Trick or Treating Safety Tips

Ok the kids are all exited to go trick or treating but you must be very cautious as it can be a dangerous time of year. Here are some safety tips for your little trick or treaters and to keep the ones visiting your house safe.
Tips for Your Trick or Treaters

1 Consider using face paint instead of a mask for a costume. Masks constrict visibility and can lead to falls or worse a run in with a moving vehicle. If the child does wear a mask, have them remove it until they are actually at a house trick or treating.

2 Make sure each child has a working flashlight with fresh batteries. Not only to help them see where they are going, but more importantly to let cars see them easier. Make sure the child knows not to shine the light into the face of a driver which can cause them to wreck their car. Also tell them not to shine it on people's houses, just to shine it in front of them as they are walking.

3 Get some reflective tape and put a strip on at least the back of the costume but front and back is better, so drivers can see them easier.

4 Make sure the costume does not drag on the ground, which can cause them to trip.

5 When they exit the car have them do it on the curb side of the car, not the side in the road.

6- Walk with the children if they have to cross the road. Or at least have an older child (12 or older) escort the kids across the road. Only let them cross at corners and on a cross walk if one is available, don't let them cross between parked cars.

7 If there is a sidewalk have the kids stay on it, rather than the road or someone's yard.

8 If the home your visiting has a beware of the dog sign up, avoid it unless there is evidence that the dog is put up (other kids there already with no problems) Instruct the kids not to pet anyone's dog, in case it's mean.

9 Only go to homes with a well lit up porch or yard. It's easier to avoid falls this way and if a home is NOT lit up on Halloween night, they probably don't trick or treaters anyway.

10 If possible let the child carry a cell phone in case they get separated from you or the older kids escorting them.

11 Make sure they don't eat any of the candy until you get a chance to look at it. Look at the wrapping of the candy and throw away anything that may have been opened and reclosed.

12 For smaller kids, attach their name, address, phone number to their costume in case they get separated.

13 Drive very slowly when driving on Halloween night, remember there are lots of kids running around exited and may forget road safety. Be very careful when backing out of a driveway, watch for walking kids.

\Tips for keeping visiting Trick or Treaters safe:

1 Make sure your yard is well lit and has nothing for them to trip over. Remove ladders, water hoses, rakes, dog leashes or flower pots.

2 Put any pets up. Animals get excited and scared with all the activity and may bite a kid.

3 Use a battery operated jack o'lantern to prevent it being knocked over and causing a fire. If you do use candles put them away from where the trick or treaters will be walking. Make sure any paper decorations can't be blown onto the candles if the wind picks up.

4 Don't scare the crap out of some little kid; I know a lot of people enjoy freaking out a trick or treater. But it could ruin some little kid's Halloween. Now if you see some teens out trick or treating, by all means jump out and yell boo if ya want to. Just be aware of some teen's joy of rolling yards of mean grownups lol.

5 Don't give out choking hazards to little kids, gum, peanuts, hard candy or toys. It's ok to give that stuff to bigger kids. I wouldn't give out peanuts myself due to the large number of people who are allergic to them.