5 Halloween Mishaps and Missteps to Avoid

Oct. 29,2010— -- Halloween is a time for children and adults alike to loosen up, show off creative costumes or other fantastical get-ups and indulge in treats that they hope will outnumber tricks.

Yet despite the carefree spirit of Halloween parties and parades, there are many ways to inadvertently end up injured, ailing or in distress while your friends are out howling at the moon. The candle conflagrations, the Halloween hit-and-runs, the greasepaint-triggered acne are all more common than the possibly apocryphal incidents of accepting apples or candy that some sadist has adulterated with razor blades.

Just in time for Halloween, several federal agencies and physicians' organizations have offered their recommendations for staying safe during the holiday once known as All Hallows' Eve.

The Food and Drug Administration compiled its "Lucky 13" tips for a safe Halloween. .

The American Academy of Pediatrics pulled together advice about safe costumes and safe pumpkin carving.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology sounded yet another warning about using decorative non-prescription contact lenses.

Even those with food allergies can enjoy a safe holiday, said Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, an allergy specialist at NYU School of Medicine. He recommends shopping in advance for foods and snacks free of suspected allergens, bringing your own treats to parties or while trick-or-treating, keeping emergency medications such as epinephrine pens handy should an allergic reaction occur, and considering non-food items such as stickers and crayons instead of candies and foods whose mystery ingredients could prove hazardous.

Here are what we at ABCNews.com have unscientifically determined to be the Five Dumbest Things That Could Get You Into Trouble on Halloween: