You can do your part to make sure children have a safe Halloween this year:
Motorists:
- Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
- Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
- At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.
Parents:
- Make sure an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising the outing for children under age 12.
- Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow.
- Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route.
- Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home.
- Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian/traffic safety rules.
- If children are allowed out after dark, outfits should be made with light colored materials. Strips of retroreflective tape should be used to make children visible.
On the way:
- Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if
children are allowed out after dark.
- Carrying flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly.
- Walk on sidewalks, not in the street.
- Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are no sidewalks.
Treats:
- Give children an early meal before going out.
- Tell your youngsters not to eat any treat until they return home.
- When in doubt, throw it out.
Permission to reprint granted by the National Safety Council, a membership organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health