ROME, Ga., Oct. 17, 2025 – Parents who want Halloween to be fun and not frightful for little ghouls and goblins can take some pre-emptive steps to ensure a fun night. If you are already considering that perfect costume, safety considerations should be high on that list.
“It’s important to make sure your child’s costume fits appropriately so they don’t trip and fall,” said Dr. Tammy Lyles-Arnold, with Atrium Health Floyd Primary Care Family Medicine & Pediatrics in Cedartown. “Children should wear well-fitting masks that allow them to see their surroundings. If masks don’t fit or have small eye holes, your child is at risk of tripping or not seeing oncoming traffic.”
Lyles-Arnold also urges parents to be aware of potentially dangerous costume accessories, like fake swords or tridents.
“Even a plastic sword can make a small child trip or cause a puncture wound,” Lyles-Arnold said.
She offers some other safety tips for parents:
- Carry a flashlight so drivers will clearly see trick-or-treaters.
- Kids 11 and younger should be chaperoned. Check in with older teens during the night to ensure they are safe and not getting into any trouble.
- Remind your kids to stay on the sidewalk, if there are any. If they are walking on the road, you should tell them to make sure they are facing traffic.
- Remind kids to cross the street at corners or crosswalks after looking left, right and left again.
- Make sure their costumes are not so long that they create a trip hazard. They should also be able to see clearly in masks.
Check candy
For many children, Halloween is all about candy. Check your child’s trick-or-treat bag for any candy that is tampered with or homemade goods. Instruct your child to throw away any unsealed treats. Parents should also be aware of food allergies.
An estimated 1 in 13 children in the U.S. have some sort of food allergy. Some of the most common food allergens – nuts, milk and eggs – are found in many Halloween candies.
Read ingredient labels carefully. If candies don’t have one on them, parents need to check the larger bag the candies came in or look up the ingredients on the candy manufacturer’s website.
Parents need to be aware of potential allergens or cross-contamination. They should also pay attention to disclaimers about candy that ‘may contain peanuts or other food products, which means traces of an allergenic food might unintentionally wind up in the packaged candy.
Parents can also consider bringing a safe treat or snack with them that the child can enjoy while trick-or-treating in case the candies that they collect are not safe for their child.
Motorists should use caution
“Driving on Halloween night can be especially risky due to the high number of pedestrians, especially children, walking around in costumes that may limit visibility or hearing,” said Katie Hasty, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Atrium Health Floyd.
It is crucial to drive with extra care. Hasty suggests essential injury prevention tips for safe driving on Halloween:
Make sure you slow down and drive below the speed limit in residential areas.
- Be prepared for trick-or-treaters who may appear suddenly, especially between parked cars.
- Remember kids in dark costumes are harder to see, especially at dusk.
Stay Alert at Intersections & Driveways
- Watch carefully for children crossing streets or walking on sidewalks.
- Yield to pedestrians and check twice before turning
Avoid Distracted Driving
- Put your phone away. No texting or calling.
YMCA to hold BooFest event on Oct. 24
The YMCA of Rome and Floyd County is offering Halloween fun for those who don’t want their little ghouls wandering area neighborhoods. BooFest will take place Friday, Oct. 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Georgia Highlands College in Rome.
The family-friendly event will feature a Trick or Treat Village, family dance with a DJ, face painting, bounce houses, train rides, games and more. All BooFest proceeds benefit the Rome YMCA and provide Y programs to under-resourced children and families in our community.
Advance tickets are on sale now for $7 per person and can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/3IyPLSQ or in person at the YMCA on 2nd Avenue in Rome through Oct. 23. Day-of tickets will be $10 per person, with exception of infant-in-arms.
For more information, call the YMCA at 706-232-2468.