Hosting a Halloween Party? Here’s What to Keep In Mind
Halloween parties are a great opportunity to have fun with friends, neighbors, community groups, and family. While you may be excited to open your home to your favorite people, it’s also important to keep your safety responsibilities in mind. By doing so, you can prevent an accident or injury – and protect yourself from a lawsuit brought by an injured friend, neighbor, or family member.
Your Responsibilities as Host
In South Carolina, an injured person can seek compensation from a homeowner if the homeowner’s negligence caused the injuries. South Carolina law recognizes different degrees of responsibility for homeowners, depending on the homeowner’s relationship to the injured person.
These categories include:
- Invitees. Invitees are business customers or guests. A property owner’s responsibility to invitees is high: the property owner must use reasonable care to protect invitees from harm, ensure the premises are safe, and warn invitees of any risks that can’t be immediately addressed.
- Licensees. Licensees are social guests, like friends visiting your home for a Halloween party. Homeowners don’t need to immediately address every safety risk, but they do need to warn licensees about any risk the visitor can’t easily discover on their own.
- Trespassers. Trespassers don’t have permission to be on the property. Homeowners don’t have to fix dangerous conditions or warn trespassers about them.
- Children. Children grow quickly, and so does their ability to spot and avoid danger. Therefore, a homeowner’s responsibility to a child will differ depending on the child’s age and ability.
Most Halloween party guests are licensees or invitees. It’s important for homeowners to warn their guests about dangers that aren’t obvious.
For example, if you’re having guests over and you know one of your porch steps is broken, consider roping off the steps or putting up a sign that says “Warning: Steps Are Broken.” If your guests have no warning about the steps and someone gets injured, you may be liable for their injuries.
Handling Alcohol Safely at Home Parties
Alcohol use raises additional safety concerns at a party. Guests who overindulge may trip or fall, get into a car accident, or suffer other injuries.
For this reason, it’s essential to practice safety if you’re serving alcohol at your Halloween party. Keep these tips in mind:
- Offer a variety of non-alcoholic options. Soft drinks, coffee, hot cocoa or cider, water, zero-alcohol wine and beer alternatives, and mocktails all give your guests ways to enjoy their party drinks while managing their alcohol intake.
- Plan ahead. For guests who do drink, have options to keep them safe. Have contact information for local taxi services ready on your phone. Download the Uber or Lyft app and contact a ride. Ask guests who their designated drivers are. Set up a guest space in case someone needs to spend the night.
- Know who’s staying sober. Designated drivers or a few party guests who agree not to drink can help others celebrate and travel safely. If possible, figure out ahead of time who these people will be – and stock their favorite non-alcoholic drinks or favorite snacks as a way of showing thanks.
- Set bar hours. An hour or two before the party wraps up, close the bar. This is a great time to bring out an extra treat you’ve set aside, like cupcakes or fancy coffee.
Finally, don’t hesitate to stand up to a family member or friend who has had too much to drink but insists they’re going to drive anyway. A confrontation at the party is worth saving a life or preventing serious injuries.
Top Safety Considerations for Halloween Parties
Alcohol safety is a must at most Halloween parties, but it’s not the only safety consideration. To prevent injuries and ensure a good time, keep these tips in mind as well.
Double-check your costume and any children’s costumes. Costumes should be made of flame-resistant material. When possible, opt for makeup instead of a mask so that this part of the costume doesn’t obstruct one’s vision. Use toy weapons and other props instead of the real thing.
Use Halloween lighting. Darkness is spooky, but it can also increase the risk of injuries. Instead of leaving the lights off, try LED candles, string lights, and other lights to help guests see as they move through and outside your house.
Think decor, not clutter. Halloween decor is fun, but it’s not worth risking an injury. Decorate with an eye to keeping clutter off the floor and out of walkways.
Incorporate signs into your decor. If you need to warn guests about a hazard, like a broken floor tile or a door that doesn’t close, include warning signs in your decorating. Make the signs easy to read and decorate them so they stand out.
Protect children and pets. If kids are part of your festivities, look at the house through their eyes. Move electrical cords out of the way and pick up any small objects, including Halloween decor, that kids might otherwise grab. Protect pets by giving them a safe, quiet space of their own away from the party noise.
If you’re injured at a Halloween party this year, reach out to the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Steinberg Law Firm. Contact us today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced South Carolina personal injury lawyers.