Happy Halloween! A little later today your neighborhood will be bustling with children dressed as ghosts and goblins as they make their way from door to door stocking up on sweets. Whether you’re chaperoning a group of Trick or Treaters or heading over to a friend’s house to watch some cheesy horror films, there are some steps you should take to ensure you have a safe and happy Halloween. We share those tips in this blog.
Halloween Safety
Consider these tips when you’re out and about tonight.
1. Bright Costumes – Trick or Treaters aren’t always easy to see, which is problematic considering they’ll be walking past driveways and across streets. If you can make your child’s costume brighter, they’ll be easy to see. Even if they insist on being a dark vampire or monster, stick some reflective tape on the back of their cape or have them put a flashlight in their bag so they’ll be easier to see.
2. Stick to the Sidewalks – Yes, it’s probably faster to cut through lawns to get from door to door, but you can be injured if you slip on wet grass or sprain your ankle on some uneven ground. Stick to the sidewalks and paths as you traverse the neighborhood.
3. Know the Area – Most people Trick or Treat close to home, but if you’re not accompanying your child, make sure you know what neighborhoods they’ll be in. Make sure they stick to well-lit and familiar areas.
4. Drive Slowly – If you have to leave the house to go re-stock your candy dish, be very careful when backing out of your driveway and driving along the road. Kids don’t always look both ways when crossing the roads, so keep your head on a swivel. Police will be out in full force tonight, so keep your speed under the posted speed limit.
5. Check the Candy – After your Trick or Treater has returned home, look through their candy before they haul it off to their room. Throw away any candy that has rips, tears or holes in the packaging. If this could cause a ruckus in your household, have some candy in your house to “swap” with the candy you’d like to throw out.
6. Limit Candy Intake – Don’t let your child eat all of their candy on Halloween night. If they overindulge, they can get sick or hyperactive. Let them pick out a few treats, but pace their candy intake over the next few days and weeks.
7. Don’t Drink and Drive – Even if you plan on staying out past the normal Trick or Treating hours, don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking. Kids and teens may still be outside, and remember, cops are adding extra enforcement patrols on Halloween, so your odds of getting busted for DUI are higher. Make good decisions behind the wheel.
Keep these seven tips in mind, and I’m sure you’ll have a great night.