What should parents actually be protecting their children from on Halloween? Hint: It isn’t bad candy

The time has come, again, for parents to share warnings among themselves via social media, advising each other to check their children’s Halloween hauls for hidden horrors like blades, needles and drugs.
But how worried should parents actually be about finding these things in their children’s candy, and is there something more sinister they should be protecting their children from while out trick-or-treating?
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing childhood injury and death, Halloween brings a more than double likelihood that children will be struck by a car and die than any other day of the year. And, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal car crashes increase by 13% on Halloween.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) says that pedestrian deaths in car accidents increase by 43% on Halloween, with the highest risk posed to children between ages 4 and 8, who are 10 times more likely to die in a car crash. Of the crashes that occurred on Halloween, 39% involved drunk or impaired drivers.
As kids embark on their trick-or-treating adventures under the cover of darkness, there are a few ways that parents can help their children to be more mindful and safe on the streets, whether they live in the suburbs, the city or a small town.
These measures, from Safe Kids Worldwide include:
Drivers should also take steps to avoid being involved in accidents. MADD outlines these measures:
Aside from car accidents, parents should remain aware of potential risks to their children, which unfortunately include other people. For children going out without supervision, parents should advise that they stay in groups, avoid dark houses and alleyways and remain aware of the people around them.
For children with food allergies, parents must ensure their children don’t eat their candy before its ingredients can be checked, carry an epi-pen for more severe allergies, keep in contact with other parents to make them aware of a child’s allergies and not assume that familiar candies are safe to eat.