Tips for Keeping Kids Safe at a Party or Treat

As people of all ages prepare their Halloween costumes, everyone needs to remember that safety is the key to having a fun Halloween night.

The American Red Cross, Department of Homeland Security, and many other organizations have provided the following tips for keeping trick-or-treating safe during Halloween:

Tips for trick-or-treaters and parents or guardians of trick-or-treaters

• See and be seen

  • Use facial makeup rather than masks that make it difficult to see.

  • Give trick-or-treaters a flashlight to light their way.

  • Add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags.

  • Ask everyone to wear light-colored clothing

• Know where your children are going. Accompanying young children

• Only visit homes with porch lights on.

• Accept treats at the door, never enter

• Adults should check candy before eating

  • Be sure to remove loose candy, open wrappers, and choking hazards.

  • Throw away any items with brand names you don’t know.

• Watch for cars turning or reversing. Teach children to never rush into the street or cross between parked cars.

  • Children are twice as likely to be injured in a vehicle or pedestrian accident on Halloween as any other day of the year, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

• Be aware and avoid open flames like candles in jack-o-lanterns

Advice for people hosting trick-or-treaters

• Light the area well so young visitors can see

• Restrain animals so they do not jump or bite a treat.

Driving on Halloween

• Slow down and pay attention to children in neighborhoods

• Turn on the headlights

• Take extra time, look for children at intersections, medians and sidewalks

• Enter and exit aisles slowly