Did you know that you are at risk of a personal injury lawsuit if someone gets injured on your property during Halloween? When you welcome goblins and princesses to your front door, you take responsibility for their safety.
Did you know that you are at risk of a personal injury lawsuit if someone gets injured on your property during Halloween? When you welcome goblins and princesses to your front door, you take responsibility for their safety.
To minimize your risk of an unexpected lawsuit, we are sharing 5 ways to keep yourself and trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween season.
1. Be Mindful of Decorations
Creating a spooky experience in your front yard is not only a fun way to get into the spirit of Halloween, but it helps to attract trick-or-treaters to your house. Although blow-up ghosts, graves, spider webs, and dimmed lights help to enhance the frightening ambiance of your property, they can also be just one trip away from a lawsuit.
To avoid such risks, be mindful of the location of your decorations. Ensure pathways are clear of any hazards that may cause any trips, slips, and falls. Remember, children may be wearing costumes that limit their vision (ie. masks) or mobility (ie. blow-up suit), meaning they might not see tripping hazards.
We also recommend keeping the interior of your house and yard well-lit, so trick-or-treaters can see where they are walking. Lights also help to deter thieves and vandals from approaching your property.
2. Fix Any Property Hazards
The onus falls on you to ensure that your property is safe on the eve of Halloween. Before October 31 comes around, take a moment to assess your property and fix any potential hazards. These may be items that you’ve grown accustomed to, like the loose railing on your front porch or a hole in the front yard.
As you assess your property, be on the lookout for these potential risks:
- Garden hose on the front lawn.
- Flower pots on your porch.
- Items sticking out of the ground.
- Potholes in yard.
- Uneven steps to the front house.
- Cracks or breaks in the pavement
- Electrical cords on the front path.
- Overgrown tree limbs
And more.
3. Keep Pets in a Safe and Secure Place
As much as you’d like to show off what costume your fur-babies are wearing this year, it’s best to keep you pooches locked up while handing out candy. A constant stream of strangers coming to your front door can be an anxiety-inducing experience for pets, aggravating even the friendliest dog and leading to dog bites.
4. Use Battery-Operated Candles + Lights
Though a candlelit inside a jack-o-lantern is a long-time decoration tradition for Halloween, it is actually a fire hazard. Open lit candles present the risk of a costume catching on fire or someone knocking it over. It’s highly recommended to use battery-operated candles or decorative lights instead to protect your home and others.
5. Watch For Pedestrians
It will be interesting to see how many trick-or-treaters are on the streets this year. Regardless, be extra cautious while out on the road. Don’t expect trick-or-treaters to see you! Costumes and masks can obstruct their view, making it difficult to hear and see who’s around them.
With more people outside than on an average night and kids excitedly darting from house to house, it’s best to drive slow and be patient so that everyone makes it home safely.
If you or a loved one trip and fall on someone’s property, get bitten by a dog, or is hit by a car this Halloween, our team of personal injury lawyers can help. For your free consultation, call McGuiness Law at (780) 900-7941 or visit McGuinessLaw.ca.
For more details about how to safely enjoy the spookiest time of year without spreading COVID-19 in Alberta, visit the Government of Alberta website.