IU Health Emergency Medicine expert shares safety tips ahead of Halloween and IU Football home game festivities

With both Halloween celebrations and a home IU Football game scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, IU Health experts are encouraging community members to stay safe while out having fun.

"Our Emergency Services teams tend to see increased incidents of injuries and alcohol-related health concerns on home game days and during Halloween celebrations," said IU Health South Region Emergency Medicine physician Robert (Bob) Adams, DO. "My biggest tips for staying safe are to have a plan and stay vigilant."

This includes, but isn't limited to:

• Knowing where you're going, how to stay in contact with your group, and where to meet if you get separated
• Being extra cautious when driving and looking out for people walking into the street
• Looking both ways to ensure it's safe to cross a street, and only doing so at crosswalks
• Drinking plenty of water, limiting alcohol consumption, and eating food regularly
• Having a designated driver if you plan on drinking

"Even small amounts of alcohol can negatively your vision, coordination and judgement, which is why it's never safe to drive if you've been drinking alcohol," said Dr. Adams.

Staying safe is also important for trick-or-treaters, which is why parents and guardians are encouraged to:

• Use reflective tape, flashlights, glow sticks and other tools to increase your child's visibility
• Ensure costumes fit, shoes are comfortable and masks are easy to see and breathe through
• Have adults check candy before children eat it to ensure there's no allergens, choking hazards for younger children, or items that have already been open

"I also encourage children to have an emergency contact card, cellphone, water and a set route-especially if they're trick-or-treating without their parents or a guardian," said Dr. Adams. "We want this weekend to be a fun and safe time for everyone."

You can find more tips for a safe Halloween on the National Safety Council's webpage: https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/autumn-safety/halloween.

If you or someone else is experiencing a health emergency, always call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency department.