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Halloween means cool costumes, spooky stories and trick-or-treating fun. But safety should always remain top of mind. Children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.

That's why Jennifer Roye, a nursing expert at The University of Texas at Arlington with more than 16 years of emergency department experience, says pedestrian safety should be parents' top concern during trick-or-treating.

"A lot of what we saw in the ER were falls, cuts, sprains and bumps to the head. Costumes that are too long, masks that make it hard to see and kids running around in the dark can all contribute," said Roye, assistant dean for simulation and technology and clinical associate professor at UTA's College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

"But the bigger concern is pedestrian injuries because kids can be excited and dart into the street without thinking."

Roye shared safety insights and best practices to ensure the holiday stays memorable for the right reasons. Her advice comes as approximately 3,200 Halloween-related injuries are treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments each year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Plan ahead, slow down and make sure kids can see and be seen. Check the costume before you leave the house, supervise younger kids, use crosswalks and remind older kids to put their phones away while they are walking.

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