• They are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. 
• 23% of fatalities occur with children between the ages of five and eight.
• 70% of accidents occur away from an intersection or crosswalk.

Whether you're going door-to-door, driving or passing out treats at home, State Farm wants to help keep your little princesses, pirates, and police officers safe this Halloween with these tips:

If you're going door-to-door

• Always accompany young children.
• Exercise great caution during the "scariest" hours - between 5 and 9 p.m. It is especially dangerous for pedestrian accidents between 6 pm and 7 pm.
• Stick to neighborhoods with sidewalks. If you must walk on the street, keep to the far left, facing traffic.
• Practice safe crossing procedures - use crosswalks; wait for corners; and look left, right and left again before crossing.
• Stick reflective tape onto costumes to make your child more visible. Also have them carry a flashlight.
• Make sure costumes and shoes are the correct size to prevent tripping.
• Use face paint and leave the masks at home. They can obstruct vision.
• If an older child is venturing out without supervision, ask them to go with a group. Discuss the route and agree on a curfew. Give older kids cell phones so they can stay in touch.

If you're driving

• Drive slowly
• Be alert for children and eliminate in-car distractions.
• Practice extra caution at intersections and corners.
• Pull in and out of driveways carefully.
• Discuss these and other driving pointers with your teen driver. Drivers ages 15-25 were involved in approximately one-third of fatal crashes involving child pedestrians on Halloween.

If you're handing out treats

• Keep your home brightly lit indoors and outside.
• Clear debris and other obstacles from your lawn, sidewalks and steps.
• Opt for battery-operated candles in jack-o'-lanterns or other areas where costumed trick-or-treaters might stand.
• Keep pets kenneled or in another room.

In addition to protecting children from accidents, remind them of "stranger danger" on Halloween. Teach children to visit only well-lit homes. Tell them to avoid dark streets and to not enter unknown homes. Kids should show their candy to parents before eating it. Homemade treats from people they don't know shouldn't be eaten.

• Stick to trick or treating in familiar, well-lit neighborhoods.
• Ensure that costumes are made using flame retardant materials.
• Speak with children beforehand about never entering a stranger’s house.
• Make sure costumes fit properly and that masks provide appropriate vision and ventilation.
• Test cosmetic products on a small area before using them for the night.
• Use glow sticks or reflective tape to ensure everyone’s visible to motorists when walking at night.
• Check your children’s candy before they eat it and avoid homemade treats made by strangers.

Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween! ** Download and print the COLORING PAGE **

The scariest night of the year for pedestrians and drivers alike is October 31. Aside from the costumes and haunted houses, the thought of a child darting in front of a car can cause anxiety for any driver and parent.

Sometimes local tragedies serve as unfortunate reminders about the need to keep trick-or-treaters safe. There are an average of 5.5 fatalities each year on Halloween night. This is more than two times the average of fatalities for other days. Statistics show 23% of fatalities occur with children between the ages of five and eight; and 70% of accidents occur away from an intersection or crosswalk.

So what can you do to keep your little princesses, pirates, police officers and witches safe this Halloween? One alternative is block parties.

Every year, a block party is organized in the Magnolia community of Seattle, WA. An entire block is sectioned off so residents can bring Trick-or-Treaters of all ages for an evening of fun and safety. Booths are set up and kids and parents are able to go to booths for treats.

Take Winter by Storm, a safety coalition in Seattle, WA, looks for block parties to help spread safety messages in a fun environment. At previous block parties, the coalition provided goodie bags with reflectors, flashlights, safety flashers, safety coloring books, and parent brochures.

State Farm agent Brian Chambers participates with his own booth and brings along a special treat for the kids, the Good NeighBear. "We participate because we love getting to celebrate with our community and it’s a great opportunity to get to know more of our neighbors."

Halloween and the tradition of trick-or-treating with children is a perfect time to introduce yourself to a neighbor if they stop by your house with their kids (or vice versa). In a recent Neighbors survey by Harris Poll and State Farm®, one in three Millennials reported they wish they were more connected to their neighbors. But it can also be a scary night for pedestrians and drivers trying to navigate through neighborhoods, especially in the dark. While the following tips are helpful on any day, State Farm encourages drivers to be especially alert on Halloween and designated times in the community when trick-or-treat is taking place. We’ve also teamed up with @SafeKidsWorldwide to help protect kids on the move. Make sure your kids can be seen on Halloween. Check out this video for fun ways to glow: http://bit.ly/2eaxMOF 

Traveling with the Treatsters (Pedestrian Safety) Watch out for kids scrambling for sugar fixes! While the following tips are helpful on any day, State Farm encourages drivers to be especially alert on Halloween. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, on average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year.

• Accompany young children, and hold hands when crossing streets.
• Use crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again before crossing.
• Use a flashlight at night. Reflective tape or bright colors can help children be seen.
• Use sidewalks. If you must walk on the street, keep to the far left, facing traffic.
• Use face paint instead of a mask, which can obstruct vision.

Norma Horkey never expected her sweet suggestion to support local troops would send the good neighbor spirit sweeping through Custer, S.D.

A few months ago, Norma, a team member in Agent Steve Engelbrecht's office, suggested the office offer to buy back Halloween candy from the children in the community, which they could then have sent to local troops deployed overseas.

A Sweet Idea

"Steve really liked the idea," Norma says. "My daughter's dentist did the same thing, and it was a huge success."

Just before Halloween, Steve's office was a co-host of a Custer Chamber of Commerce mixer. During the event, they talked to several other business owners about their candy buy-back, which was scheduled at Steve's office on Nov. 2. From there, word spread.

Children would get $1 for every pound of candy.

A Pleasant Surprise

Norma said the superintendent of schools dropped off candy, the Rotary Club had candy, and one local business put a box in front of its store for customers to make donations for the buy-back.

"It wasn't just the kids," says Team Member Sara Barrick, whose son, Phoenix, 2, and daughter, Jersey, 5, contributed to the candy collection. "It was awesome how the whole community got involved."

When the collection was complete, the city of 1,800 had amassed two totes filled with 120 pounds of Halloween candy. The sweets are on the way to troops from the Rapid City area, thanks to the local VFW.

"Something like this, for a little bit of time and energy, stands out in the community," Steve says. "When all was said and done, we sent 26 boxes of candy to the troops. The VFW was thrilled, and we already have ideas for how we are going to do it next year."