3 Tips for Celebrating Halloween Safely
Halloween is an Anglo-Saxon holiday, but in recent years, more and more Italian families have chosen to celebrate it.
While younger kids are more inclined to engage in the classic "trick-or-treating" in the neighborhood, for teenagers, it's a must to attend parties. In both cases, there are some pitfalls and risks they may encounter because it's a busier night than usual, and with increased traffic comes increased associated risks.
A study from the University of British Columbia has shown that there is a 43% higher risk of pedestrians being involved in accidents during Halloween night.
So, what should you do? How can you allow your children the right amount of freedom while limiting the risks and dangers?
At Midland, we believe that communication tools play an important role, combined with some precautions that we are sharing with you!
Be Mindful of the Road
The first precaution to share with both the younger kids and teenagers is to be careful when walking, especially when crossing the road.
Technological devices don't help with this: you've probably encountered people on the street completely engrossed in their smartphone screens many times. A study conducted by Ford on a sample of 10,000 European citizens highlighted that 86% of pedestrians are distracted while crossing the road, with a significant source of distraction being smartphones.
This also applies to younger children, so the fact that they go trick-or-treating or attend a party with a smartphone doesn't necessarily equate to safety.
The first piece of advice is, without a doubt, to always keep their attention on the road. Moreover, you can equip your children with a communication tool that doesn't require them to take their eyes off the road, such as walkie-talkies.
Walkie-talkies enable multiple people to communicate easily and quickly: just press a button.
The use of walkie-talkies can be fun for a group of friends and can contribute to increased safety for parents who know they can communicate with their children promptly, even in the absence of a cellular network.
Choose Costumes with Good Visibility
The choice of costume plays a significant role as well—it shouldn't be just "scary" but should ensure good visibility for the wearer.
Considering that your children will be walking on the streets at night, there is a risk of not being seen by motorists. To overcome this issue, in addition to selecting a suitable costume, you can also use a small flashlight, such as those found in outdoor kits. These flashlights take up little space but are extremely functional for both improving visibility in dimly lit areas and enhancing pedestrian visibility in darker stretches of the road.
Trick-or-Treat in Familiar Areas
When children go out at night for trick-or-treating, it's essential that they visit familiar areas, such as their own neighborhood or those where their friends live. This reduces the risk of getting disoriented. Staying close to home also allows for a quicker parental response in case of unexpected events, and, more importantly, it enables constant communication through the use of walkie-talkies.
Depending on the chosen model, you can have a range that spans from 4 to 12 kilometers, covering the dimensions of a typical residential neighborhood.
Useful Kits for a Safe Halloween Night
There are some tools that come to our aid to increase the safety of Halloween night.
First and foremost, walkie-talkies, but also flashlights, and an emergency power bank are tools being practical.
XT5 Walkie-Talkie, Colorful and Pocket-Sized
The XT5 is a colorful and pocket-sized two-way radio with a range of 4 km. It's a Midland product designed specifically for families or groups of friends who not only need to keep communications active for safety but also for fun.
It's incredibly easy to use, with the central PTT button activating communications in half-duplex mode. It attaches to the belt or backpack with a clip and is sold in packs of 4.
XT10 Walkie-Talkie, Simplicity in Your Hand
Like the XT5, the XT10 is an easy-to-use, kid-friendly, colorful, and compact walkie-talkie.
It's perfect for keeping in touch during the little ones' adventures with a 4 km range and 16 channels.
It's powered by AAA batteries and features an auto power-save function for extended battery life.
XT70Pro Walkie-Talkie, Radio Transmitter, and Baby Monitor
If you're looking for a more professional product that covers a distance of up to 12 km, is waterproof (considering the risk of rain in late October), and has a battery life of up to 12 hours, then the XT70Pro is the best two-way radio.
It has an extended frequency range and a special Radio Montana Network channel for emergency signaling in mountainous areas.
In addition to its professional performance as a walkie-talkie, it also serves as a baby monitor with a babysitting function, enabling automatic communication activation when a child cries or needs help—becoming an immediate ally for any parent.
EK30 Kit, Enhancing Visibility
Let's now move on to the kits that not only allow for quick and immediate communication but also enhance visibility.
The first is the EK30 kit, which includes:
2 XT30 walkie-talkies
2 sets of rechargeable batteries
a flashlight
a whistle with an integrated compass
In addition to the flashlight, useful for being seen or illuminating darker areas, there is also the emergency whistle with a compass for orientation.
The XT30 walkie-talkies allow communication up to 6 km and have a 5-hour battery life, perfect for ensuring coverage during Halloween night.
K35 Kit, Maximum Emergency Safety
If your children are true explorers, the EK35 kit can be the ideal solution. In addition to 2 XT30 walkie-talkies, the kit also includes an emergency power bank to recharge any technological device and 4 thermal blankets.
The ER300 power bank includes an LED flashlight, an AM/FM radio receiver, and the option to recharge the battery even with a dynamo.
The thermal blankets can be useful for both keeping warm and ensuring excellent visibility from a distance due to solar reflection.
Whatever your children's plans for Halloween, Midland is always by their side to enhance safety on the spookiest night of the year!