Boo! Cyril Spence, Jennifer Spence, Emma Reid all dressed up
With Halloween right around the corner, pay attention to trick-or-treaters and pedestrians after dark. Costumes can be both creative and safe. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible instead. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to improve visibility.
Here are some tips:
- After 8 is late. By going trick-or-treating before 8, children are safer. Some older youth go out later in the evening looking for mischief. Children younger than age 12 should not be alone crossing streets without an adult.
- Turn off your porch light at 8 p.m. to discourage people from approaching your house.
- Older kids mature enough to go trick-or-treating without adult supervision should go in a group and stick to a pre-determined route with good lighting.
- Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
- Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Slow down and stay alert. Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
- Costumes can be both creative and safe. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible instead. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to improve visibility.
- If you’re driving, be especially cautious in residential areas and at intersections, crosswalks and along sidewalks.
