close
close

Safety tips, when does trick-or-treating start?

play

Happy Halloween! Free candy day is finally here. (Here's Arizona's favorite Halloween candy. Is it yours?)

Of course, you don't have to knock on doors to have a fun Halloween in the greater Phoenix area. If you're feeling brave, check out one of the haunted house attractions like 13th Floor or Fear Farm. There are also pumpkin patches and corn mazes throughout the valley, with scares ranging from the harmless to the terrifying.

And if you're really in your Halloween spirit, check out the Taylor Swift-themed Halloween house in Phoenix.

So put on your scary, cute or naughty costume and enjoy the day. Here's how to know when trick-or-treating starts and how to stay safe in the Phoenix metro area.

What time does trick-or-treating start?

According to Marc Lamber, a personal injury attorney and partner at the Fennemore law firm in Phoenix, Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for pedestrians.

Lamber said Halloween is among the three most dangerous days of the year for pedestrians overall, according to AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Children ages 4 to 8 are 10 times more likely to be killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day.

And since Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, some people will be driving home from work while the kids go trick-or-treating, while other people will be out partying at bars. That could mean there are more drunk drivers.

Lamber recommends that everyone — especially younger children — go trick-or-treating early, ideally while it's still light out so you're clearly visible to drivers.

Sunset on Halloween in Phoenix will be at 5:37 p.m

Halloween Safety Tips: How to Make Trick-or-Treating Safe?

Most importantly: be visible. This is especially important if you have chosen a dark costume. Everyone should carry flashlights and extra batteries.

“They need to be lit up like a Christmas tree,” Lamber said.

Lamber recommends parents go out with their children for as long as they allow it. Make sure older children are paying attention to road conditions and not focusing on their phones. The same applies to adults accompanying small children.

“I have always made it a point to plan ahead. So know your route, know when you’re leaving and what the lighting conditions are going to be,” Lamber said. “It doesn’t have to be an extravagant plan, it just has to be a plan.”

For people handing out candy, Lamber recommends turning on the lights and making it clear that your house is accessible.

Drivers should “expect the unexpected,” Lamber said.

Trick-or-treaters may scurry onto the street. Therefore, drive particularly carefully. When driving, never wear a mask that could obscure your vision and keep your eyes and hands away from your phone.

If you're partying at a bar, have a driver accompany you or take an Uber or Lyft home.

Other tips include: no jaywalking, no trick-or-treating alone, wearing masks as they can limit peripheral vision, and eating unwrapped or open candy.

How old is too old to trick or treat?

No Arizona law sets an age limit for trick-or-treating.

Is Halloween a federal holiday?

No, Halloween is not an official federal holiday in the United States.

Government offices, schools, private businesses and the like are generally open on October 31st.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

You may also like...