10 tips to keep kids safe on Halloween

PHOENIX - Ask most kids and they'll eagerly tell you why they love Halloween.

It's the candy and costumes, right?

In fact, even a lot of parents like to get in on the fun.

But according to AAA Arizona, it's the deadliest night of the year for kids.

When the sun goes down and costumes come out, statistics show kids are four times more likely to get hit by a car.

It's a parent's nightmare and one scenario a Valley dad we talked to wants to avoid.

Josh Casselman said "I don't think we let them go out alone any other night, so especially not tonight."

Casselman has a teenager and two little ones. He admits their eyes are on the candy on Halloween, not on the streets.

"They've got the blinders on. They see there's next house and boom I'm going there, they're not looking to the sides or anywhere else," commented Casselman.

That's why he never lets his kids go trick or treating alone, not even his 15-year-old daughter.

Rhiannon Casselman said "They say just to be aware of your surroundings and make sure you look both ways."

She has her parent's safety message down by now, but also learned the hard way.

She told us a couple years ago she actually saw two kids get hit by a car while trick-or-treating.

"It was really scary because I could hear the car it."

" It made me realize how serious your parents are when they're saying that these things happen to anyone," said the teen.

AAA Arizona has these tips for parents to make it a happy and safe Halloween:

• Check costumes
• Ensure they fit well & are visible
• Watch for tripping hazards, obstructed vision
• Review safety precautions with children
• Include traffic safety rules, such as: stay on the sidewalk; cross the street at crosswalks; stop at driveways to make sure no vehicles are coming in or out
• Plan trick-or-treating routes and supervision in advance
• Avoid areas with heavy vehicle traffic and look for well-lit streets with sidewalks
• Make arrangements for an adult to accompany young trick-or-treaters at least until the age of 12
• Buckle up
• If driving trick-or-treaters between neighborhoods, always use appropriate car seats and have children exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle