The scariest things lurking around the corner on Halloween aren’t monsters or ghosts.

According to the doctors, they are cars. Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, especially for children.

“There’s a lot of attention on the dangers of candy that might be a little misplaced,” said Britney Lombard, injury prevention manager at Children’s Hospital Colorado. But one thing experts are sure of, she said, is an increase in child pedestrian deaths on Halloween.

“There are a lot of things I can do to mitigate these risks,” she said.

Here are some tips to make sure Halloween is safe and fun for everyone – from the cars to the costumes.

An easy way to keep yourself and your kids out of harm’s way this Halloween is to be aware of your surroundings, Lombard said.

That goes for drivers and pedestrians.

“We see a lot of distracted drivers who are on their phones, and we see a lot of distracted pedestrians who may have headphones in or (are) on their phones,” she said.

Children under the age of 12 should generally be with adults when trick-or-treating. Older children out on their own should be aware of the rules of the road and practice being responsible pedestrians, she said. This includes staying away from phones, making eye contact with drivers before crossing the road and using crosswalks and sidewalks.

Lombard also urged people to drive the speed limit, not drink and drive and pay extra attention to the road — especially at night.

“There will be a lot of children outside when it gets dark and visibility is limited,” she said.

Backing out in the alleys can be especially dangerous on Halloween, with kids running from house to house. Lombard recommends rolling down the window to listen for children, as well as checking them in all mirrors and backing up slowly.

Costumes can be fun and creative, but experts say they should also be safe.

Make sure costumes fit well and avoid trip hazards like capes or bulky clothing that isn’t safe for car seats.

If your child’s costume includes a mask, make sure it fits well and that he can see through it. When in doubt, Lombard said, opt for face paint.

Wearing bright, reflective costumes is also a good idea – try adding glow sticks or reflective tape.

Also consider non-flammable suits, said Dr. Nicholas Algu, a pediatrician at Ochsner Health in Louisiana. On the other hand, if you’re decorating outside of Halloween, avoid long cords and turn on the fire—just in case.

“A lot of kids are walking around and there will be flames, candles, things like that,” he said. “It’s very easy to have an accident.”

Jack o’ lanterns are practically synonymous with Halloween, but carving them can be dangerous.

To avoid accidents, Algu said to make sure the pumpkin is completely dry, use a marker to cut cutouts beforehand, and leave the carving to the adults.

“Instead, you can get the kids to pick the pumpkin seeds,” he said. “That way, they feel like they’re helping and doing a lot of things, but it’s safer for them.”

You can also skip the carving entirely and attach gourd things to give your pumpkin some personality.

Sure, there are myths that tampered candy hurts people on Halloween.

But more importantly, Algu said, parents should consider telling their kids to avoid eating their stashes until they get home in case of any emergencies — like sticky, gooey or thick candy that would could cause suffocation in small children.

And even though the call of candy might be strong, Halloween is not the night to explore new parts of town.

Algu recommends avoiding entering houses and staying in houses with the lights on and in places you know.

Even in familiar neighborhoods, you’re likely to run into strangers — so it’s important to stay with your group, he said, and use common sense to avoid sticky situations.

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The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.