Enjoy Halloween Without a Scare Steer Clear of Spooky Mishaps Halloween is a time for ghoulish fun, creative costumes, and buckets of candy. But amidst all the excitement, it’s easy to forget about the potential hazards that can turn a night of trick-or-treating into a real fright. We’re here to help you keep the scares where they belong — with the haunted houses and ghost stories. Let’s discuss how to stay safe and avoid common Halloween-related accidents. WATCH OUT FOR PEDESTRIAN HAZARDS One of the biggest risks during Halloween is pedestrian injuries. With so many little ghosts and goblins running around, the chances of an accident increase. According to the National Safety Council, kids are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year. So, how can you avoid turning into a skeleton due to an unfortunate accident? Be Bright, Be Seen: Incorporate reflective tape into your child’s costume or hand out glow sticks for them to carry. It’s important to make sure your child is visible and always makes eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. • Stick to the Sidewalk: Always walk on the sidewalk and use crosswalks. Remind your little monsters to look both ways before crossing the street. • Travel in Groups: There’s safety in numbers. Stick together as a group, and ensure an adult always accompanies younger children. DRIVERS, BEWARE! Drivers, this one’s for you. Halloween is not the night to zoom through neighborhoods like a bat out of hell. Here’s how you can ensure the safety of all those candy-hungry witches and wizards: • Slow Down: Drive slowly through residential areas, especially where trick-or-treaters are present. Watch for sugar-filled kids who may dart into the road unexpectedly. • No Booze Behind the Wheel: As fun as Halloween parties can be, they aren’t worth the risk of driving under the influence. If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver or use a rideshare service. • Stay Alert: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. is peak trick-or-treating time, so watch for children walking on roads and curbs. Be especially cautious at driveways and intersections. FOR TRICK-OR-TREATERS • We love Halloween as much as anyone else, but we want to ensure you’re safe while enjoying the spooky festivities. Stay safe, enjoy the candy, and don’t let your Halloween become a real horror story.
I would like to start by apologizing to super fans of the 1995 crime drama “Se7en,” who thought they had their baby’s name all picked out. While it’s fine to include a number in a movie’s title, putting a number in a baby’s name is usually illegal. Depending on your state, some rules apply to the length, letters, and symbols that may be legally included in a name. Here are three specific restrictions some states impose for naming your child. DEROGATORY, OBSCENE, OR OFFENSIVE Some of the most common naming rules are to prevent someone from giving their baby a particularly heinous name. A baby’s name cannot be offensive, obscene, or include derogatory terms. Additionally, some monikers, like “King,” “Queen,” and “Santa Claus,” might not seem offensive but are still considered illegal. Other banned names include “Jesus Christ,” “Adolf Hitler,” “Messiah,” and “Nutella.” SAY NO TO MATH If you have ever wondered why you’ve never met someone from Canton or Cleveland named R2-D2 or 42069, there is a legal reason for that. Some states, including Ohio, New Jersey, and Virginia, forbid using numbers in baby names. However, this is not true across the board. States like Illinois, California, and Florida have no specific rules against including numbers in names. New York, however, forbids using numbers and mandates the maximum length of all first names to be 30 characters long or less. SYMBOLS AND NON-ENGLISH LETTERS In 2020, Elon Musk made waves when he and his girlfriend Grimes named their baby boy X Æ A-Xii. If you are struggling to pronounce that name, you are not alone. However, depending on the baby’s birth state, that name may run afoul of the law. In New York, for instance, symbols like hyphens, asterisks, and apostrophes are not allowed. California law prohibits pictographs and non-English characters. These rules are often due to the software used to keep records of people’s names and are common across many states. If you must name your baby something numerical or inappropriate, I recommend moving to Kentucky. It is one of the few states with no significant rules regarding naming children. Why Some Baby Names Are Forbidden Naming No-Nos
You can always reach Kevin directly at 404.566.8964 or Kevin@PatrickTrialLaw.com. (If you ever need it, his cellphone is 404.409.3160.)
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