webb of CBS Affiliate KTVT-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Last year, a 12-year-old was killed on Halloween in Sherman, Texas, when her homemade costume caught fire from a jack-o'-lantern. Officials say it was a preventable tragedy.

Before sending the kids out on their trick-or-treating trek, consider raising your standards for picking their outfits.

Jesus Chairez, a representative of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, says people should be looking for costumes that are labeled flame resistant. Some manufacturers do not claim their products are flame resistant.

Click here for a demonstration of different costumes and how they stood up to the "flame resistant" test.

Tips To Keep Your Tykes Safe This Holiday :
Look for costume labels that say "flame resistant"

Consider nontoxic makeup instead of masks.

Make sure accessories (such as swords and knives) are flexible, not hard.

Put reflective tape on your kids.

Don't forget a flashlight and comfortable walking shoes.

Then there is the question of masks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that some masks are so big that your child can't see through the eyes. Also, look on the inside to make sure there's nothing that would cut your child's face.

A recommended alternative: nontoxic makeup.

And as for costume accessories, be sure your little pirates and warriors are armed with play swords and knives that are flexible, not hard.

More than anything, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends no open flames, not even on your jack-o'-lantern.

Be sure to put reflective tape on your child's costume so they're better seen. Bright bags and a flashlight are also a good idea. Comfortable shoes are a safety essential, and parents should be sure to check the candy and to make sure it hasn't been tampered with.

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