Tricks for a Safe Treat: A Connected Guide to Halloween Safety

It’s officially spooky season! A time of tricks, treats and a scary good time. But before you unleash your little monsters on the neighborhood, let's talk safety. Because while we all love a good scare, the last thing anyone wants is a real-life fright – like the significantly higher risk of pedestrian accidents on All Hallow's Eve. In fact, the National Safety Council reports that kids face a significantly higher risk of pedestrian-related incidents on Halloween night. 

That's where smart planning and a little tech hocus pocus comes in. This year, we're helping you and your family enjoy a truly spooktacular and safe evening with our reliable network and a few clever tech tips.

Halloween Safety 101

Keeping kids safe on Halloween can be broken down into three key areas: Visibility, Communication, and Awareness. Our mobile devices are central to all of them.

• Visibility: With dusk setting in early, visibility is a major concern. Encourage bright, reflective costumes. Even on dark-colored outfits, add reflective tape to bags and shoes so they catch a driver's headlights. A mobile device's flashlight feature can be a simple, effective tool for both kids and parents to see and be seen. For older kids, a smart watch with a built-in light can be a hands-free option.
• Communication: A new survey from Verizon, conducted in collaboration with Morning Consult, shows that over 90% of parents with children 6 and over plan to monitor or check in with their kids while they are out. The most common methods include phone calls or texts, location-sharing apps and wearable devices. A reliable network is the foundation of this. With Verizon's strong coverage, parents can trust that their children's devices will work when they need them to. 
• Awareness: It's easy for kids to get distracted by the fun. Remind them to stay on sidewalks, use crosswalks, and never dart out into the street. Teach them to look both ways before crossing and to make eye contact with drivers. A mobile device is a powerful tool for awareness. Remind kids to put their phones away while crossing the street to avoid distracted walking.

Your Wireless Provider as a Partner in Safety

Verizon’s survey with Morning Consult also found that 69% of parents will monitor their kids' Halloween activities by using wearable devices with location capabilities.

Your phone plan is more than just a way to make calls; it's an emergency lifeline and a safety tool.

You’re there for them. We’re here for you. Our kid-friendly Gizmo Watch 3 helps families stay connected by offering parents and caregivers a way to monitor younger children who are not ready for cellphones. Features of the Gizmo Watch 3 include: 

• Real-Time GPS Monitoring & Geo-Fencing: Provides parents with peace of mind by enabling location monitoring, boundary alerts (geo-fencing), and easy device retrieval. 
• SOS Button & Easy Communication: Features a built-in SOS button for quick emergency calls to a designated contact. The watch also allows for easy communication between the child and caregiver, offering reassurance and regular check-ins.
• Video Calling: Don’t just take their word for it, see where they are with live video calling from the watch.
• Durable Design: The Gizmo Watch 3 is built to withstand active play with a raised-edge design and drop resistance up to 1.2 meters, ensuring it can keep up with your child's adventures.

But what about older kiddos and the rest of the family? The data shows that 75% of parents will use location-sharing apps to monitor their kids’ routes making Verizon Family Plus the go-to app to help keep the entire family safe. With features like Location Monitoring, Safe Walk with SOS, and more, Verizon Family provides peace of mind.

Upgrade to the Verizon Family Plus perk for just $10/month with myPlan to get additional features and a greater sense of security. Spooky season approved Family Plus perk features include:

• Driving Companion to help monitor their journey to those Halloween events. This feature lets you know of any sudden stops and rapid accelerations and notifies you when a crash has happened. It also provides Roadside Assistance for car trouble.
• 24/7 Assist: Get 24/7 access to live agents to assist with everything from true medical emergencies to unsafe outdoor walk situations.

Halloween should be a night of fun, not fear. By taking simple precautions and leveraging the power of a reliable wireless connection and the comprehensive safety features of Verizon Family Plus, your family can enjoy a safe, memorable evening. 

For more information on how you and your little ghouls and goblins can be safe and connected this spooky season and beyond, visit a local Verizon store or explore our plans and devices online, and ask about the Verizon Family Plus perk. 

Not currently a Verizon customer? Don't let the fear of switching haunt you. Bring us your bill and we'll get you a scary good deal. Just swing by your nearest store.

Happy Trick-or-Treating