Halloween can be a fun time but it can be dangerous if you
don't follow a few simple safety rules.
Halloween Safety Tips For Kids:
NEVER eat any treats until they are examined by an adult at
your home.
Make sure your Halloween costume is colorfast so the color
doesn't run onto your other clothes if it rains.
Carry a flashlight with fresh batteries after dark.
Take along money for a phone call.
Trick or Treat with friends or with adult supervision. Don't
go alone.
NEVER enter the house or car of a stranger.
Trick or Treat in the late afternoon or early evening.
Trick or Treat in your own neighborhood, and visit only houses
that you know.
Always trick or treat in groups, accompanied by an adult.
Stay on streets that are well lit and only cross the street at
the corners.
NEVER run across the street and always look both ways before
crossing.
Hem your costumes so you don't trip and fall.
Double tie your shoelaces so you don't trip.
Do not take short cuts through backyards, alleys, or parks.
Carry a flashlight or wear reflective tape so drivers can see
you and you can see hazards in the street as well as other people.
Review the "stop, drop and roll" procedure in case your
costume catches on fire.
Follow traffic signals and don't jaywalk.
Always watch for cars backing up or turning.
Never accept rides from strangers.
Don't cut across yards and stay out of back yards.
Don't approach unfamiliar pets and animals.
Only visit well lit houses. Don't stop at dark houses.
Walk with your head up and be aware of your surroundings.
Watch out for open flames in jack-o-Lanterns.
Don't trample through flower beds and gardens.
Only trick or treat at houses where the porch light is on and
well lit.
Walk. No running.
Carry a few quarters for a payphone so you can call home if
you need to.
Small children should not be allowed hard candy they may choke
on.
Report any suspicious or criminal activity to an adult or the
police.
Do not play with lighters, matches, or fireworks!
Keep your costume and wig away from candles.
Follow a curfew and take a watch with a backlight.
Children's' Make-up should be hypoallergenic and non-toxic.
Plan your route ahead of time, have it approved by each
parent.
Stay on the sidewalks and out of the streets. Cross only at
intersections and designated crosswalks.
Don't eat any candy until it's inspected for tampering under bright
lights.
Be very cautious of strangers.
Respect other people and their property.
Be polite and say "thank you."
Consider having a party instead of Trick or Treating.
Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are
no sidewalks. Or better yet, avoid those streets entirely.
Halloween Safety Tips For Adults:
Welcome trick-or-treaters with your porch lights and any exterior lights
on.
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.
Patrol your street occasionally to discourage speeding motorists, acts of
malicious mischief and crimes against children.
Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know the
names of older children's companions.
Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an
established route.
Establish a return time.
Tell your youngsters not to eat any treat until they return home.
Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including
pedestrian/traffic safety rules. Make sure your children know them.
Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your police department
immediately. In many areas you can dial 9-1-1.
Candlelit jack-o-lanterns should be kept clear of doorsteps and landings.
Consider using flashlights instead of candles to light jack-o-lanterns.
Keep pets away from doors so children will not become frightened.
Set a time limit for your children to "trick-or-treat." Also designate a
specific route for them to take.
Feed the kids before they go so they will be less likely to eat the treats
before they get home.
AGAIN, Warn ALL kids not to eat anything before you inspect it.
Pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address and phone number inside
a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group.
Give children an early meal before going out. Hungry children will not
wait until they get home to eat their treats!
Wash fruit and slice into small pieces. When in doubt throw it out.
Explain to children the difference between tricks and
vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house may seem like fun but they need to know
the other side of the coin as well, clean up and damages can ruin Halloween.
If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they've made.
Halloween Safety Tips For Your Pets:
Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween: There are plenty of
stories of pranksters on this night.
Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets: Chocolate is poisonous to a lot
of animals.
Tin foil and candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.
Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: Pets may knock it over and cause
a fire.
Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.
Don't dress the dog in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it
puts a lot of stress on the animal.
If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn't constricting,
annoying or unsafe.
Be careful not to obstruct their vision and get your dog used
to wearing his/her costume before the actual date of Halloween.
All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during
trick-or-treat visiting hours; many strangers in strange garb can be scary for
a dog.
Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door.
Walk your dog early in the night, before it gets dark.
Halloween Car Safety Tips:
Exercise extreme caution when driving a vehicle. Be on the alert for
excited youngsters, whose vision may be obscured by masks, darting out into
traffic.
Motorists should avoid all unnecessary travel on Halloween evening, and
when driving all motorists should drive slowly.
Many accidents occur when motorists are backing vehicles out of driveways.
Make absolutely sure there are no small children behind your car.
Consider a Flame Resistant Costume For your Child:
When purchasing costumes, masks, beards and wigs, look for the label
"Flame Resistant." Although this label does not
mean these items won't catch fire, it does indicate the items will resist
burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with
candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and
outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.
Costume Designs To Consider:
Purchase or make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to
motorists. For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim
costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the
beam of a car's headlights.
Bags or sacks also should be light colored or decorated with reflective
tape.
Children should carry flashlights to see easily and aid in being seen.
Costumes should be short enough so that children won't trip and fall.
Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Mother's high heels are
not a good idea for safe walking.
Tie hats and scarves securely to keep them from slipping over children's
eyes.
If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes
large enough to allow full vision.
Swords, knives, and accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
Always use common sense, caution and adult supervision to
make this Halloween the best ever. Have a fun, safe and Happy Halloween
I would like to thank Samantha for sending us this
Halloween safety Tips Page. Thank you so much for your suggestion and
sharing the actual page with us.
