Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for kids. We always need to be careful and follow a few safety guidelines.

Motorists Are urged to use as much if not more caution as usual on Halloween night. Please drive with the utmost caution as there will still likely be children and pedestrians out and about on Halloween night.

These safety tips will help keep everyone safe and happy this Halloween.

For Parents:

• Attach reflective tape or other material to your child’s costume to ensure they are more visible

• Young children should be accompanied by adults or travel together in groups while trick-or-treating

• Avoid using masks or decorative glasses that make it hard for children to see properly

• Costumes should fit properly and not be too long to prevent trips and falls

• Dress your child for the weather

• Put your child’s name, address and phone number in/on their costume

• Carry a flashlight and ensure that your children remain in your sight

• Trick-or-treaters should look both ways before crossing the street and only cross at designated crosswalks.

• Always examine your children’s treats before they eat them. Dispose of any treats that appear to have damaged or open packaging. Avoid eating homemade treats from strangers as it can be difficult to ensure they are safe.

If your child is going out without an adult:

• Make sure your child is in a group of at least 3 people

• Give them a flashlight or glow stick to increase their visibility

• Give them a cell phone if you have one

• Discuss what route they will be going. Ask them to call you if they plan to go on a different route

• Give your child a curfew

For Children:

• Trick or treating should occur in the early evening hours

• Always let your parents know where you will be going and stick to the plan!

• Never travel in areas that are dark and vacant

• Never talk to strangers

• Never go anywhere with strangers or someone you do not know very well

• Never enter a stranger’s home. Always stand at the door. Stay away from homes that are in total darkness

• Take Halloween treats home for inspection by your parents before eating them

• Don’t crisscross back and forth across the street. Work your way up one side of the street and then start on the other. Walk on the sidewalks and stay off roads and lawns

For Motorists:

• Be especially careful on the roads between 4 pm and 8 pm as this is when the majority of children are out trick-or-treating. Slow down when you are driving through residential neighbourhoods.

• Avoid distractions. It only takes a second for a child to dart out in front of your vehicle. Turn your cell phone off or set it to do-not-disturb.

• Use caution and go slow around stopped vehicles.  They may be dropping off or picking up trick-or-treaters.

• Yield to pedestrians. Remember that on Halloween night, young children may be so excited that they forget some basic safety rules when crossing the street. Children can be unpredictable and may enter roadways in an unsafe manner.

• Always use your signals to communicate with other drivers. If you are dropping off or picking up your own little goblins, be sure to use your four-way lights. Instruct children to get in and out of your car on the side of the vehicle that is closest to the sidewalk.

Halloween Parties:

• If you are attending a Halloween party, make sure you keep your drink with you and in clear view at all times. Do not accept a drink from someone unless you see it being made.

• Always drive sober. Make sure you have a designated driver or call a taxi or rideshare to keep yourself, pedestrians, and others on the road safe.

Please enjoy a safe and Happy Halloween!