Don't Even Think About Halloween Trick-or-Treating Until You Read This

Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but Safe Kids Worldwide — an advocacy organization dedicated to protecting kids from injury — knows all too well the very real dangers that can come from being unprepared while out trick-or-treating, even as a family.

On average, twice as many child pedestrians are killed while walking on Halloween as compared to other days of the year, and a startling 12 percent of kids 5 years old and younger go door-to-door alone, without any adult supervision. And although most parents reported having concerns about safety during this holiday in particular, only one-third of moms talk to their kids about Halloween safety.

Whether it's finding an appropriate costume, setting clear trick-or-treating guidelines, enforcing candy rules, and driving defensively yourself, we've compiled a helpful checklist of easy and effective ways to keep your kids safe every step of the way.