Halloween one of the busiest nights of the year for local ERs

According to University Hospital staff, Halloween is one of the busiest days of the year for their emergency room. Minor incidents like twisted ankles and sprains are a common sight in the ER.

Cole County Sheriff’s Captain John Wheeler said his best advice for parents is to stay in neighborhoods they know, and just “make sure the kids are wearing some kind of reflective garb and make sure they aren’t wearing black.” He said dark streets and dark costumes don’t make a good combination and can dangerous for your child’s safety.

University Hospital Trauma Coordinator, Kassi Campbell, said they see a number of cases every year on Halloween, and the majority of them are traffic-related. “From 5:30 to 9:30 are the busiest times, and those are the darker times when the kids are crossing the street, and they aren’t looking so they’re getting hit by cars.”

Campbell went on to say reflective gear like these plastic pumpkins can be an easy safety measure for parents.

“The other thing is maybe avoid the mask and use face paint instead, and the reason for that, is the mask is going to obstruct the child’s vision, so they aren’t going to be able to see a car when crossing the street,” said Campbell.