Online Halloween Costume Retailer Helps Families Stay Safe this Halloween

Pedestrian-related accidents (especially those involving children) increase on Halloween night. Import Costumes, Inc. (www.ImportCostumes.com) wants to emphasize the role families’ Halloween costume choices play in this phenomenon in an effort to help parents make better costume decisions to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday for the whole family.

Boston, MA - September 11, 2008 – When researchers with the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute evaluated accident data for Halloween, the results were alarming. They were able to determine that pedestrian fatalities are more than four times more frequent on Halloween night than other nights of the year, and mostly affecting children under 15. Two factors that contribute to the higher accident rate are the number of people (especially children) out on the streets and dark Halloween costumes – both which contribute to visibility problems for drivers (more children mean more visual stimuli to distract them, while dark costumes make some trick-or-treaters difficult to see).

Online Halloween costume retailer Import Costumes, Inc. wants to do their part to keep families safer this Halloween with tips on choosing high visibility Halloween costumes for the entire family.
“Halloween is supposed to be fun,” says Jessica Lutoff, Marketing Director of Import Costumes. “The last thing kids are thinking about is being involved in an accident, and it’s the last thing parents should have to think about as well. Smart costume choices can play a major role in the safety of families out on Halloween, and we hope our customers will use our tips to enjoy a safer holiday this year.”

When choosing Halloween costumes, Import Costumes recommends the following to avoid pedestrian accidents and help alleviate other Halloween safety concerns:

1. Purchase costumes that are light or bright in color. These colors reflect light more than darkly-colored Halloween costumes, making the wearer more visible to drivers by reflecting light from headlights, streetlights, and house lights. Costumes made from (or containing) reflective material are an even better option.

2. Avoid costumes that may be too common or popular – the more distinctive a costume is, the less likely it is a parent will lose sight of their child in the chaos of many kids dressed similarly.

3. Consider group- or family-themed costumes to be more easily recognized. You want it to be easy for a child to recognize the adult with them, and vice versa. Import Costumes offers several themed costumes for the whole family, such as a family of superheroes, pirate costumes, or even Halloween costumes related to a family’s favorite movie or television show.

Import Costumes knows safety measures are more effective when they’re a family theme where everyone works together to stay safe – on Halloween that starts with what you’re wearing, which is why the company offers many choices for safe boys’ and girls’ Halloween costumes.

The University of Michigan study was based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System dataset, which looked at young pedestrian fatalities from 1987 to 2004 on Halloween as well as three days before and three days after Halloween.

About Import Costumes Inc.
Import Costumes, Inc. is an online Halloween costume retailer specializing in costumes for the whole family, from children’s costumes to sexy Halloween costumes for adults. Launched in 2007, ImportCostumes.com brings the best selection of costumes direct from the factory to consumers. The company offers more than just Halloween costumes, also featuring products appropriate for Renaissance fairs, plays, theme parties year-round, and more.

For more information about Import Costumes, or to setup an interview about the role costumes play in Halloween safety, please visit www.ImportCostumes.com or contact Jessica Lutoff at 866-502-7611.

Contact Information

Jessica Lutoff

Marketing Manager

www.importcostumes.com

Contact via E-mail