Often over-shrouded by Thanksgiving and Christmas, Halloween offers fun for people of all ages. However, you should take some basic precautions to ensure that no one sustains injuries on your property. For more information on how you can make your New Jersey property safer for visitors this Halloween, please read on. Some ways to make your New Jersey property safer for Halloween visitors include:
Making sure your property is well lit
First and foremost, replace burnt-out bulbs in exterior lights. To avoid someone tripping over something he or she can’t see, you may find it necessary to install additional lights in the front yard. In the event that you will not be home for trick-or-treating, you should turn off your lights to discourage children from approaching your property.
Grounding all lighting
Take care that you do not overload electrical outlets with holiday lighting or movable displays. Make sure you ground all lighting, including low-voltage outdoor security lights and any Halloween lights. You can accomplish this by using only covered electric outlets with ground fault circuit interrupters.
Keeping walkways clear
To prevent falls, you should take the time to keep all walkways clear and clutter-free. This may include:
- Putting your car in the garage and locking the garage door
- Moving bikes, garden hoses, potted plants and skateboards away from traversable areas
- Positioning decorative items and jack-o-lanterns at a safe distance from crowds
- Not running cords over sidewalks
- Ensuring the visibility of all displays
Putting safety first when it comes to jack-o-lanterns
If, like many people, you plan on placing lit candles in your jack-o-lanterns, you should keep them as far away from primary walkways as possible to minimize fire hazards, such as costumes, props or decorations catching on fire. Give serious consideration to battery-powered light sources or light sticks.
Keeping your pets inside
Given many pets’ easily excitable natures, especially on festive nights like Halloween, you should keep all pets inside to protect them from cars or inadvertently biting trick-or-treaters.
Assuring you have home security
Do not forget to set your security alarm system before you leave your house, regardless of the reason or the potential length of your absence. Many people of all ages use Halloween as a cover for mischief and burglaries. To enhance your home’s safety, you can also activate motion-sensitive lights and alert your neighbors as to your absence.
Testing your smoke alarms
Jack-o-lanterns and other potentially flammable items are staples of Halloween, so you should not forget to test your smoke alarms well in advance of the Halloween festivities.
Even in the best of circumstances, people can still injure themselves. So, if someone sustains an injury on your property, consider speaking with one of our skilled New Jersey premises liability lawyers today.
Contact our experienced New Jersey firm
If you or someone you know has sustained an injury, contact Rubenstein, Berliner & Shinrod, LLC today.
